“Water is the driving force of all nature.”

Leonardo da Vinci

Crystal clear. Beautiful. Refreshing. Unique and irreplaceable. Water is vital to our health and wellbeing, including our brain. In fact, 85% of brain tissue is water!

Dehydration is one of the most fundamental and common conditions that people experience. That’s no surprise, when the average person drinks less than a quart (32 oz.) of water a day, but an adult can lose more than 80 oz. just through sweating, breathing and eliminating waste.

Overall, the effects of dehydration can start with as little as a 1.5% decrease in normal water volume in the body. The sensation of thirst kicks in at around 1-2%, when the process is already underway. So being proactive is important.

Another factor to realize, and some good news here, is that a whole range of worrisome symptoms may simply be the result of not drinking enough water.

Staying Hydrated is Good for Your Brain 

When it comes to the brain, dehydration can decrease energy generation and impair its ability to detoxify tissues. Water is such an essential element in brain health and function that too little can influence nearly every aspect. In addition to dehydration and depression, it can influence stress, anxiety, energy/fatigue, sleep disorders, bad mood, headaches, dementia, vigilance, working memory and foggy thinking.

Here’s a significant example at the molecular level. Water is required for the conversion of the tryptophan amino acid into the serotonin neurotransmitter. Serotonin is a workhorse chemical for transmitting messages between nerve cells. It has been potentially linked to depression, mood and social behavior, appetite and digestion, sleep, memory, and sexual desire and function. Also, as a precursor for melatonin, it plays a role in our sleep-wake cycles and internal clock.

Staying well hydrated can have key benefits for the brain, like:

• Faster processing
• Increased concentration
• Better mood balance
• Better sleep
• Enhanced memory

Effects of Chronic Dehydration

But the brain is just the beginning. The effects of chronic dehydration can include:

• Poor digestion
• Weak muscles, cramps
• Problems losing weight
• Blood clots
• Seizures
• High blood pressure
• Constipation
• Kidney and liver problems
• Urinary tract infections
• Migraine headache

In addition, dehydration and stress have an interesting relationship, in that one can cause the other. When we’re under stress, including dehydration, our adrenal glands secrete additional cortisol, sometimes referred to as the body’s alarm system that affects several organs and functions.

On the other hand, these glands also secrete aldosterone, a hormone that helps regulate body fluid and electrolyte levels. When the adrenal glands get fatigued under chronic stress, aldosterone production is reduced, which can then trigger dehydration.

Drinking enough water can also deliver benefits in helping with weight loss (as an appetite suppressant), skin health and appearance, and arthritis and joint health.

Hydrate Based on Your Lifestyle 

The good news is that it’s very easy to give your brain and the rest of your body the water it needs. The standard recommendation is to drink eight, 8-oz. glasses of water per day, including when you wake up and before going to bed. Other recommendations cite six pints for women and eight pints for men.

Keep in mind that your ideal level of daily water consumption is based on many factors, such as gender, weight, stress level, current illnesses and other health issues, climate, and your exercise regimen.

It’s a good idea to increase water intake in the following situations. Check with your doctor for advice on your individual profile.

• Significant or chronic health issues
• Intense or lengthy exercise
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• High temperatures and humidity
• Fever, diarrhea or vomiting
• On a specific diet program

How about some things to avoid? Lead in water can damage the nervous system with links to depression. Caffeine, sugar and alcohol can increase anxiety and cause dehydration by requiring water to remove them from the body. For example, a 12-oz. beer requires 36 oz. of water to flush out. In addition, some medications can cause dehydration. In these and similar cases, the deficit may be drawn from bones, muscles and the brain with a negative impact on those organs.

Moreover, just as with anything else we put into our bodies, the water we drink should be healthy and safe. Here are some characteristics to consider. Alkaline, ionized water fits these criteria:

• Contaminant free (synthetic chemicals, toxic metals, bacteria and viruses, etc.)
• Mineral rich (remaining after purification)
• Alkaline pH (between 7.0 and 9.5, with calcium and magnesium)
• Micro-clustered (reduced or electrolyzed)
• Antioxidant (ionized to neutralize free radicals)
• Good taste (to encourage regular use)

Water is all around us. But that often means we take it for granted. Heed the words of da Vinci and make it a “driving force” for your health.