Dehydration Common In Winter

FARMINGTON — Dehydration is usually associated with hot summertime weather, but individuals are at risk of dehydration during the winter months as well.

Dehydration occurs when fluid output, through urine, skin, and lungs, is greater than fluid ingested, said Robert Fuller, MD, head of the UConn Health Center Emergency Department. “Dehydration can be life-threatening. It occurs when the body or its tissues lack water. This is not unusual during the winter months, when heating systems add to the already dry winter conditions,” he said. “Dehydration is often associated with sweating and hot weather, but it’s a serious problem during the winter months as well, especially among children and the elderly.”

It doesn’t take much fluid loss for children to have problems. Children who are sick and experiencing diarrhea and/or vomiting are especially vulnerable to dehydration because of their weight. And the elderly are more apt to suffer from dehydration because their bodies naturally contain less water than in younger people. This causes older people to become dehydrated more quickly.

General warning signs for dehydration include constipation; rough, dry skin; dry tongue, lips, and mucous membranes; dark, strong-smelling urine; sudden weight loss; weak irregular rapid heart beat; low blood pressure; low energy; general weakness and fatigue; rapid and shallow breathing; and the most obvious warning sign of all, thirst.

The best way to prevent dehydration according to Dr Fuller is the obvious: drink plenty of water. He recommends four to six 8-oz glasses daily. “It sounds like a lot, but the trick is to have water handy -- a water bottle is a good idea – and drink from it regularly throughout the day,” he said.

“Water acts as a solvent, coolant, lubricant, and transport agent in the body. It regulates our temperature, delivers nutrients, removes toxins and wastes, and provides the means for cellular actions,” said Dr Fuller. “It’s what a body needs year round.”