Doctor shares simple test to see if you're dehydrated in seconds

You've heard the cliché before, drink six to eight glasses of water a day to keep healthy.

But it turns out that there's a quick way that can tell you if you're hydrated or not, that you could carry out yourself at home.

In theory then, you can stop counting the glasses of water you pour yourself in a day and just carry out this test a few times a day, though we don't recommend it.

According to the NHS, water is the healthier, cheaper choice to keep you hydrated - though some other drinks can help to contribute to your fluid intake, as well as some foods.

If you don't get enough fluids, you will become dehydrated.

The goal is to drink enough during the day so that your urine is a pale yellow colour, and the NHS Eatwell Guide recommends that people drink six to eight glasses of fluid a day (about 1.2 litres). No surprises there.

As well as water, low-fat milk and sugar-free drinks such as tea and coffee count to your intake.

It is also necessary to drink more fluids if you are pregnant, in a hot place, if you've exercised for a long period, or if you're ill.

However, there's an easy way to tell if you're hydrated or not, as health expert Dr Myro Figura took to his 812,000 TikTok followers to explain how to carry it out.

Known as the Turgor pinch test, it is a simple, painless test that he says is done in hospitals.

Dr Figura explains that your skin loses some elasticity when you're dehydrated, so pinching your skin and seeing if it goes straight down or not is an indicator of the fluid level in your body.

"When you're dehydrated, your extra cellular space contracts, and that reduces your skin elasticity," he pointed out.

"So when you pinch your skin like this, it'll stay up if you're dehydrated."

He pointed out though, that the video he was narrating over was actually carrying the test out incorrectly, as you are meant to do it on the back of your hand, not on your finger.

So, what do you do if your skin stays up for a while?

Well, the simple answer here is to fill up your bottle and drink more, though there are other signs that can reveal if you're dehydrated, such as the following:

• Feeling thirsty
• Dark yellow pee with a strong scent
• Peeing less than normal
• A dizzy or lightheaded feeling
• Tiredness
• Sunken eyes
• Dry mouth, lips and tongue

Dehydration for long periods of time can lead to larger health issues, such as urinary tract infections, kidney stones or kidney failure, if you're not careful.

It is recommended that you speak to a pharmacist if you're struggling to retain fluids through illness.