Dehydration and Scuba Diving
Dehydration cannot happen when you are 15 feet underwater and surrounded by an ocean of blue – is a big lie!
Yes, it might seem impossible that you could get dehydrated even when you are surrounded by water but it does happen. Dehydration is the loss of fluid from the body and it happens when you lose more fluid than you consume. It can be caused by not drinking enough fluid or losing too much of it or a combination of both. The usual reasons for losing too much fluid too fast is vomiting or diarrhea. However, you can also lose fluid by sweating, urinating or losing blood.
Some of the basic symptoms of dehydration are:
- A Dry and Sticky Mouth
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Sunken Eyes
- Fatigue
- Constant Thirst
- Dark or Absence of Urine
Dehydration can affect scuba divers in a lot of ways. One possible effect is the dreaded Decompression Sickness (DCS) that can cause fatal or permanent disability. Now when divers go underneath, they must slowly allow the gases that are trapped in their bloodstreams to break and leave the body – this is called off-gassing. When a diver is dehydrated, the blood in his body is reduced thus causing less blood flow to the tissues. The less blood flow reduces the body’s ability to off-gas and thus leading to a higher risk of DCS.
Though less perilous, the effect of dehydration on a diver’s performance should also be considered. With the decrease in blood volume, the heart has to pump faster to keep up with the demands of the body. This causes divers to lose stamina and to tire out easily. You wouldn’t want this to happen for then, you wouldn’t be able to enjoy your dive.
Don’t be afraid to try out Scuba Diving . Just like any sport or hobby; it has its share of risks but as long as you stick to these basic rules, you’d never go wrong.
- Always drink water. You may be tired of reading about the importance of water but to be on the safe side, this has to be emphasized again. You can also try out a sports drink if you are very active.
- Soda, caffeine beverages and alcohol are not replacements for water.
- Drink water in small amounts during the day rather than taking most of it in just one gulp.
Just keep these simple things in mind and always update your basic scuba knowledge so that you’d get to enjoy your water wandering.
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