Pinch your skin to see if you're dehydrated.
Dehydration means your body is low on water. Even when you are not particularly active, your body loses fluid throughout the day.
Simply breathing means that water leaves your body in the form of moist air. Now imagine a day in the Florida heat, or sweating hard during a workout –your body will lose a lot more fluid, sometimes very quickly.
When you are dehydrated, your body can’t perform normal functions. Water is needed to transport nutrients through your body, remove toxins and many other tasks.
Don’t rely on thirst to be your guide – by the time you feel parched, you’re body may already be dehydrated. Your skin, however, is a great early warning sign for dehydration.
Pinch the skin on the back of your hand. If the fleshy bit you pull on is flexible and bounces back easily, you’re probably fine. If not, drink some cool water and get out of the heat or sun until your skin recovers.
Studies have found that there is no universal formula to figure out how much you should be drinking, but knowing how your body processes water can help you estimate if you are getting enough.