Try this 3-second test to see if you're hydrated right now
FILE - A photo illustration of water in a clear glass drinking glass.
ORLANDO, Fla. - With summer here and temperatures rising outside, it's important to stay hydrated. One simple way to know if you are is a quick skin pinch test for hydration that can be done in just seconds!
August brings scorching hot days to Florida and many other states, and it's pretty common to get ‘feels like’ temperatures in the triple digits on most days. According to the National Library of Medicine, dehydration means your body is losing more fluids than it's taking in, which could be a potentially life-threatening condition.
If you want to check to make sure you're getting enough fluids, Dr. Karn Raj, a U.K. surgical doctor, created a TikTok video showing you how to do a quick skin pinch test.
How to perform skin pinch test for hydration
To see if you are dehydrated, squeeze the skin on one of your fingers at the knuckles for a few seconds and let it go. If the skin goes back to its original position, Dr. Raj says that means you are hydrated. If you squeeze the skin and it stays in a tented position for a moment, you're dehydrated and you need to drink more water.
@dr.karanr Dehydration check @remus.bujor #schoolwithdrkaran #SimlishSessions #WorkThisWay #learnontiktok ♬ Steven Universe - L.Dre
"This is known as the skin pinch or skin turgor test. The more hydrated you are, the most elastic your skin will be and it will bounce back immediately after pinching," Dr. Raj says in the now viral TikTok video. "If you're dehydrated, the skin loses elasticity and it takes awhile to return to normal and it's more likely to tent up."
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Nutrition and wellness expert Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, told Health.com that the test is "definitely legit" and often used in healthcare settings for a quick assessment when dehydration is suspected.
"However, practitioners look at the full clinical picture in addition to skin turgor."