Dehydration
Dehydration is the removal of water (hydro in ancient Greek) from an object. Medically, dehydration is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition in which the body contains an insufficient volume of water for normal functioning.
Dehydration accelerates at high altitudes due to aircraft pressurization and dry air, even at levels as low as 6,000 ft. It can cause sleep/REM interruption and also retards the resynchronization process when traveling.
Until recently, dehydration has been largely ignored as a cause of fatigue, however, studies now show hydration is an important countermeasure to the rapid onset of fatigue.
Symptoms
• Lips/mouth feel dry • Heart rate increases • Breathing increases • Begin to feel fatigued (2% water loss) • Blood pressure drops • Headache • Decreased sweat/urine output • Begin to feel thirsty (5% water loss) • Irritability and depression sets in
• Skin becomes wrinkled (10% water loss) • Stomach begins to ache • Low back aches • Vertigo • Confusion and poor judgment • Coma and death (15% water loss)
At only 2% water-loss fatigue begins, however, we don’t even feel thirsty until about a 5% water loss. Sometimes we mistake the thirst feeling for hunger.
Goal: Hydrate
• Drink water • Be aware you can be dehydrated and NOT feel thirsty
• Avoid diuretics - tea, coffee, alcohol Test yourself... frequently!
• Dry lip • Urine color • Skin pinch
CRM 2, TEM, Fatigue 20
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