“Water is the driving force of all nature.” – Leonardo da Vinci
It’s not an understatement to say that drinking enough water is vital to our health and well-being. Staying properly hydrated is essential for maintaining regular bodily functions, and its importance goes far beyond simply quenching thirst.
And yet, we all know that person (maybe it’s us) that doesn’t take hydration seriously… What’s the deal? Is it because drinking water is boring?
In today’s article, we try to convince that person to suck it up (through a straw if needed!) because water is life.
Why Hydration is Essential
Hydration is the process of supplying the body with adequate fluids to support its functions. The average person is roughly 60% water, though the percentage can vary from roughly 45–75%. That makes us only slightly less juicy than a cucumber!
But water is constantly leaving the body through regular activities like using the washroom, sweating, and even breathing! And guess whose job it is to keep replenishing that water? That’s right, it’s yours!
The good news is that staying hydrated really does pay off, supporting our physical health and mental well-being, and even playing a crucial role in addiction recovery. So, pour yourself a tall glass of H2O, and let the reasons to drink water flow!
Drinking Water Supports Physical Functions
Water is essential for a variety of bodily functions, from regulating body temperature through sweating and respiration to aiding with gut health, digestion, and the absorption of nutrients. It keeps joints lubricated and functioning properly, which reduces the risk of joint pain and injuries, and it detoxifies the body. Plus, drinking water keeps your skin hydrated, which not only makes you look and feel better but actually promotes better skin barrier function and speeds up healing.
When you drink water, you basically turn into Wolverine from X-men, healing like a superhero, but with even nicer skin. With adequate daily water consumption, that could be you.
Hydration Boosts Mental Performance
The brain is roughly 80% water! That’s almost jellyfish-levels of juiciness, all contained within your skull… which, by the way, is about 31% water.
So much of our brain function depends on the availability of water, including the production and clean-up of neurotransmitters. So it’s no surprise that staying hydrated improves concentration, helps maintain focus and alertness, reduces mood swings, enhances mood, supports memory, and reduces stress.
Think of your brain like an electric jellyfish that lives in your head. Water keeps it happy.
Water And Mental Health
Hydration and mental health are also known to be closely linked. Dehydration can cause physical symptoms, like headaches, dizziness, and fatigue, which contribute to mental distress and decrease our quality of life. It can also lead to cognitive impairments, like confusion, poor concentration, memory lapses, irritability, and mood swings.
All of these things can exacerbate the symptoms of things like anxiety and depression. In fact, inadequate water intake are risk factors for those two conditions and many others.
Hydration Has A Role In Addiction Recovery
Recovery is a lot of work and demands a lot of your mind and body.
Hydration supports mood stability and mental clarity, both of which are critical in doing that work. What’s more, proper hydration can help manage withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, and irritability, making the treatment and recovery more bearable.
And it also turns out that staying hydrated can reduce cravings. We’ve talked about how things like hunger or thirst can be triggers to drink alcohol or use substances. Water helps to mitigate that.
Water Helps To Flush Toxins
Water helps flush toxins from the body, sometimes referred to as detoxification. At the same time, water aids in the metabolism and removal of substances and their metabolites. Everything ranging from acetaldehyde found in alcohol, to tar found in cigarettes, to thousands of biological and non-biological chemicals in our bodies which are not conducive to our health. Water helps move those things along.
Feeling Thirsty?
Staying hydrated is usually something that’s within people’s reach. But there are barriers, conditions, and life circumstances that make staying hydrated a challenge. In our next article, we’ll talk about some tips and tricks for getting enough water.
But to wrap it all up for now, let’s recognize hydration as a simple and powerful tool for maintaining physical and mental health. Let’s celebrate the vital role it plays in bodily functions, cognitive performance, and the way it supports recovery. Finally, let’s recognize the act of staying hydrated as a commitment to prioritizing your health and well-being.
About Our Centre
Sunshine Coast Health Centre is a world-class centre for addiction and mental health treatment. We take an approach that recognizes the importance of the physical, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of individuals in treatment and recovery. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use or mental health, give us a call today.
Sources:
- https://brainreference.com/what-percent-of-the-brain-is-water/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
- https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/staying-hydrated-staying-healthy
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-water
- https://www.health.com/benefits-of-drinking-water-7510285
