You can become dehydrated if your body doesn’t have sufficient fluids. For instance, losing more fluids than you can replenish or failing to take enough fluids can lead to dehydration. If left untreated, dehydration can cause life-threatening complications such as kidney problems, high blood pressure, and heart-related emergencies.
Dehydration Affects Blood Pressure
Dehydration can increase or lower your blood pressure. Low blood pressure occurs when your blood pressure is lower than 90/60 mmHg. This happens because a significant drop in your body fluids can decrease the total volume of your blood.
Blood volume is the total amount of fluid (blood) being pumped from the heart and circulating in your blood vessels. Your body requires a certain volume of blood to reach all your body tissues. When you are severely dehydrated, the blood drops, which in turn lowers blood pressure. This affects the amount of blood reaching your organs. You could go into shock when your body isn’t receiving enough nutrients and oxygen.
As mentioned, dehydration can increase blood pressure. That means you have a systolic reading of 140 mmHg or even higher and a diastolic reading of 90 mmHg or higher.
When you’re dehydrated, it means your body fluids have dropped significantly, and this can reduce the blood volume in your circulatory system, causing low blood pressure. Luckily, your body has unique ways to protect itself from the effects of the dropping blood pressure. That’s a good thing, until the correction (protection) turns into an overcorrection or overprotection.
How does this happen? When you’re dehydrated, your body’s sodium level will increase. This triggers your body to release a higher level of vasopressin hormone, which helps your body begin retaining more water. Unfortunately, this hormone can also cause your blood vessels to tighten or constrict, and this increases your blood pressure. It can be life-threatening if you have hypertension.
Symptoms of Dehydration
Other symptoms of dehydration include;
- Dry mouth
- Dark urine
- Thirst
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Fatigue or feeling tired all the time
- Confusion
In addition, children who are dehydrated may have symptoms such as the absence of tears when they cry and no wet diapers for several hours. Other symptoms include listlessness, irritability, sunken eyes, and a soft spot on the skull.
Stay Hydrated
If you want to avoid the pressure changes and other symptoms associated with dehydration, then stay hydrated. Take enough water and other fluids throughout the day. In fact, experts recommend drinking 3.7 liters (125 ounces) of fluids per day (men) and 2.7 liters (91 ounces) of fluids (for women).
Remember, beverages such as coffee, tea, sports drinks, milk, and juices count toward the recommended daily intake of fluids. That doesn’t mean you should put it on sports drinks and other sweetened drinks.