From feeling a little thirsty to a severe headache or muscle cramps, dehydration occurs when you lose water from the body and don’t replace it. This typically occurs from not drinking enough water when you are exerting yourself. If you are thirsty, this is your body telling you that you are dehydrated. If left untreated, dehydration can develop into heat exhaustion.

If you went to the gym or for a run outdoors for several hours, you would make sure to drink plenty of water. However, many people forget to take a water break when dancing or spending time in the sun at a festival.

Possible causes for dehydration include:

• Excess sweating on a hot day or dancing
• Spending too much time in the sun or in humid conditions
• Loss of fluid from severe diarrhoea or vomiting.

A good rule of thumb is to drink one pint of water every hour, however, rehydration doesn’t happen instantly and can take up to two hours after drinking a significant amount of water.