Guide · Water
Spotting and treating dehydration
Dehydration creeps up slowly and clouds your thinking, so you may not notice it in yourself. Learn the signs and check yourself and others regularly, especially in heat, cold or during hard work.
Early signs
- Feeling thirsty.
- Dark yellow, strong-smelling urine, or going less often.
- Dry mouth, lips and eyes.
- Headache.
- Feeling tired, irritable or lightheaded.
Serious signs
- Very little or no urine for many hours.
- Dizziness that doesn't settle when sitting or lying down.
- Confusion, drowsiness or odd behaviour.
- Fast heartbeat and fast breathing.
- Sunken eyes, and cold or blotchy hands and feet.
- Fainting.
Serious dehydration is a medical emergency. Call your local emergency number (112 in Europe and many other countries, 911 in North America) if you can.
Babies and young children
They become dehydrated quickly, especially with diarrhoea, vomiting or fever. Watch for:
- Fewer wet nappies, or none for several hours.
- A sunken soft spot on top of a baby's head.
- Few or no tears when crying.
- Unusual sleepiness or floppiness.
Keep breastfeeding or giving milk, and offer extra fluids. Get medical help quickly if you see these signs.
What to do
- Get out of the heat or cold wind, and rest.
- Sip water little and often. Large gulps may cause vomiting.
- Use oral rehydration solution if there's been vomiting, diarrhoea or heavy sweating. Sachets are best. If you don't have any, you can make a basic version: dissolve 6 level teaspoons of sugar and half a level teaspoon of salt in 1 litre of safe drinking water. Measure carefully — too much salt can make things worse.
- Keep going until urine is pale and regular again.
- Watch them for the next few hours. Someone who is confused or can't keep fluids down needs medical help.
Prevention
- Drink regularly before you feel thirsty, especially in heat or when working hard.
- Check urine colour through the day. Aim for pale straw.
- Keep cool. Rest in shade, cover up and work in the cooler parts of the day.
- Eat if you can. Food contains water and salts.
- Avoid alcohol.
Don't confuse it with heatstroke
If someone is hot, confused and has stopped sweating, or their temperature seems very high, they may have heatstroke. Cool them down fast — shade, water on the skin, fanning — and get emergency help.
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