Our bodies cannot survive without clean water – but what role does hydration play in mental health?
Access to clean and safe drinking water is a basic human right essential in maintaining our physical and mental health. We are all made up of water – the human brain alone is roughly 75% water – and staying hydrated is crucial in keeping our bodies and minds functioning properly. Without clean drinking water, we quickly feel the effects of dehydration and the range of health risks that come with it. Let’s examine the link between clean water and improved mental and physical health.
Clean Water and Physical Health
From childhood, we’re all taught that water is ‘good for us’, and we need to drink clean water every day. But what exactly does water do for our bodies?
Water plays many vital roles in our body, including transporting nutrients and oxygen, removing waste products, regulating temperature through sweat, digesting food and absorbing nutrients, lubricating joints, protecting your cells, transporting waste, maintaining blood pressure, helping kidneys remove toxins, and balancing electrolytes.
That’s a whole lot of benefits from just one substance!
The Effects of Dehydration
What happens when you don’t drink enough clean water? When you feel thirsty, it’s a sign that your body and brain need more water – fast. Without that water, you experience symptoms like dark urine, dry mouth, fatigue, weakness, dry skin, headaches, and difficulty concentrating. Dehydration can also lead to a risk of health problems like urinary tract infections, kidney stones, digestive issues, heat-related illnesses like heatstroke, and decreased immune function.
The human body can survive for weeks without food but will begin to fail and perish within days without water. That’s how important water is for our bodies.
Clean Water and Mental Health
This area of research is relatively new, but recent studies suggest a link between good hydration and mental health for many reasons.
The term “mental health” refers to your emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It encompasses how you feel, what you think, how you handle stress, and how you behave. Our mental health and physical health often go hand in hand – after all it is difficult to ‘separate’ the mind from the body.
Think about what emotions you feel when you’re thirsty: your mental health reacts to dehydration. You start to feel tired, annoyed, grumpy, moody. You don’t want to do any physical activity, get sluggish, can’t think straight, and are irritable. What’s happening in the brain to make you feel like that?
Hydration and Brain Function
When you don’t drink enough water, your brain struggles to do its tasks. Dehydration affects your cognitive performance, including things like attention, concentration, decision-making, memory, and reaction time. This affects your mental health, leading to irritability, mood swings, increased feelings of stress, and decreased energy levels. In the long run, depriving your brain of clean drinking water means your mind and body aren’t functioning at peak performance.
Drinking Clean Water Every Day
Clean drinking water plays a role in mental clarity, emotional stability, and overall physical health. Good hydration every day should be as important as good nutrition. Drinking enough water throughout the day is crucial for optimizing brain performance and overall physical well-being.
Watermaker – Water Treatment and Delivery
If you are exploring ways to improve your access to clean drinking water, contact Watermaker to discuss your water needs, and we’ll work with you to find the right solution. We have locations in Orangeville and Fergus in Ontario.
