Dehydration Saps Your Brain's Energy. Social stresses such as anxiety, fear, insecurity, ongoing emotional problems, etc., including depression can be tied to not consuming enough water to the point that your brain's tissue is affected.
Another large study found people who drink five cups or more of water per day were at lower risk of depression and anxiety. In comparison, drinking less than two cups per day doubles the risk. This link was less noticeable for anxiety alone (although feelings of depression and anxiety often influence each other).
Water triggers our parasympathetic nervous system
Water has a powerful physiological effect on your body – so much so that even drinking a glass of water can calm your nerves. This is because water triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body's 'rest and digest' response.
Thirst may not seem like something related to your anxiety, but it's something that many anxiety sufferers deal with regularly. There is often this feeling of needing to drink a glass of water or two during and after anxiety attacks, and some people feel as though they need to drink more water each and every day.
Dehydration happens when you don't take in enough fluids. It can affect how your body functions. In severe cases, it can also affect your mental and emotional health, causing feelings of stress and anxiety.
A 2% decrease in brain hydration can result in short term memory loss and have trouble with math computations. Prolonged dehydration causes brain cells to shrink in size and mass, a condition common in many elderly who have been dehydrated for years. Lack of mental clarity, sometimes referred to as “brain fog.”
Boosts serotonin production
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.
Dehydration can affect your mood and make you feel sad, grumpy and confused. Stay hydrated and feel energized by drinking the recommended amount of water (typically eight 8-ounce glasses a day). Water stimulates the flow of nutrients and hormones that release those feel-good endorphins you need to feel happy.
It's not just about your physical health either, with water playing a part in your mental health, too. A study found that drinking the lowest levels of water doubled the risk of depression and anxiety.
In one clinical study, participants who took daily cold showers for several months reported decreased depression symptoms. Additional research suggests that cold water may boost your mood and decrease anxiety.
Getting Restful Sleep
One of the most underrated anxiety relief techniques is getting high-quality sleep. In general, our society and culture doesn't place a lot of emphasis on sleeping well. Staying up late and getting very few hours of sleep is often normalized, and the impact on one's health is understated.
Sleep deprivation studies show that otherwise healthy people can experience increased anxiety and distress levels following poor sleep.
How long does anxiety last? Typical anxiety can last for days, or at least until you've dealt with whatever is making you anxious, but anxiety disorders can persist for months or years without relief. Often, the only way to control anxiety is through professional treatment.
If you aren't properly hydrated, your body won't be able to get enough tryptophan into your brain to convert to serotonin. Dehydration also depletes the levels of other amino acids in your brain, leading to feelings of anxiety, dejection, irritability, and inadequacy.
However, the knowledge regarding beneficial effects of water consumption in mental health is rare. Water facilitates signaling pathway and nutrients delivery to the brain, removes toxins and inflammatory markers and provides energy sources for brain, and thereby improves brain function.
You'll probably experience more comfortable digestion (less heartburn). Bowel movements might be easier and more regular. Your teeth and gums will be healthier and more resilient. Your skin will be more supple and moisturized.
Drink More Water to Boost Your Mood
The good news is that current research findings indicate that cognitive abilities and mood states are positively affected by water consumption. Studies have found a significant connection between increased hydration and reports of vigor, alertness, and arousal.
Increasing serotonin levels can be done naturally. The best ways to do this are eating well, getting out in the sun or supplementing with vitamin D, exercising, taking adaptogens, and managing stress. Serotonin can also be increased synthetically with antidepressants.
Drinks like green tea and probiotics help to boost serotonin. Other foods containing Vitamin D are also good because Vitamin D activates tryptophan, which leads to increases in serotonin levels.