How Hydration Is Essential Mental Health… And 4 Tips to Improve Hydration
Hydration is paramount to your health and wellbeing.
When I worked my previous management job, I ran three rental car branches simultaneously at a time where one of the other managers was gone for over a month.
I would try to get my water in regularly, but the locations were incredibly busy. You would always find me at the front desk with customers swarming in.
This played a large part in my stress and I never knew it did until I found a way to actually get drink more water.
In this short post, we are going to go over why hydration is essential for mental health.
Let’s dive in!
How Dehydration Impacts the Brain
Dehydration can impact how we feel and how we think, as most of our brain and body consist of water. The human brain is about 75% water, which makes hydration essential for brain health.
This has a large impact on our mental health as well. According to a 2018 study, people who drank less water had a higher risk of depression and anxiety.
Another study showed the emotional impact on hydration and dehydration. Those who were more dehydrated were negatively impacted on mood. These individuals were more stressed, felt more overwhelmed, and more.
When dehydrated, the brain slows circulation, which lowers blood flow and oxygen in the body.
Essentially, this means that cognition (or brain power) is impaired.
Recommendations
What we recommend with hydration is the following:
- Drink around 8 cups of water per day to start. You will need more the more physically active you become. I typically drink a gallon of water per day.
- Start by drinking water first thing in the morning. Drinking water habitually the first thing in the morning will set a great foundation for consistency.
- Get yourself an Insulated Flask (HydroFlask). At my previous job, I decided to get a 64oz HydroFlask and carried it around me at all times. This allowed me to stay hydrated.
- If you need flavor in your life, get a flavor enhancer. Liquid water enhancer drops like Mio can help you drink water more consistently.
- You may also find it easier to stay hydrated with our powdered supplements as well!
With these four recommendations, we hope that you continue to stay hydrated.
Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to comment below.
Until next time, Reforged Warrior!
