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Hydration: How It Affects Your Physical And Mental Health
You’ve likely heard time and time again about the importance of drinking enough water and the powerful health benefits of staying hydrated.
The only problem is you may not enjoy the taste of water, or sometimes you’re looking for something with a little more flavour (that’s where Hits Different comes in — we'll have more on that at the end of the article).
Hydration and Physical Health
There’s a reason top athletes are sponsored by thirst-quenching drink companies — hydration is key for performance. But you don’t have to be a professional athlete to reap the following benefits of hydration for your physical health.
Maximize Your Physical Performance
Staying hydrated is imperative to perform optimally, especially if you are excising or competing in high heat. Optimal hydration can regulate body temperature, increase motivation, and fight fatigue — all things that are necessary for peak performance.[4]
Impacts Brain Function
Your brain and hydration go hand in hand. Studies have revealed that even mild hydration can impair many facets of brain function, leading to decreased mood, inability to concentrate, and headaches.[5]
Helps Fight Joint Pain
The cartilage in our joints contains about 80% water.[6] Staying hydrated is key to ensuring the joints stay lubricated and cushioned. When the joints are lubricated, there is less friction and pain associated with moving them.
Kidney Stone Prevention
Kidney stones are extremely painful. Therefore, keeping them away is critically important to ensure a better quality of life and avoid unnecessary pain. Consuming enough water helps dilute the concentration of minerals in the urinary tract, decreasing the likelihood of kidney stones. [7] What’s more, water can help flush harmful bacteria from the bladder and help prevent UTIs.
Promotes Cardiovascular Health
Cardiovascular diseases cause 27% of deaths in Australia. [8] The good news is there are things you can do to lessen your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including staying hydrated. In fact, dehydration is a common cause of overworking the heart. This happens because dehydration lowers blood volume, which causes the heart to work harder and faster to ensure oxygen is flowing to the rest of the body. When the heart becomes overworked, it is more prone to heart attack, stroke, and other heart conditions.
Cleanses the Body
Every day, our bodies take in toxins from the food we eat, beverages we consume, and the air we breathe. These toxins can be extremely damaging and cause physical imbalances that make you feel tired and sick. Drinking water helps cleanse the body of these toxins by helping the kidneys filter and dispose of waste. [9] The more water you drink, the more toxins your body will cleanse itself of. Getting rid of these toxins leaves you feeling energized and refreshed.
Regulates Body Temperature
Some researchers suggest that when there is not enough water in the body, heat storage increases, and people become less able to tolerate heat. [10] When the body has enough water in it, it is better equipped to tolerate heat strain during exercise.
Hydration and Mental Health
The top mental health benefits of staying hydrated include:
Lowered Risk of Dementia
Have you ever had a headache because you were dehydrated? Turns out that drinking enough water may help cure more than the common headache. When you eliminate chronic pain, you are also reducing your risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease.[2]
Boosted Mood
Researchers exploring how increasing or decreasing water intake impacted mood found that those who consume large amounts of water felt less calm, less happy, and more tense when they stopped drinking as much water.[3] When they started drinking enough water again, their happiness returned.
Lessen Your Risk of Depression and Anxiety
One study found that people who consumed less water had a higher risk of depression and anxiety, and people who got their daily water intake were more likely to be happy.[1]
Recognising Dehydration
In order to reap the physical and mental health benefits of hydration, it’s important to ensure you’re drinking enough. Recognizing these signs of dehydration can help you know when to increase your water intake:
● Thirst
● Dry mouth
● Dry skin
● Skin redness
● Dark yellow urine
● Constipation
● Fast heart rate
● Sleepiness
● Headache
● Nausea
There you have it! You've learnt all about the impact hydration has on physical and mental health as well as recognising the signs of dehydration.
Looking for healthy hydration?
Hits Different is your one-stop shop for all things healthy drinking. We’re giving Australians the ability to choose from a huge range of better-for-you drinks that actually taste good. Better yet, you won’t feel lousy after drinking them.
Check out our hydration focused drinks here
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: All content provided here is of a general nature only and is not a substitute for individualised professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and reliance should not be placed on it. For personalised medical or nutrition advice, please make an appointment with your doctor, dietitian, or qualified health care professional.
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