Once, it was a time when everyone (from doctors to health experts) suggested drinking a lot of water. “The more water you drink, the better it is for you.” But now, the era of modern science where researchers have shown that we humans have a specific requirement for water. If we exceed, it may take us to the hospital, and knowing how to fix this overhydration immediately is crucial for safety.
‘Yes,’ you read that right, we try to stay hydrated but end up with overhydration. But the dangerous thing is, most of the time, we never realize that we are already overhydrated.
Do you know how harmful it could be? Let me tell you, it breaks down your electrolyte level and drops your sodium level. As a result, it will eventually lead to brain swelling or even coma.
Now, I guess you get an idea why this has to be fixed immediately. In this article, you’re going to know,
- How to tell if you are overhydrated
- Why it happens
- And whenever you confirm, then what should you do immediately, step by step?
It’s not a gimmick. Not even any type of tips, “drink this magic mix”. It’s a realistic, science-based, but an easy guideline. So, let’s start.
What Is Overhydration and Why Does It Happen
Let’s say you drink plenty of water every day, “because drinking more water is good for health, and we grow up hearing this. Right? But if we continue to consume more water than our bodies require, it might eventually become harmful.
Overhydration means storing more water than your body requires. It mainly happens when you consume too much water at once, and your body can’t flush it out through urine. In simple words, overhydration is a physiological overload. Most of the time, water starts to build up in the body when your kidneys don’t work properly or your body loses its antidiuretic hormone (ADH) balance.
As a result, it drops your electrolyte balance, especially the sodium (NA) level. It may cause a disease called “Hyponatremia.” And the scary part is, if the condition stays untreated for a long time, it can swell your brain and even lead to coma.
There are some early signal that tells you that your brain starts to store water,
- Mild headache or dizziness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fatigue and feeling weak
- Swell your hands, feet, and face.
- Sometimes you may feel mental confusion.
These are some early warning signs that you may be overhydrated. Which, if you ignore, can make the problem worse.
Overhydration doesn’t just happen when you drink more, but it can occur if the body can no longer handle the excess water. This is not just for gym gear or athletes but for every human being. Especially for those people whose kidneys ‘filtering capacity has decreased, or they may take any medicine that holds water (like any kind of medication for the heart or depression).
Why Immediate Action Is Crucial
Overhydration is not a common condition. The biggest fear is hyponatremia, which is a deficiency of sodium in your blood. And because of this electrolyte imbalance, your brain and nervous system can’t function properly.
If you don’t take any action against this within time, then too much water can enter your cell and lead to cerebral edema. Which means your brain will swell, and at the initial stage, it can cause headache, blurred vision, fatigue, or confusion. But the condition gets worse over time, like seizures, nerve damage, and even coma or death.
The most concerning part is, overhydration symptoms are very subtle. Most of the time, when people feel a headache or feel weak, they think their body is thirsty. As a result, they make the condition worse by drinking more water. So, the sooner you recognize it, the faster you can save yourself. And always keep in mind these shortcuts,
- Untreated overhydration may cause neurological damage
- Hyponatremia can swell your brain (cerebral edema)
- If not handled in time, it can cause physical and mental disabilities.
- The initial symptoms are subtle. That’s why early awareness is important.
Step 1: Stop All Fluid Intake
During overhydration, the first and most important thing is that you have to stop taking water and any kind of fluid immediately until consulting with a doctor. Because when excess water in your cells and your sodium level drops, more fluid can make the situation more difficult and push you towards any big problem or disease.
That’s why medical science also says that “fluid restriction is the first line of emergency.” But fluid restriction doesn’t mean completely drying out the body. It means you’ve to bring back the water balance. You’ve to take small sips of electrolyte-based oral solutions under a doctor’s advice.
Now, what you need to do is,
- Stop taking any kind of fluid
- Observe your body’s signal (dizziness, weakness, nausea, confusion, etc.)
- If needed, consume a very small amount of saline or electrolyte solutions.
- And give some time to your body to rebalance.
These are not just some easy steps, but also the first line of defense to restore your neurological stability.
Step 2: Rebalance Electrolytes — Sodium Is Key
During this situation, balancing the electrolytes should be your second most important priority. Whether the water will accumulate inside the cells or outside the cells and cause swelling depends totally on your electrolytes.
Especially sodium and potassium, these two are the remote controllers of your water balance. An excess amount of water breaks them and makes their layer thinner, which becomes harmful to our body.
So, in this step, your target should be to increase the sodium level to the safe limit.
Practical solution
- ORS: Sip one glass of ORS every 3-4 hours. It has sodium and glucose, which will help water to enter your cells properly.
- Salt-rich food: Salted rice with thin lentils, a little soup, or salted lemon water. These will help to rebalance your sodium level.
But be careful, if you think, “If I take more salt, it will work faster.” This won’t work. Do not consume excess salt at all. With this step, you’re not just removing water from your body but also stabilizing your brain. And your brain swelling won’t be fixed until you’re fixing your sodium balance.
Step 3: Know When to Seek Emergency Care
You cannot fix everything at home. But a homemade solution doesn’t work every time.
These are some symptoms, and if you notice them, then go to the hospital directly without wasting any time.
- Having repeated seizures
- Blurred vision or feeling completely disoriented with everything.
- Fainting or slurred speech
In this situation, what the doctor does is,
- Intravenous saline Infusion: Directly inject sodium-rich saline through your vein.
- Diuretics: Flush out excess water from your body through urine
If the condition gets worse and you don’t take any immediate steps, then it can hamper any part of your brain permanently.
Think smart:
- If you see any mild symptoms, follow steps 1 & 2 at home.
- Any severe condition (seizures, confusion, or unconsciousness), call the ambulance and go to the hospital.
- And don’t be scared to go to the hospital, because generally, doctors start treatment immediately, and the condition significantly improves within 24 hours.
How to Prevent Overhydration in Future
To prevent the problem of drinking excessive water, the first thing you need to do is know your water requirement. There are some effective methods that you can follow,
Trust in your thirst mechanism
Most of the time, we drink due to our habit or fear. But our body sends you a signal when it needs water. And you should follow because this natural signal is a trusted guide. So, drinking more water is not always a good idea.
Understand Individual Differences in Water Intake
Water demand depends on a lot of things. For example, age, weight, physical activity, environment, and physical health. Those who sweat a lot their water requirement is also very high. On the other hand, if someone has any kidney or heart-related issues, they must limit their fluid intake and must take a doctor’s advice.
Balance your electrolytes
Only drinking water is not enough. You’ve to maintain the sodium, potassium, and magnesium levels. Also, the doctor advises drinking electrolyte-rich (ORS) water during heavy exercise, fever, and diarrhea. And also suggest consuming salty food regularly.
Fix Your Water Intake Routine
Instead of drinking too much at once, try to drink them in small portions throughout the day. Try to limit the water consumption during meals, because it disturbs your digestive process and water balance.
Understand your body’s signals and stay safe
Cold, cough, weight changes, muscle cramps, or body swelling, all these might cause the symptom of water retention. It’s important to take immediate action whenever you notice these symptoms.
Ensure Regular Medical Check-Ups Under Special Health Conditions
Those who are suffering from kidney, heart, liver, and hormonal diseases have to consume water according to the doctor’s suggestion. Plus, it’s crucial to monitor your body’s electrolyte balance.
Avoid Overhydration Without Compromising Hydration
The most important part is to maintain the proper balance. Neither a deficiency nor an excess of water. So, move wisely, without putting any unnecessary stress on your body.
Bonus Tips
Fluctuations in body weight can give misleading signals. Your body weight can go up very high due to an excessive amount of retention. But don’t be scared thinking this is fat. Because it automatically fixes within 3-5 days if you control fluid intake.
Another thing is, you’ve to understand the difference between hydration and overhydration. Because sometimes the symptoms of hydration and overhydration can overlap, headache, fatigue, swollen hands, and legs. Sometimes it seems similar, that’s why understanding the difference is important.
Mental stress and some medicines can affect your water balance. Because stress hormones increase the water retention tendency in the human body. On the other hand, some medicines like antidepressants can impact your fluid balance. Being informed about these matters makes it easier to stay aware.
The Bottom Line
Water saves life – we all know that. But most people don’t know how harmful consuming excessive amounts of fluid can be. Overhydration is not just limited with headache and weakness. It can affect your brain, causing seizures, and also pose a life risk.
A healthy hydration depends on maintaining proper electrolyte balance, understanding the right time to consume water, and prioritizing the body’s signals (like thirst, fatigue, swollen, etc.).
It’s not a panic guide. Rather, it’s a wake-up call so that you can understand your body better. So, drink water mindfully and rely on proper science and research, not on habit.
