The benefits of hydration on brain health are remarkable.
Your Brain Needs Water
It’s ironic, isn’t it? Fog in the atmosphere forms from the accumulation of water molecules. But in the brain, fog forms due to the exact opposite reason. The sense of brain fog comes from a lack of water. Why is that? Well, the equation is quite simple. A parched body equals a parched brain. Hydration is necessary for cognitive clarity and health.It has long been known that failure to consume an adequate amount of fluid can lead to devastating physical health outcomes. But equally as important is how lack of hydration affects how one thinks, feels, and performs.About 50% to 70% of our body weight is made up of water. Our brain consists of about 80% water distributed between its different compartments. So, it’s safe to say water is indispensable. Little of it, we can’t operate effectively. Without it, we can’t survive.Despite the importance of proper hydration, only 22% of people follow the “8 glasses of water a day” rule. When we don’t consume enough water, we put ourselves in dehydration territory. Both physical and mental performance will take a hit.Hydration is necessary for brain health. Our mission is to convey the importance of proper hydration on brain health and to also explore ways to make reaching our water consumption goals easy.
Hydration is Necessary for Brain Health
Water seems to be the solution to all our problems. Dull skin? Drink water. Constipated? Water. Hungover? Water. Hungry? Water.There’s nothing hush-hush about the benefits of water. But, even if you've never heard about what proper hydration does, you’ve probably felt it.It makes sense why every doctor, nutritionist, and even influencer advocates for adequate water consumption. Good water consumption allows the body to work properly. Water is involved in electrolyte balance, metabolism, body temperature regulation, digestion, circulation, etc. Proper hydration also helps with optimal physical performance, weight loss, and protection against kidney stones.Not one organ, tissue, or cell in the body can function without water, including brain cells. Considering that our brain mainly consists of water, that isn't surprising.The brain works 24/7. It is the source of all our movements, the intentional (like walking) and unintentional (like heart beating) ones. That's why keeping it healthy is necessary. Drinking enough water is crucial in improving and maintaining the brain's health. The brain requires a full supply of water so that its cells work properly. However, the brain doesn’t have a set way of storing water, so drinking enough every day is necessary.
A Hydrated Brain Functions Better
The magical benefit of hydration on brain health lies in water's ability to increase blood flow and oxygen to our brain. Water plays several functions, one of which is providing energy to the brain. Cerebral blood flow, the blood flow in the brain, is a vital factor in overall good brain health and mental wellness.Simply put, hydrated brains function better and faster. How so? Well, hydration helps your brain concentrate. Our attention spans have been shown to shorten when we're parched. In addition, when we are hydrated, brain health is optimized to the point where decisions can be made faster. Drinking enough water means we become more alert and less tired.Much like hydration improves your ability to think clearly, it also makes it easier to remember things. Adequate water consumption has been reported to boost short-term memory. The reason behind this is that water is a nutrient to the brain. We need it for proper memory functioning.Hydration benefits brain health in that it helps stabilize our mood and emotions. Researchers from Ohio State University, the University of Connecticut, and the Hydration and Health Department of France discovered that mood improved as water intake increased. In addition, the study found a decrease in depression, tension, and confusion scores as water intake rose.Sleep and hydration are significantly linked. Lack of sleep may affect water consumption, and water consumption may affect sleep. What we know for sure is that both adequate sleep and water intake are necessary for brain health.The most consistent effects of hydration on mood are associated with good sleep/wake mood, like more vigor/activity and less fatigue, thirst, headache, concentration difficulties, and sleepiness. Proper hydration has been shown to support a promote a restful night's sleep. Our body's water levels influence several functions linked with sleep health, such as with certain hormonal systems.
Dehydration is bad for your brain
Most of us lie in dehydration territory without even knowing it. As soon as the feeling of thirst creeps up, we're already considered mildly dehydrated. The feeling of fatigue, brain fog, and difficulty falling asleep are other secretive indications of a lack of proper hydration.We treat the most important essential nutrient, water, as an option. Hydrating properly allows the brain to function in tip-top shape. So, the brain won't function as well when something messes it up. Therefore, both excessive and inadequate water consumption is harmful to one's health.Maintaining the equilibrium of water input and output is critical. People become dehydrated when their water input is less than their water output. Dehydration refers to a shortage in total body water. It has a wide range of negative health consequences. Lack of hydration is associated with an increased risk of kidney stones and urinary tract infections and reduced muscular endurance and strength. Since brain mass is greatly composed of water, dehydration impairs brain health.Dehydration has symptoms we would never think were linked to it. Feeling sluggish, irritated, nervous, or even faint could be due to our lack of water intake. Knowing what dehydration does to brain health is necessary.
The Long and Short Term Effects of Brain Dehydration
Dehydration has short- and long-term adverse effects on brain health. How severe one’s dehydration is also plays a role in the manifestations of dehydration.Failing to adequately sip on our water bottle could affect:
Memory. Studies have found that mild to moderate dehydration can negatively affect short-term memory. The recall of long-term memory can also be impaired with dehydration.
Mood. Dehydration causes mood disturbance. A 2014 study showed that frequent water drinkers' moods suffered when their daily water consumption was restricted. They were left feeling less calm, happy, and vigorous. It has also been shown that even mild dehydration, which can occur during normal daily activities, can negatively impact how we feel. An altered mood is a short-term effect of dehydration, as rehydrationcan improve mood.
Concentration. Even with just mild dehydration, we might start experiencing difficulty concentrating.
Alertness. Dehydration leads to lower levels of alertness and arousal.
Sleep. Significant dehydration can create barriers to having a good night’s sleep. Despite it causing extreme tiredness, other physical symptoms of dehydration, including dry nasal passage and mouth, headaches, and muscle cramps, could leave a person in discomfort and make it difficult to sleep.
Reaction Time. One way dehydration affects cognitive processes is by worsening processing speed. A 2014 study showed that reaction time is substantially longer after dehydration for both men and women.
Brain Fog. Ever feel like your mind is fuzzy? Since dehydration plays a role in several cognitive processes, it makes sense why brain fog forms. Key characteristics of brain fog include forgetfulness, confusion, and a loss of concentration and mental clarity.
Depression Risk. Since it is well-established that dehydration impairs mood, researchers were interested in knowing its impact on mental health. It was found that there is an inverse association between depression and water consumption.
Dementia Risk. Another long-term consequence of dehydration on brain health is the increased risk of dementia. A study that looked at the cognitive function and hydration level of people over 65 found that dehydrated people were more likely to develop dementia.
Dehydration Degrades Cognitive Functioning
Having already seen the adverse effects of dehydration on brain health, it's pretty clear that our cognitive processes take a hit every time we forget the water bottle. When we get lazy with drinking water, our brain cells lose efficiency. This leads to degraded cognitive functioning.Even a fluid loss of just 1 to 3% of body weight, defined as mild dehydration, can impair brain function. Never underestimate how fast dehydration can occur. It only takes four to eight hours without water to become mildly dehydrated. Twenty- four hours without water and one becomes severely dehydrated.How does water possess the ability to mess with our cognitive functioning so badly? Well, here's the science behind it.Brain cells need a careful balance of water and other elements to carry out the brain's vital activities. However, the brain has no way of storing water, so it is important to maintain hydration throughout the day. In fact, with prolonged dehydration, brain tissue has been found to shrink. As your brain shrinks, it pushes away from the skull, putting pressure on nerves and causing the pain of dehydration headaches, among other cognitive disruptions. Long-term dehydration shrinks gray matter in both size and mass and can lead the brain to age prematurely. A study found that not only did brain volume shrink but also that the cortex thickened.Reduced water levels in brain cells can lead to protein misfolding. Dehydration also blocks the removal of these harmful proteins, so they then end up accumulating in the brain.Our dehydration-related cognitive disturbances can also be affected by several other physiological mechanisms of action. For example, homeostasis plays a big role in maintaining the appropriate level of water in the body. The body's ability to maintain a constant internal environment is known as homeostasis. When dehydration ensues, the body’s homeostatic mechanisms are ready to take action. Vasopressin and angiotensin II are the two main hormones involved in fluid imbalance's homeostatic reactions. When these hormones are circulating, neurotransmitters and lots of substrates are influenced.Researchers have proposed that one possible mechanism for the cognitive function impairments of dehydration could be related to elevated cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone often released due to a stress response. Higher cortisol levels can impair memory and processing speed. In addition, constant stress in the body is linked to several adverse health consequences, such as depression.Dehydration has been demonstrated to alter the behavior of other neurotransmitter systems, such as dopaminergic and serotonergic systems. Dopamine and serotonin are two very important chemicals that regulate mood and are known as the “feel-good” chemicals. Being dehydrated throws off the balance of these chemicals in the brain, which could then affect anxiety and depression.Dehydrated adult brains show evidence that there is an increase in neuronal activation when undergoing a demanding task. This increase in activation indicates that the brain exerts more effort to complete a task when dehydrated. This extra effort is usually manifested as mood alteration and fatigue in healthy young adults. However, it can reduce cognitive functioning in those with lower cognitive reserves.
Water Intake for Optimal Brain Health
We don’t stop dehydrating. We continuously lose water through breathing, sweating, and using the bathroom. Since the brain can't store water, keep your Hydro Flask close by and sip on it throughout the day.Staying well hydrated means your thought process becomes faster, your brain fog will clear up, and your emotions will stabilize. Well, water won't cure everything, but the least it can do is help.Before going into how much water you should be gulping down a day, it's essential first to recognize where we get our water. Beverages aren't the only sources of water. We get a portion of our water intake from food. Even foods that appear to be hard and dry contain water. In the United States, around 22% of water comes from the food we ingest. In European countries, like Greece, the percentage would be higher as they consume more fruits and vegetables.A small quantity of water is produced as a byproduct of digestion. Around 10% of the body's water needs can be met through this method. The rest of the 70% or so should be supplied by fluids, preferably just plain old water.We must refill our body's water supply with beverages and water-containing meals for our brains to function effectively. But how much water is recommended for good brain health? Well, the amount of water you should drink for optimal brain health is the same as that for optimal physical health.The exact amount of water we should be consuming every day is difficult to determine. One thing for sure is that we should not go too below or above our optimal amount.We all know about the 8 glasses a day rule. It’s reasonable and easy to remember. But with health, most things are never one-size-fits-all. The majority of healthy individuals can remain hydrated by regularly consuming fluids when they're thirsty. Even less than eight glasses per day may be sufficient for some folks. Others, though, may require more. The recommended amount of water intake depends on a number of factors, including: gender, age, environment, activity level, if you're pregnant or breastfeeding and lifestyle.Despite the variations from one person to another, the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that sufficient daily fluid intake is:
For men, about 15.5 cups (which is equal to 3.7 liters or 124 oz)
For women, about 11.5 cups (which is equal to 2.7 liters or 92 oz)
This recommendation covers water from both fluids and food. Keep in mind that 20% of the fluid intake comes from food. The rest is recommended to be supplied by healthy beverages, specifically water.
How to Drink More Water
Adding a couple of extra glasses of water to your daily routine can positively affect cognitive function. Sounds simple, yet we are all aware of how difficult it can really be.If you’re struggling with your water consumption, here are some tips that can help you reach your hydration goals:
Trade sugary drinks with water. If you order soda every time you eat out, make it a goal for a week to order water instead. Not only is it much healthier, but you'll also save some money. Pro tip: sparkling water might satisfy your carbonated drink cravings better.
Have a cup of water right when you wake up. Restore some moisture to your body and brain after the 8-hour fast. The first thing you should have in the morning should be water, not coffee.
Add some pizzazz. If plain tap water isn’t exciting enough, try adding slices of orange, cucumber, lemon, or whatever else your heart desires.
Eat foods high in water content. Another solution for regular water boredom. Adding foods high in water could be a good choice to help you reach your hydration goal. Some fruits and vegetables are great choices. For example, cucumbers and celery are 95% water, watermelons are 91%, and strawberries are about 88%.
Make it a priority. Add drinking water to your to-do list. If you want to drink 8 cups a day, put eight empty squares next to it. Every time you finish one, you get to mark something off your to-do list. Trust me. It's very satisfying.
Always keep a water bottle on hand. Don’t forget to grab your keys, phone, wallet, and water bottle on your way out.
Use a Water Bottle to Stay Hydrated
You don't need to overcomplicate it. Using a reliable, high-quality water bottle is all you really need to make sure you are getting enough water each day.Great water bottles live at the intersection of function and fashion. They are a reflection of both your personality and the initiative you are taking to be healthy. While the basic function of every water bottle is the same, many companies have found ways to innovate with shapes, sizes, caps and handles among other features.There are so many options available today that it's overwhelming. We've narrowed it down to what we think is the absolute best bottle out there based on function, fashion and everlasting durability. It's the 18 oz YETI Rambler with Chug Cap.
YETI Rambler (18oz) with Chug Cap
Why we love this bottle:
Fits in pretty much all backpack side pockets and car cup holders (easy to take anywhere)
Incredibly durable design made with food-grade 18/8 stainless steel (naturally safe material that's better than plastic)
Double vacuum wall construction (keeps water cold for a long, long time)
Chug Cap that regulates water flow rate to create ideal drinking experience (and it's also shatter-resistant)
| Refills needed for optimal daily water consumption |
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| Men = 7 refills |
| Women = 5 refills |
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