Everyone knows that drinking water is good for you and your overall health, but is there a link to improving mental health? By taking a look at what the scientific evidence says, you can find a better understanding between water and mental health. Either way, though, you should definitely be drinking water!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC have outlined the importance of water as an initiative to get more individuals to consume the beverage. It states that water is necessary to drink daily for your health as it can help to prevent dehydration.

Dehydration occurs when your body loses too much fluid. It appears when you are losing more fluids than you are taking in, meaning your body does not have enough to function correctly. Dehydration can cause a number of unpleasant symptoms, including dry mouth, urinating less frequently, dry skin, dizziness, fatigue, increased feelings of thirst, and dark-colored urine.

Life-threatening symptoms can also occur, such as fainting, confusion, rapid heartbeat, shock, and lack of urination. Drinking water can help you avoid these symptoms and also have benefits for your body as well.

The more water you drink, the more likely you are to have these beneficial effects. Benefits of drinking water include:. Dehydration can have significant negative impacts on your body.

Because the human body needs water to function correctly, it is crucial to stay hydrated. However, dehydration can be known to affect not just physical health but mental health as well.

It can affect mental health because of how it impacts the brain. Systems begin to slow down, and they can no longer function properly. When this happens, it can cause symptoms of depression as your brain no longer has the proper energy to function correctly.

Depression can also cause a lack of energy, which means you may begin to struggle with symptoms related to it. Your body will also experience increased stress, which can contribute not only to depression but also anxiety.

If your symptoms are not managed in a healthy manner, you can potentially have a panic attack as a result of the anxiety symptoms. While dehydration alone cannot cause these symptoms, its accumulation over time is directly linked to not drinking enough water.

Widespread self-care and social media posts would have you believe that drinking water directly relates to your mental health. While there is a connection, it is much more complicated than this. The adequate daily water intake is around If you're looking for ways to better your mind, use these seven habits to be happier and learn how to boost your mental health without therapy.

The brain needs water to function, and when there isn't enough, your cognitive abilities are compromised. Studies have found that dehydration is linked to impaired cognitive function and memory. Essentially, it makes it harder to concentrate , remember things and fight off brain fog.

In the case of cognitive tasks, drinking water doesn't just put you at the baseline; studies suggest that staying consistently hydrated can improve your functioning. It also boosts your judgment and helps you make better decisions. Not drinking enough water can negatively affect your mood.

Without water, the brain can't get enough of the amino acid tryptophan needed to create serotonin , also known as the "feel good" chemical.

That's a big problem because serotonin is the neurotransmitter that regulates mood. Increasing your water intake will promote happiness , allowing your brain to continue making serotonin. The correct amount of serotonin in the brain keeps us happy, emotionally level and stable.

And to have enough serotonin in the brain, we must ensure we stay hydrated. Studies have found that people who regularly drink less water have an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety.

The combination of dehydration, zapping the brain's energy and cutting down serotonin production can increase depression symptoms. The same is true for anxiety. When dehydrated, the body is stressed, which causes the adrenal glands to kick into overdrive and releases excess cortisol. Cortisol is the stress hormone our body uses to fight perceived danger.

An increase in cortisol will result in physical responses of higher heart rate, muscle tension and a general feeling of uneasiness. Drinking enough water doesn't magically cure anxiety and depression. However, it nourishes the brain and helps combat the symptoms you may experience.

Dementia is a term for a group of age-related neurovascular conditions characterized by compromised brain functioning -- the most common being memory. Dementia and dehydration have a unique relationship, as those who don't drink enough water can increase the risk of developing dementia , and those with the condition have difficulty staying hydrated.

Everyone knows how important drinking water is, but sometimes life gets in the way, and we don't drink enough. It happens to everyone. Use these simple tips to change your mindset and become intentional about staying hydrated.

For more on mental health, find out which exercises are best for your mind and how to calm your anxiety at night. Personal Care. Medical and Mental Health.

Studies have found that dehydration is linked to impaired cognitive function and memory. Essentially, it makes it harder to concentrate , remember things and fight off brain fog. In the case of cognitive tasks, drinking water doesn't just put you at the baseline; studies suggest that staying consistently hydrated can improve your functioning.

It also boosts your judgment and helps you make better decisions. Not drinking enough water can negatively affect your mood.

Without water, the brain can't get enough of the amino acid tryptophan needed to create serotonin , also known as the "feel good" chemical. That's a big problem because serotonin is the neurotransmitter that regulates mood. Increasing your water intake will promote happiness , allowing your brain to continue making serotonin.

The correct amount of serotonin in the brain keeps us happy, emotionally level and stable. And to have enough serotonin in the brain, we must ensure we stay hydrated. Studies have found that people who regularly drink less water have an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety.

The combination of dehydration, zapping the brain's energy and cutting down serotonin production can increase depression symptoms. The same is true for anxiety.

When dehydrated, the body is stressed, which causes the adrenal glands to kick into overdrive and releases excess cortisol. Cortisol is the stress hormone our body uses to fight perceived danger. An increase in cortisol will result in physical responses of higher heart rate, muscle tension and a general feeling of uneasiness.

Drinking enough water doesn't magically cure anxiety and depression. However, it nourishes the brain and helps combat the symptoms you may experience.

Dementia is a term for a group of age-related neurovascular conditions characterized by compromised brain functioning -- the most common being memory.

When they are out of balance, an individual can experience more mood swings and feelings of depression or anxiety Massachusetts Public Health. According to Healthline , several studies have found a connection between dehydration and depression, confusion, and fatigue.

Aiming for an adequate amount of water each day can help ease tension and mood while increasing calmer feelings. So how much water should we be drinking every day? A basic rule of thumb is to take your body weight in pounds, divide it in half, and then aim for that many ounces of water each day.

For example, if someone weighed pounds, they would want to drink about ounces daily. While the exact amount varies, the best way to check for adequate hydration is by the color of your urine. More than half of our body is made of water, and it needs water to continue functioning correctly.

You can also add flavor to your hydration efforts by eating water-rich fruits and vegetables like strawberries, cucumber, watermelon, and zucchini.

Continue reading July Newsletter: Make a Hydration Station. The first notable limitation is that the results may not be generalizable to other populations since the participants are older Spanish individuals with metabolic syndrome and overweight or obesity.

However, these questionnaires have been validated and determined as reliable methods of assessing long-term intake in the present study population [ 37 , 38 ].

Third, despite its longitudinal design, water and fluid intake and hydration status were only considered at baseline; however, as the questionnaires measure habitual beverage and food intake, and older adults are considered to have reasonably stable dietary habits [ 37 , 38 ], this is not expected to significantly impact the findings.

Along these lines, the possible effect of seasonality on water intake and osmolarity was not considered a concern in the present analyses as the validation of the fluid questionnaire measurements included assessments at various points throughout the year baseline vs.

Hence, the finding of no difference between 6-month intervals, suggests no significant differences between opposing seasons e. summer; spring vs.

Furthermore, SOSM determination may not necessarily detect acute dehydration or rehydration immediately prior to the cognitive testing, and it is unknown whether observed elevated SOSMs were due to inadequate water intake, ADH abnormality, or other factors. While it is possible that the hydration status of some individuals was misclassified because serum osmolarity was estimated as opposed to being directly measured, the equation has been shown to predict directly measured serum osmolarity well in older adult men and women with and without diabetes or renal issues with a good diagnostic accuracy of dehydration and has been considered a gold standard for the identification of impending and current water-loss dehydration in older adults [ 44 , 45 , 89 , 90 , 91 ].

Lastly, a discrepancy was observed between the percentage of individuals that were considered to have met EFSA fluid intake recommendations and those considered to be dehydrated based on calculated osmolarity. This may have been due to the fact that the EFSA fluid intake recommendations are meant for individuals in good health [ 20 ]; whereas the present study population had overweight or obesity, and it has been shown that individuals with higher BMIs have higher water needs related to metabolic rate, body surface area, body weight, and water turnover rates related to higher energy requirements, greater food consumption, and higher metabolic production [ 92 ].

Strengths of the present analyses include the longitudinal, prospective design, the large sample size, the use of an extensive cognitive test battery, the use of validated questionnaires, and the robustness of the current findings due to the adjustment of relevant covariates.

Findings suggest that hydration status, specifically poorer hydration status, may be associated with a greater decline in global cognitive function in older adults with metabolic syndrome and overweight or obesity, particularly in men. Further prospective cohort studies and randomized clinical trials are required to confirm these results and to better understand the link between water and fluid intake, hydration status, and changes in cognitive performance to provide guidance for guidelines and public health.

The dataset supporting the conclusions of this article is available upon request pending application and approval of the PREDIMED-Plus Steering Committee. There are restrictions on the availability of data for the PREDIMED-Plus trial, due to the signed consent agreements around data sharing, which only allow access to external researchers for studies following the project purposes.

Requestors wishing to access the PREDIMED-Plus trial data used in this study can make a request to the PREDIMED-Plus trial Steering Committee chair: jordi. salas urv. The request will then be passed to members of the PREDIMED-Plus Steering Committee for deliberation. Gauthier S, Rosa-Neto P, Morais JA, Webster C.

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The more vigorous the workout, the more you should drink as well. So, make sure that you listen to your body and recognize when you are feeling a little foggy, slower in processing, feel a headache coming on, or having trouble with your memory.

If you are interested in learning more about more ways to boost your brain function, visit neurogrow. com to get information about our Brain Fitness Program! This blog was written by the lead Brain Coach at NeuroGrow, Ms. Emily Scott, and edited by Dr. Majid Fotuhi. Twitter Linkedin Youtube. About Dr.

Patient Portal. com Menu. Hydration is Key: Water Your Brain! Published on December 10, Majid Fotuhi. Here are a few symptoms you may experience when you are not as hydrated as you should be: Memory loss Poor focus and Attention Slow processing of information Irritability Headaches Dr.

Here's how. Water plays a vital role in every function of your body. And the following groundbreaking research pinpoints exactly how powerful hydration is for optimal brain health.

If you want to experience clearer thinking, better memory and even enhanced focus and concentration, these cognitive benefits are just a sip of water away. Here's what you need to know to drink your way to better brain health.

Balance your hormone levels: It plays a role in producing neurotransmitters and hormones , and is also necessary for lowering your cortisol levels. Maintain the fluid levels that protect your brain and spinal cord from trauma and injury. Maintain neurogenesis creation of new neurons and overall brain cell health, including cell production, function and longevity.

Flush out toxins and metabolic waste that accumulates in the brain. Maintain proper blood circulation, and transport vitamins, minerals and oxygen to your brain. As hydration levels dip, the above brain functions begin to suffer. This is why dehydration is so closely correlated with poor brain health, and why neuroscientists and brain health experts recommend increasing your fluid intake to support and enhance your learning, thinking, focus and more.

Water makes up far more of your body and organs than you may realise. But that's not all:. Water constitutes a large component of all these different organs and systems, and it plays an outsized role in ensuring each of these areas is working optimally. Your body needs to be well-hydrated to manufacture hormones and neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin important chemicals that regulate your mood , and also to ensure the proper functioning of these neurotransmitters and chemical processes.

Multiple studies have linked moderate levels of dehydration with significantly impaired mood, including lower rates of self-reported happiness and increased rates of mental health issues.

Additionally, dehydration increases your levels of the hormone cortisol, which leads to symptoms such as nerves, tension, and irritability. If left unmanaged, high cortisol levels can trigger numerous brain health problems and lead to:.

Disruption of your brain synapses, leading to psychological problems like social withdrawal and isolation. Assessing human cognitive function is however a difficult and complex task Lieberman An important point to consider is that certain medications or diseases can have a great impact on cognition, while nutritional interventions will induce more subtle changes Lieberman et al.

Tests used to assess the impacts of different food and nutrient intakes must then be carefully chosen as they need to ensure a sufficient sensitivity to the nutritional intervention Lieberman Such tests have been developed over a century de Jager et al.

However, a substantial difficulty in the analysis and comparison of different studies relies on the fact that many tests can be used, and they might not to be sensitive to the same nutrients see Figure 2.

Regarding the impact of water on cognition, the European Food Safety Authority EFSA published in a report in which they supported the scientific opinion that water contributes to the maintenance of normal physical and cognitive function. It has actually repeatedly been reported that a water deficit can impair cognitive function EFSA Despite the growing evidence of the deleterious impacts of dehydration on cognition section III , only a few studies have focused on water supplementation section IV , and even fewer have looked at habitual water intake and behavioral changes section V.

A possible explanation to this lack of evidence could be that accurate assessment of water intake and hydration status is another difficulty in the comparison of results Lieberman Figure 2.

Challenges encountered when studying the impacts of hydration on cognition. Cognition is involved in everything we do and includes many components that are all interconnected. It can be divided in two main dimensions: mood, assessed through self-rated scales and questionnaires, and cognitive performance measured with objective tests.

There is growing evidence that cognitive functions are impaired in case of uncompensated body water loss EFSA Impacts of dehydration on cognitive performance were first studied in extreme conditions, on soldiers or athletes. In , Gopinathan et al. studied the impacts of four levels of dehydration on cognitive performance.

Their study was conducted on 11 young soldiers aged years and involved dehydration induced through a combination of water deprivation, heat and exercise. At these levels of dehydration, cognitive abilities affected include short term memory, attention, concentration, information processing, executive functions, coordination functions and motor speed Baker et al.

This still has to be interpreted cautiously, as other studies have found no impact of dehydration on functions such as short term memory, grammatical learning, information processing, attention or alertness Ely et al.

These disparities and contradictions in results from one study to another may be due to the wide variety of methods involved. Many tests and questionnaires exist to assess cognitive performance and subjective feelings.

Levels of dehydration can range from 2 to 4 percent of body mass loss and methods involved to induce dehydration also vary between studies. Finally, exercise in itself, as well as concurrent hyperthermia both induce changes in cognitive performance and can be confounding factors Tomporowski and Ellis Also, in the control condition, ensuring euhydration through water intake to compensate for sweat loss makes it difficult for the study to be blinded Grandjean ; Lieberman ; Masento et al.

Because water balance changes throughout the day, mild dehydration may be experienced in daily life, which explains the growing interest regarding cognitive consequences.

Two types of experimental design are usually involved: either a combination of fluid restriction and exercise-induced sweat loss, or water deprivation alone. induced dehydration through exercise on 31 young athletes 16 men, 15 women, mean age The exercise consisted of 60 minutes of intense rowing and was followed by a cognitive-test battery and self-rated mood and thirst assessments.

Dehydration achieved was 2. Although the authors used validated tests, the study was not blinded and there was no control of body temperature.

Inducing dehydration through exercise indeed implies some limitations: again, exercise, body hyperthermia, as well as water intake ensuring euhydration in the control condition, are known to be confounding factors Grandjean ; Lieberman ; Masento et al.

More recently, Armstrong et al. and Ganio et al. published two well-controlled studies involving exerciseinduced mild dehydration.

They both considered hyperthermia as a possible confounding factor for cognitive performance and controlled that dehydration was achieved without any raise in body temperature. The studies were blinded with a diuretic condition. They involved three conditions: exercise-induced dehydration plus a diuretic, exercise-induced dehydration plus placebo, and exercise while maintaining euhydration.

The exercise consisted of 40 minutes treadmill walks in a mild environment In men, mild dehydration of 1. In women, mild dehydration of 1. Interestingly, women also reported an increased frequency of headaches.

However, while mood was affected, the same study did not show differences in cognitive test performance Armstrong et al. These two studies, carried out in the same conditions and using the same methods, suggest differences between men and women regarding the impacts of mild dehydration.

While mild dehydration appears to affect mainly cognitive performance in men, in this study, women demonstrated little impact on cognitive functions and greater effects on mood.

In most studies carried out on adults, mood appears to be affected by exercise-induced mild dehydration, while evidence regarding the impacts on cognitive performance is not consistent and varies between studies.

This may be due to the fact that exercise in itself has cognitive impacts, and thus may confound or mask any effect of hydration.

More carefully-controlled studies would be required to tease out the differential effects of mild dehydration from exercise on cognitive function.

Little has been done to evaluate the mechanisms by which dehydration may impact cognition, and this topic is addressed in part V. A study performed on adolescents provides some insight into potential physical changes in the brain as a result of mild dehydration.

Kempton et al. Using brain imaging techniques, they measured neuronal activity while the subjects performed a cognitive task. While they observed no differences in task performance, they did observe increased brain activity in areas mediating executive functions Kempton et al.

The authors speculated that in the dehydrated condition, subjects may have had to increase the cognitive resources needed to complete the task, thereby suggesting that tasks may become more demanding when mildly dehydrated. Over the past few years, to avoid the possible confounding effect of exercise, water deprivation alone has been used to induce mild dehydration on healthy young subjects.

As it is a new area of interest, only a few studies are available to date. Results vary between studies, probably due to differences in methods used to assess cognitive functions.

In a study carried out by Pross et al. on young women, authors found that a 24h fluid deprivation resulted in impaired mood, with several parameters affected, including fatigue and vigor, alertness, confusion, calmness and contentedness, tension and emotional state Pross et al.

In a study by Shirreffs et al. Subjects self-reported even greater difficulty to concentrate and to stay alert after 24 and 37 hours Shirreffs et al. However, on 10 young men mean age 25 , Petri et al. found no effects of a 24h fluid deprivation on mood parameters Petri et al.

A plausible explanation to these differences in results could be the sex of subjects involved. Indeed, it appears that men and women may not be affected the same way by mild dehydration Armstrong et al.

This hypothesis is supported by a study from Szinnai et al. who found a significant gender effect on several cognitive tasks Szinnai et al. Without any induced dehydration, some biomarkers can underline a suboptimal hydration.

High urine osmolality can for instance occur when fluid intake is insufficient to adequately compensate water losses, leading to the conservation of body water through antidiuresis.

This phenomenon is commonly called voluntary dehydration and has mostly been reported in children and elderly.

In children this is mainly explained by the lack of available water in schools, while in elderly it may be due to decreased thirst sensation, and to incontinence Bar-David et al. Consequences of voluntary dehydration on cognition have not been thoroughly investigated.

In children, Bar-David et al. found that voluntary dehydration affects immediate memory: children who had a morning urine osmolality above mOsm dehydrated group had lower scores at auditory number span test than hydrated children, defined as children whose urine osmolality in the morning was bellow mOsm Bar-David et al.

Some interest has been given to voluntary dehydration in the elderly, but in these studies the topic of cognition has been largely overlooked. Suhr et al. found correlations between hydration status and a psychomotor processing speed, attention and memory performance in healthy older aldults, b declarative and working memory in postmenopausal women Suhr et al.

In adults, Kenefick et al. reported an increased rate of industrial accidents during summer months, suggesting that voluntary dehydration concurrent with high temperatures could affect cognitive performance and decision-making Kenefick and Sawka There also is growing evidence that cognitive functions might be impaired.