How to tell if you are dehydrated as temps heat up

Don Schwenneker Image
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Thirsty kid holding a drink
Thirsty kid holding a drink
wtvd-Shutterstock

First of all, I'm not a doctor, so check with your health care provider if you think you are dehydrated. Now, let's talk about dehydration.

How do you KNOW if you're dehydrated? Most people think "I'm thirsty, must be dehydrated," but thirst isn't always an indicator of your hydration status.

Kids, for example, don't always get as thirsty as adults under the same circumstances. So instead of what's going into your body to satisfy your thirst, let's talk about what's coming out of it. Urine.

RELATED: Stroller safety tips to help keep kids safe in heat

When you go #1, the color of it can really help you gauge if you've got enough water in your body.

Clear to very light yellow, it's all mellow. You've got enough water in your body, but on hot days, keep drinking H20 to keep it mellow.

Yellow, cloudier urine or even orange to brown, and you need to up your water intake. Yellow to dark, dehydration's made its mark.

There are other indicators of dehydration too:

-Dry mouth

-Light headedness

-Cramping

-Irritability

-Less trips to the bathroom

Plus, urine color can sometimes be determined by other health factors. Again check with your doctor.

Remember, as we head into the hottest weekend of the summer, drink water, lots of it, and take a look before you flush.

And if you are going outside here's a couple of tips to remember: