Have you ever experienced anxiety jitters first thing in the morning, and wondered how you could possibly be so anxious before the day has even begun? Or perhaps you’ve spent several hours outside in the sun, and despite having a good time, noticed negative shifts in your mood, or the ability to concentrate, as the day went on? 

The potential culprit behind all this? Hydration - or rather, lack thereof.

How could these be correlated? Well first off, it’s important to know that the average human is made up of two-thirds water, and that nearly every component of the body relies on water to function. Take the heart and brain for example - did you know these are both made up of over 70% water? 

Water is key to countless life sustaining bodily functions, including digestion, waste removal, regulation of body temperature, delivery of oxygen, production of hormones and neurotransmitters - just to name a few. 

In fact, when it comes to our mental health specifically, research has shown that anxiety and depression symptoms have direct ties to hydration. For some, these mental health struggles may be brought on solely by dehydration. For others, anxiety and depression symptoms are intensified when adequate water is not present. Whatever the case may be, adequate water consumption is key for proper functioning. 

Whether you are experiencing anxiety jitters, brain fog, mood swings, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, or increased heart rate, we encourage you to take a moment to reflect on your water consumption. It is recommended that on average - 8 glasses of water (minimum) should be consumed each day. But remember, if you have been outside in the heat, exercising, sweating, consuming caffeine, or experiencing high levels of stress, you will need more water than normal to replenish what is being lost throughout the day. 

To help start your day on the right foot - we recommend drinking your first glass of water immediately upon awakening. After all, after a full night’s sleep, you have gone several hours without any water consumption (ie. hence morning anxiety jitters). 

Don’t like the lack of flavour of water? Find it difficult to remember to drink water? Here are some quick tips to help encourage you to get the necessary water in every day! 

1. Buy a refillable water bottle that you really like and bring it everywhere. Yes - everywhere

• Before leaving the house, put the bottle beside your keys so you won’t forget (you can even get bottle with a hook on the lid so you can clip your keys to your bottle - guaranteeing you do not forget it)

2. Can’t stand lack of flavour? Try adding fresh fruit (ie. lemon, ginger, mint, basil, cucumber, berries, oranges, limes, etc)

• If you do go the pre-made flavour enhancers do your best to find those that are sugar free, since sugar is not good for anxiety either

3. Perhaps you prefer bubbly water? 

• Devices such as the Soda Stream can allow you to instantly convert flat water to bubbly 

4. Use gadgets or alarms to remind you to drink water 

• Ie. Ulla Hydration is a small battery operated device that attaches to your water bottle that will blink when it’s been too long since your last sip 
• There are also countless water reminder apps you can find on your app store that will also help you track consumption and remind you to drink. (ie. Drink Water Reminder N Tracker, Water Reminder - Daily Tracker)
• Alternatively, you can set hourly alarms to provide a simple reminder 

Remember - it’s all about small, daily changes. You do not need to put pressure on yourself to make drastic changes over night. Perhaps set a weekly goal to drink one more glass each week, and work your way up that way! 

For more information: 

https://anxiety-gone.com/drinking-anxiety-away-how-hydration-helps-anxiety/