What happens if you stay in salt water too long?

Answer 1

Depends on your definition of "too long". First, your skin will dry out. Second, the salt will start to work its way into your tissue. Third, it will burn. Fourth, the salt will dry your skin tissue to the point of rot. Eventually, you will experience what only cadavers and catatonics experience. Skin-slip. You will go to finally get out after several days and the tissue on your arms, legs, belly and back will randomly slip out of position.

Answer 2

Cells rely on a sodium-fluid balance as well as a sodium-potassium balance. Sodium and potassium have an "inverse" relationship, meaning, when one increases the other decreases. So when a person drinks saltwater which is sodium plus fluid, it causes a shift in the sodium-potassium levels. Rather than quenching thirst, it makes a person thirstier. It causes dehydration, with resulting confusion and delirium. The sodium level becomes dangerously high, affecting all cells including those in the brain. Because high sodium levels make potassium drop, and because the heart's electro-conductivity relies on a specific level of potassium, the heart is thrown into an irregular pattern of beating. This irregular pattern, called an arrhythmia, can be so severe that it causes the heart to stop beating.

Answer 3

you get hallucinations from the overload of salt in your body, and then, if you consume enough, you will eventually die from it.

Answer 4

You become dehydrated because the concentration of salt is higher in the salt water than in your cells, so water flows out of your cells to balance the concentrations.