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- You might not be drinking enough water.
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- Sean Gallup / GettyImages
If your New Year's resolution is something along the lines of "drink more water," you know how much of a struggle proper hydration can be.
Leading a busy life can sometimes turn into a simple daily routine. As a result, you may be walking around with a mild case of dehydration without even realizing it.
Here are a few subtle signs that you're dehydrated that you might be missing.
You catch every day that goes around the office.
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- Water will boost a weak immune system.
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- Sarah Schmalbruch / INSIDER
A weak immune system may be a sign that your diet and hydration need work, according to Harvard Medical School.
Your skincare routine is likely to become more of a reality.
You're always reaching for lip balm.
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- If you're laying on lip balm, you might need to drink more water.
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- petrunjela / Shutterstock
Constantly rummaging around in your pockets or purse for lip balm? According to Healthine, chapped lips are a subtle sign of dehydration. Try supplementing your lip balm with plenty of water to keep your hair soft and supple.
You have bad breath.
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- Pass on the gum and mint and try sipping on some water if your breath is not as fresh as usual.
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- Carlo Allegri / Getty Images
Dehydration can cause dryness all over your body, including inside your mouth.
According to WebMD, saliva production slows when you're dehydrated. Because spit actually has antibacterial properties, not having enough can cause an overgrowth of bacteria in the mouth. This in turn can lead to stinky breath.
You have dark circles under your eyes.
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- You might just need more water.
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- Shutterstock
Layering on the concealer? Your alarm clock might be blamed for those dark circles.
Dehydration is a common culprit when it comes to sunken or dark skin around the eyes, according to Healthline. This is because the skin around your eyes is very close to the underlying bone, and a lack of fluids can cause blood vessels to become more prominent.
You're snacking a lot more than usual.
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- It's easy to confuse hunger and thirst.
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- progressman / Shutterstock
One sneaky symptom of dehydration is an increase in appetite. This usually happens when you confuse thirst for hunger.
"Mild dehydration is often masked as the feelings of hunger, when your body just needs fluids," spokesperson for the American Academy of Nutrition and Alissa Dietetic Dietetics, RD, told Health.
A good way to curb mindless snacking to make sure you have a glass of water before digging into that bag of chips.
And you're craving sweets more than savory food.
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- If you're craving a lot of cake, you might be dehydrated.
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- CBS
When you have a sweet tooth, you're more likely to crave sweet stuff than salty snacks.
According to Joan Kent, PhD, dehydration can actually lead to more sugar cravings. For a LinkedIn article, Kent wrote, "Cravings for sweet foods are common because the process of glycogen production involves water and glucose, the body's circulating sugar. Dehydration makes it more difficult for the body to produce glycogen, not just release it. "
Sugar is a fast and easy source of glucose, so you can find yourself reaching for cookies.
Your tough workout does not leave you sweaty.
If your skin feels dry and fresh after a grueling workout, that might actually be a sign that you're seriously dehydrated.
According to Aaptiv, the most common reason you're not sweating is because you're dehydrated.
Reaching this stage in dehydration means that you need to drink some fluids as well as if you're experiencing any other symptoms of dehydration.
Your skin does not bounce back when you pinch it.
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- Try pinching the skin on your abdomen.
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- structuresxx / Shutterstock
According to the US National Library of Medicine, skin with healthy levels of hydration will be in place. This is called normal skin turgor.
On the other hand, the skin of someone who is dehydrated will take a moment or two to return to its normal state. This is usually a sign of moderate to severe dehydration, so you may be noticing other symptoms.
A good place to check for a lack of skin turgor is on the abdomen or lower arm.
You take longer than you want between bathroom breaks.
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- You should urinate six to seven times a day.
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- gpointstudio / iStock
A subtle clue that your body is not getting the hydration it needs so you can find it more often than not.
Per Healthline, most people urinate around six or seven times in a 24-hour period. That translates to a bathroom break almost ever during the day. Though some people may be more likely to have a problem than others, you should think about it. Using an app can be helpful.
You have an itchy, flaky scalp.
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- Although it was not the only culprit, dehydration could be the cause of your itchy scalp.
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- larszahnerphotography / iStock
You probably know that dehydration can make your skin dry, but you may not have realized that dryness can extend to your scalp. Cleveland Clinic noted that it was not enough to lead to an itchy and dry scalp.
But there are other conditions that can cause it to fail, with lack of fluids coupled with drying air conditioners or air conditioners can cause your scalp to dry. Remedy this by upping your water intake and switching to a medicated shampoo if needed.
You're drowsy even though you're getting enough sleep.
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- It's normal to feel tired if you're not getting enough water.
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- Photographee.eu/Shutterstock
When your body is dehydrated, it does not perform as well as it should. According to the UK's National Health Service (NHS), tiredness and fatigue are often signs of dehydration.
If you know you got a full night of sleep the night before, you're still feeling sluggish, you might want to try a few glasses of water.
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