If you do happen to be clinically overhydrated (which is extremely rare), it’s still best to stop drinking water as you seek medical care. Just for reference, serious signs of severe overhydration include vomiting, weakness, seizures, and confusion. All of these symptoms warrant emergency medical care. Men do not need to drink more than 125 fluid ounces (3. 7 L) of water while women do not typically need to drink more than 91 fluid ounces (2. 7 L) of water. [2] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
By urinating more often, your body will flush out the excess water you’ve consumed. If you have an underlying condition that’s likely to cause excess thirst, your doctor may have prescribed you one of these diuretics. If they didn’t, ask them for a prescription.
If you get thirsty during or after your meal, drink juice, pop, or a sports drink. Skip the water for now. Signs you’re overdoing it a little on the water include slight nausea, a minor headache, and hand swelling.
Take a day or two off, eat something high in sodium (like potato chips), and talk to your doctor about whether or not you should be slowing down on training. You may benefit from switching to sports drinks when you train. Those have enough sodium that you can drink plenty of fluids without worrying about your sodium.
If your urine is totally clear, you are extremely hydrated and you do not need more water. Darker urine that’s a more opaque, golden yellow is a big sign that you’re slightly dehydrated and you need some water.
The recreational drug ecstasy (MDMA) can make your brain think you’re dehydrated and lead to hyponatremia. Cutting your use of ecstasy will prevent this issue. If you can’t change your meds and overhydration is going to be a common problem due to excessive thirst, ask your doctor about intravenous electrolyte solutions. [8] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Excessive water consumption can also be a symptom of mental health issues, like depressive disorder or schizophrenia. [10] X Research source If you do have chest pain, leg swelling, vomiting, trouble breathing, or sudden confusion, seek emergency medical care immediately.
A lack of sodium is dangerous because it can throw your electrolytes out of balance, which can lead to a cerebral edema (a buildup of fluids in the brain). [12] X Research source Unless you’ve been intentionally chugging water when you weren’t thirsty, acute hyponatremia is a signal that something else is going on. Work with your doctor to identify the underlying condition.
Minor or chronic symptoms of hyponatremia include slight nausea and minor headaches. These are non-emergency conditions if they’re due to drinking water with no underlying condition. There are roughly 14 cases of people dying from water intoxication (severe hyponatremia), so this isn’t a particularly common problem. [14] X Research source
