If you are not sweating or have not urinated, is it a sign of dehydration?
Did you know that after a holiday weekend, most people who consumed alcohol are more exposed to dehydration?
Drinking alcoholic beverages in hot weather can have serious consequences. During extreme heat, we sweat more, and drinking alcohol can cause us to lose fluids due to increased urination. This combination can lead to dehydration. The body’s temperature is regulated by the hypothalamus gland.
The human body is normally able to regulate its temperature through sweating until it is exposed to more heat than it can handle. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can escalate rapidly, leading to delirium, organ damage, and even death. In 2024, 529 people died in the U.S. from exposure to excessive heat.
Remember to look after yourself and your coworkers. If you notice they have not been drinking water, encourage them to stay hydrated. Also, if you see that they have stopped sweating or are showing symptoms of heat exhaustion, make sure they take a break and cool down to help lower their body temperature. Consult with your supervisor about temporarily removing some safety gear while away from dangerous areas and not near work in progress so you can cool down. Remember to put on all required protective gear again before returning to work.
Water
The natural choice for hydration is water. It hydrates better than any other liquid, both before and during work. Water tends to be less expensive and more available than any other drink. You need to drink 4–6 ounces of water every 15–20 minutes of work. That can add up to a lot of water! Water is best, but it only helps if you drink it.
Are you drinking enough?
When you are drinking enough fluids, your body is in balance, and your urine will be a pale straw-yellow color. When you have not had enough fluids, your kidneys try to save as much water as they can, causing your urine to become darker in color and more concentrated.
Dark yellow urine is a sign that you are dehydrated and need to drink more fluids to prevent dehydration. Dehydration happens when your body loses too much water. This occurs when you do not take in enough fluids or when you lose too much fluid from vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or excessive sweating.
These illnesses cause your body to save any fluids it can find, such as fluids from your blood or other body tissues.
By the time a person becomes severely dehydrated, there may not be enough fluid in the body to send blood to the organs, and the person may go into shock, which is life-threatening.
Early signs of dehydration:
1. Increased thirst
2. Dry, sticky mouth
3. Reduced urine output
4. Dark yellow urine (concentrated)
Moderate signs of dehydration:
- Extreme thirst
- Dry mouth
- No tears when crying, or dry eyes
- Urinating half as often as usual within a 24-hour period, usually three or less times
- Very dark urine, such as dark amber or brown
- Feeling dizzy or lightheaded, relieved when lying down