The connection between water & stress: Dehydration and anxiety

You probably—hopefully—know how important drinking water is. But did you know that water could help make you less stressed?

First, let's brush up on some basic facts on why water is really important:

Our bodies are approximately 60-70% water.
Our blood (which is 50% water) is the transport system for all our essential nutrients to our brains, including amino acids, vitamins, and sugars (energy!).
The brain is about 85% water.

As such an integral part of our overall brain health, it's worth digging further into how H20 can impact our anxiety and ultimately our performance.

How water reduces stress

It may surprise people that anxiety and dehydration are connected. But when the brain does not get enough water, the consequences can range from mild headaches and fatigue to severe dehydration and seizures. The more and more water your brain loses, the less energy you have and the more tired you get.

In addition, lack of water in the brain also changes how you respond to STRESS. How does that work? Well, we have this hormone in our bodies called cortisol, which is well known as a stress hormone. Even a little bit of dehydration can cause cortisol levels in the body to increase and lead to STRESS. Stressful isn’t it?

Just make sure you drink enough water so your brain can balance its chemicals and you can be less stressed!

[See also: How you can use stress to actually improve performance!]

Beat dehydration and anxiety

So get yourself a water bottle and keep it filled. Humans need about 2.4 liters of water replenished every day and even more depending on how much we sweat. We need it to feel lively, we need it to be carefree and relaxed (to a certain extent), and we need it so that we can show our body how much we love it. So, whatever you do, remember to get your H2O (water) on to avoid dehydration AND anxiety or stress.

Improve your brain health to learn better

At the end of the day, you could have the best study techniques, flashcard apps, and motivation hacks. But if you're exhausted, hungry, overly stressed, all your hard work won't be as effective as it could be. That's why it's important to take care of your hydration and your health.