Cranky? Tired? Unable to focus?
You just might need more water!
Do you suffer:
- Anxiety and/or depression?
- Impaired cognitive performance?
- Poor memory and attention?
- Reduced energy levels?
These are all symptoms of mild to moderate dehydration. When we talk about diet, the focus is often on food. But water is far more essential than other nutrients we find in food!
The weather is now starting to warm up, so it’s important to keep yourself hydrated.
What’s so important about water?
Without water, your body wouldn’t be able to operate. Water plays a role in nearly every function of the body, either directly or indirectly. It makes up about 60% of your body – men and infants have a little more, whereas women and people with a high body fat percentage have a little less. You will find water in your intracellular and extracellular fluids, plasma, organs, spine and digestive tract.
Water is needed for actions including:
- Maintaining body temperature
- Forming a barrier in the skin to protect against foreign bodies
- Brain function
- Digestion of food
- Excreting waste through urine, sweat and faeces
- Supporting a healthy metabolic rate
- Increasing satiety levels
- Lubricating joints, internal organs, including eyeballs
Without enough water in the body, we become dehydrated. Even a little bit can make a big difference. Research has shown that 1-3% dehydration can impact on processes such as brain function, memory, energy and mood. Simply increasing your water intake can substantially reduce your anxiety and depression, improve memory and subjective energy.
How to boost your water intake
Now that you know how important hydration is for your state of mind and performance levels, how can you get enough? Here are some simple tips to get more water into your day.
Make drinking water great fun
Many people find plain water a bit boring. But if that’s the case, you can make it more interesting and still reap the benefits. As the weather warms up, you can add fresh or frozen fruit and herbs to your water. Berries, citrus, mint, ginger, basil and rosemary are some refreshing options. A personal favourite is to take a potato peeler and thinly shave a cucumber lengthways and add a few to a jug; infuse for a few minutes before consuming.
When the temperature drops, find some herbal teas you enjoy replacing plain water.
Invest in a filter jug and get the best out of your tap water. A cheaper option than consuming bottled water.
If you’re out at a social event and want an alternative for soft drinks, grab some sparkling water and add a slice of lemon or lime.
Eat your water
You don’t have to rely on your water bottle for all your hydration needs. There are plenty of high-water foods around, especially as the warmer months bring tropical produce back!
Stock up on:
- Melons
- Berries
- Peaches
- Oranges
- Grapefruit
- Pineapple
- Capsicum
- Cucumber
- Celery
- Apples
- Zucchini
- Tomatoes
- Green leafy vegetable
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
Build a habit
The easiest way to incorporate a new habit is to tie it to a current one. This goes for drinking water as well. You could try drinking a glass of water after brushing your teeth or when you go to make a cup of coffee. If you check your emails regularly, have a few mouthfuls every time your inbox loads up.
Figure out what you do at least 4-5 times each day and make those the times that you drink a glass of water.
Jog your memory
Sometimes, we need someone to push us until we get into a habit. In that case, it’s time to set up some reminders. You can simply set alarms on your phone throughout the day. There are plenty of apps out there that track water, from general diet trackers to specific water trackers. Examples such as Daily Water, for both iPhone and android; or Hydro coach which can synch with your Fitbit, Android Wear or Google Fit.
If you aren’t into tech, you can get water bottles with measures on the side to remind you visually. A bottle with markings and gentle reminders is motivational.
How much water should you drink?
Different people have different needs for water, depending on their body composition, exercise, medication use and other lifestyle factors. Even the weather can influence how much you should be drinking.
Government recommendations are around 2.1-2.6L of fluid per day. But if you’re not drinking water much, it’s best to start slowly and work your way up.
If you’re exercising, you’ll want to add 1-2 cups of water for every 30 min of exercise you do. If the temperature is over 30 degrees C, add an extra 2 cups per day.
Monitoring your hydration level can be as simple as checking your urine colour which should be pale yellow or the colour of straw.
Still have questions?
Drinking enough water is just one piece of the puzzle. If you’re feeling concerned about your anxiety, depression or fatigue give me a call on 0416016388 for an appointment to discuss your options and needs.
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