Why Do We Feel Thirsty?

Getting thirsty is a suffering in itself. When we feel thirsty and do not have something to drink, we may not be able to think of anything else. We all have experienced thirst at times. We can imagine, how it would feel to be thirsty for days on end.

The liquid supply needs to be replenished in our body. Bet v., cvii 50 to 60 per cent of our body Between50 to 60percent of our body is water. Through perspirations, during the course of the day, an adult loses about one half litre of water from our body. Another litre of water is excreted to get rid of the waste products.

On the other hand, whether we drink or not, we also take in water. When the body digests food, it obtains almost one-third of a litre of liquid from the food daily. This process of losing and gaining water is not enough. In order to maintain the balance of water, our body needs water. Thirst is a signal, our body gives us that it needs more water.

Dryness in the mouth or throat is not what causes thirst, as many of people believe. Nervousness. exercise or slowing up of the flow of saliva may cause dryness. With a small quantity of lemon juice, it is possible to make saliva flow again, but it is not enough to take care of our thirst.

Saliva can be flowing freely, stomach, blood stream and bladder may be full of water the thirst may still be there. People at the bar may have taken several drinks of whisky and may still be feeling thirsty if they have munched, on salty peanuts or pretzels between drinks.

The reason for this thirst is, that it is caused by a change in the salt content of our blood. There is a certain amount of salt and water in our blood, the consumption of salty food adds to the salt content and hence thirst is the result.

There is a thirst centre in our brain and that responds to the amount of salt in our blood. With the change in content, it sends signals to the back of throat. From throat the messages go back to brain and hence the combination of feelings that makes us say – we are thirsty.