Are you drinking enough water? You have probably heard that you need to drink water whenever you are thirsty, after intensive exercise, and during hot weather. Additionally, you have been told to drink water because it makes your skin look healthy and shiny. However, what most people have not considered is the impact of water and hydration on their mental health.
Are water and hydration important to mental health? This is a question that we will answer in this article! New data showed that mental health problems are rising globally. A group of researchers discovered that 5% of adults (18 or older) experience a mental illness in any one year. This number is equivalent to 43.8 million people with a mental health problem. In the UK, 1 in 4 people experiences some form of mental illness every year. In the United States, about 46.4% (almost half of the adult) population will experience a mental illness during their lifetime.
With mental illness on the rise, scientists have been working hard to understand the impact of water on mental health. Recent data showed that drinking water constantly and staying hydrated could be more beneficial than we know. About 75% of human brain tissue is water. Since mental health is driven primarily by our brain’s activity, scientists have linked dehydration to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.
Why You Should Avoid Dehydration
Our body becomes dehydrated when the body lost more water than we put in. Humans lose body water in several ways. This could be through urine, sweat, and respiration. We are constantly losing water. This means that you are always in danger of dehydration.
Dehydration not only affects the way your skin looks, but it also affects other integral functions in the body. Researchers have linked dehydration to mood swings, tiredness, headaches, and fatigue. Additionally, dehydration contributes to depression, reduces the brain’s energy, impedes the brain’s serotonin production, increases stress in the body, and can also lead to a panic attack.
You are likely to be dehydrated if you are having symptoms such as headache, stiff joints, poor concentration, muscle weakness, fatigue, increased hunger, bad breath, rapid heartbeat, dry mouth, dry eyes, and fogginess.
What Happens To Brain During Dehydration?
Dehydration could affect the function of the brain. When the body becomes dehydrated, this affects the brain by slowing circulation which alters how we think. The reduced blood flow means that even the brain receives less oxygen to function properly. Your cognitive function becomes impaired if the dehydration is allowed to continue. This could lead to delirium. When dehydration becomes so severe, it is possible to cause coma and even death in an extreme case. The human body is more than 75% water while the brain is about 75% water. A 5% drop in body fluids could lead to dehydration and associated problems. This could also lead to other problems such as deuterium depletion.
How Much Water Do You Need To Stay Hydrated?
Water is crucial to the survival of our race. It is very important for strong health. Thus, it is very important that you drink enough water every day. Most people get water from sources such as coffee, foods, fruits, sodas, and other drinks. Nevertheless, it is important that you drink as much natural water as possible throughout your day.
When it comes to the amount of water you should drink every day, nutritionists came up with the “8 glass” rule. This means you need to drink at least 8 glasses of water during the day to stay hydrated. It should be noted that these 8 glasses must not drink at once but spread throughout the day. If you lead a very active lifestyle, you should target 11.5 cups of water per day for women and 15.5 cups for me. You can spice up your water by adding a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. It is important to note that beverages do not substitute for water. In fact, beverages that contain sodium does not hydrate but dehydrates the body.
Keeping the body hydrated has so many health benefits. It cleanses the body of toxins, hydrates the cells and organs, lubricates the vocal cords, increases energy and focus, regulates body temperature, circulates nutrients and oxygen, helps kidneys functioning, helps prevent constipation, and even decreases the risk of cancer.
Final Words
Water is very important for mental health. It is important that you get at least 8 glasses of water per day. You may need more water if you lead an active lifestyle or sweat a lot. Water helps you avoid mental illness and deuterium depletion and also improves your mitochondrial health. It is important for the good functioning of the body system. Drink more water today for a healthier body and mind.