What Does it Mean to Be Dehydrated Physiologically?

Dehydration is a condition when the body does not have enough water to function properly. Water is needed to supply cognitive and muscular function, as well as help other body systems function properly. Water is lost through urination and sweat, so hydration is essential in hot climates and during exercise.

Dehydration as a Physiological State

• Dehydration is a physiological state when the body runs out of water. The body enters into a survival mode and shuts down unnecessary body functions, such as higher thinking and reasoning. As the body pulls water from the brain to provide for the heart and lungs, which are essential in life support, the brain begins to "dry up," losing the ability to maintain functions such as balance and speech.

Muscle Function

• When a body is losing fluids and enters survival mode, the muscles shut down because they are unnecessary for basic survival. Fluids from the muscles move to the heart and lungs. The dehydrated person has a difficult time standing and moving due to the stolen fluids.

System Functions

• System functions begin to close down, such as the lymphatic, digestive and circulatory systems. While the heart and lungs need to keep functioning, circulation slows due to lack of fluids helping the blood movement. The lymph nodes become swollen, as there is no fluid to help clean the lymphatic system. Finally, extreme dehydration causes the digestive system to react negatively and the person vomits or produces runny feces due to the body's inability to process anything introduced to the digestive system.

Visit a Doctor

• A dehydrated person needs to visit the doctor when he feels dizzy or has trouble speaking. The dehydration needs attention immediately as it may be associated with other health problems. The doctor will determine the severity of the problem and in extreme cases may decide to remedy the problem with an intravenous drip.