Five signs that you are drinking too much water

You have probably heard time and time again that water is life, and that the more you drink, the better. Have a headache? Drink water. Have a sore throat? Drink water. Your man didn’t come home last night? Drink water. Do note, however, that drinking water is absolutely necessary for survival.

On the other hand, Health and Safety Investigator at ConsumerSafety.org, Morgan Statt, warns that drinking more than three and a half to four cups of water per hour can cause your blood sodium levels to drop to dangerously low levels. This can then lead to a condition called hyponatremia, which has symptoms like fatigue, vomiting, confusion, headaches or even death. Below are five signs that you are drinking way more water than you need.

You drink water when you’re not thirsty

Did you know that food also contains water? You don’t need to douse your mouth with 3 – 4 litres of water per day. When you drink this much water, you are drinking way more than your body needs, which can result in overhydration.

You are peeing all the time

While it is true that peeing flushes out the toxins from your system, doing it frequently can be both uncomfortable and embarrassing. If you find that you are dashing for the loo more than seven times a day, cut back on your water consumption and see if the problem goes away. Limiting your water intake before bed can also reduce the number of times that you get up to pee at night.

If you find that you are dashing for the loo more than seven times a day, cut back on your water consumption (Image: Shutterstock)

Your urine is clear

Contrary to what you may have heard, the sign of a healthy body is pale yellow urine. If your urine runs clear, this is an indication that you have drank too much water. Do note that dark yellow pee is also a bad health sign and that you should consume more water than you already do. Transparent urine means that the large amounts of water you are consuming is diluting crucial electrolytes.

You are constantly tired

When your kidneys are constantly working to flush out excess water from your body, this puts stress on your body. This in turn results in you feeling tired and fatigued due to the large amounts of excess water being flushed out of your system.

Swelling and discolouration of hands, feet and lips

Believe it or not but drinking too much water can lead to swollen lips, hands and feet. This is a result of your kidneys not functioning properly, causing your body to retain excess water. In addition to this, you may gain weight due to water retention in your body.