Drinking more water but feeling more dehydrated?

kaaaaaat3
kaaaaaat3 Posts: 13 Member
edited December 1 in Food and Nutrition
Hi! i wasn't sure where to post this, so sorry if it's in the wrong place.

Basically, about 6 days ago, I really started upping my water intake. I used to drink around 1.5litres per day, now it's nearer 2.5litres. I feel great! It's hugely boosted my progress on the scale (I'd been at a plateau and then in the last 5 days I've lost 4lbs! I know it's "water weight" but it's good to FINALLY see a change on the scale!)

But anyway, my issue is that since I've started drinking so much water, I've been waking up feeling dehydrated. It feels like a hangover - dry mouth and banging headache. It goes away after a glass of water or cup of tea. But I guess I was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience or knows what may be causing this? It's just weird to me that drinking more water has been making me more dehydrated.

(In case someone asks, I'm 134lbs, which means if you go by the "drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day" I should be drinking 67oz, or 1.9litres of water each day, so I'm definitely getting enough!)

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Not sure about your feeling of dehydration in the morning but sometimes you can drink too much fluid.

    http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp#3ZzKz0yVKlXmQRfj.99
  • SugarySweetheart
    SugarySweetheart Posts: 154 Member
    I've gone from no water to 64 oz a day and I'm feeling more dehydrated as well. My skin is dry and peeling, around my mouth! I don't know what's going on... if you find out please help me too.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    Have you changed your diet or upped your activity levels? Might not be the water.
  • kaaaaaat3
    kaaaaaat3 Posts: 13 Member
    Alluminati wrote: »
    Have you changed your diet or upped your activity levels? Might not be the water.

    Not recently no - did the diet changes and activity-upping a couple of months ago. The dehydration feeling has coincided perfectly with the increase of water.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,690 Member
    What's your electrolyte intake like?
  • HappyAnna2014
    HappyAnna2014 Posts: 214 Member
    How much sodium are you ingesting per day? I know if I have sodium late at night, or go over 3000 mg total for the day, I will wake up with a headache. My doctor says I am sodium sensitive, maybe you are too?
  • kaaaaaat3
    kaaaaaat3 Posts: 13 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    What's your electrolyte intake like?

    I... don't really know. My water intake comes from tap water, bottled water, diluted sugar-free squash and water with lemon in.
  • kaaaaaat3
    kaaaaaat3 Posts: 13 Member
    HappyAnna2014 wrote: »
    How much sodium are you ingesting per day? I know if I have sodium late at night, or go over 3000 mg total for the day, I will wake up with a headache. My doctor says I am sodium sensitive, maybe you are too?

    For the past week, sodium has been: 1129, 766, 431, 1046, 1335, 1982, 2172. Plus a little extra each day for the things that MFP doesn't have sodium values for. I guess it has been higher the past few days...
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,690 Member
    kaaaaaat3 wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    What's your electrolyte intake like?

    I... don't really know. My water intake comes from tap water, bottled water, diluted sugar-free squash and water with lemon in.

    Do you know what electrolytes are?

    Sodium is one of them. A google search will tell you the rest.

    If you drink a lot of water, you've also got to consume an adequate amount of electrolytes or you risk hyponatremia. You can google that as well. :)

    But basically, it is all about balance.
  • kaaaaaat3
    kaaaaaat3 Posts: 13 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »

    Do you know what electrolytes are?

    Sodium is one of them. A google search will tell you the rest.

    If you drink a lot of water, you've also got to consume an adequate amount of electrolytes or you risk hyponatremia. You can google that as well. :)

    But basically, it is all about balance.

    Yeah, I know what electrolytes are, just not sure where I'd get them from! Like, are there any in lemon? That's why I mentioned that :tongue: But that's a good point - I didn't think about needing more of them. I'll google, thank you!
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    kaaaaaat3 wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »

    Do you know what electrolytes are?

    Sodium is one of them. A google search will tell you the rest.

    If you drink a lot of water, you've also got to consume an adequate amount of electrolytes or you risk hyponatremia. You can google that as well. :)

    But basically, it is all about balance.

    Yeah, I know what electrolytes are, just not sure where I'd get them from! Like, are there any in lemon? That's why I mentioned that :tongue: But that's a good point - I didn't think about needing more of them. I'll google, thank you!

    Drink coconut water for potassium.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,690 Member
    edited May 2016
    kaaaaaat3 wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »

    Do you know what electrolytes are?

    Sodium is one of them. A google search will tell you the rest.

    If you drink a lot of water, you've also got to consume an adequate amount of electrolytes or you risk hyponatremia. You can google that as well. :)

    But basically, it is all about balance.

    Yeah, I know what electrolytes are, just not sure where I'd get them from! Like, are there any in lemon? That's why I mentioned that :tongue: But that's a good point - I didn't think about needing more of them. I'll google, thank you!

    There might be a bit of potassium in lemon ...

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1936/2 ... looks like 4% of your DV which is somewhat low

    ... compared with ...

    potato ... http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2770/2 ... which has 15%. Have a salted potato, and you'll get at least 2 of the electrolytes that way. The 2 main ones.


    One of your best sources of electrolytes are salted almonds:
    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3170/2
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