What will happen if you drink too much water?

What will happen if you drink too much water

No matter what medical issue you’re dealing with, the advice is usually to drink more water. In fact, a lot of health advice makes water sound like some magic elixir you can’t have enough of. And water is absolutely necessary to survive. But what we don’t often get told is that you can have too much of a good thing.

Most people urinate between six and eight times a day. If you find yourself urinating more than ten times a day, you may be drinking more water than your body needs. To prevent nighttime urination, have your last glass of water a couple hours before bed to give your kidneys time to filter the water through your body. 

You have  headaches throughout the day

Headaches are both a sign of overhydration and dehydration, similar to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. When you drink too much water, the salt concentration in your blood reduces, causing the cells in the organs throughout your body to swell. When your salt concentration is low, your cells grow. 

In many cases of hyponatremia, people will experience noticeable swelling or discoloration in their hands, lips, and feet. When all of the cells throughout your body swell, your skin will start to visibly swell as well. Those who drink too much water may gain weight suddenly, due to swelling and excess water in the bloodstream.

Having a healthy, fully functioning body is all about balance. When you drink too much water, your electrolyte levels drop and that balance is compromised. Low electrolyte levels can cause a number of unpleasant symptoms, including muscle spasms and cramping.

Your kidneys are responsible for filtering the water you drink through your body and making sure the fluid levels in your bloodstream stay balanced. When you drink too much water, your kidneys have to work even harder, creating a stressful reaction from your hormones that leaves your body stressed and fatigued. 

Sodium imbalances resulting from over-hydration can also fill your cells with fluids, leading your brain to swell, which can lead to a headache.

How much water should you drink a day?

Each individual's needs are unique to them and depend on their health, age, size and weight as well as activity levels, the type of job they do and the climate they live in. Drinking little and often is the best way to stay hydrated. suggests you should aim for 6-8 glasses of water and other liquids each day to replace normal water loss.