Water Helps to Relief Anxiety

Many can feel overwhelmed at some stage of their life with feelings of tension, nervousness and fear for the worst. In a 2020 Survey, 62% reported having some degree of anxiety, and around 31% will experience an anxiety disorder in some point in their life.¹⁾Anxiety statistics 2023, SingleCare

The growing field of nutritional psychiatry focuses on the effects of foods and drinks on our mental health.²⁾F Jacka, Nutritional psychiatry: implications for public health, European Journal of Public Health, Volume 31, Issue Supplement_3, October 2021, ckab164.019, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckab164.019 Despite water constituting 60–80% of the human body, it is often overlooked as a significant nutrient. A recent tweet by federal health authorities suggesting water could help reduce anxiety was received with some online scepticism.³⁾https://twitter.com/healthgovau/status/1492038209181728770

In fact, the evidence shows water and hydration can play a role in preventing and managing the symptoms of anxiety.

A well-oiled machine

We all enjoy the cooling sensation a cold drink of water provides on a sweltering summer day. Our bodies are masterfully programmed to let us know when it’s time to rehydrate. We may be nourishing our brain too.

Several years ago, a group of researchers undertook a review that focused on the various ways hydration impacts health. The results were promising.⁴⁾Benton D, Young HA. Do small differences in hydration status affect mood and mental performance? Nutr Rev. 2015 Sep;73 Suppl 2:83-96. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuv045.

Overall, negative emotions such as anger, hostility, confusion and tension as well as fatigue were found to increase with dehydration. One trial induced mild dehydration and found increased reports of tension or anxiety and fatigue in participants.⁵⁾McDermott BP, et.al. Mild dehydration impairs cognitive performance and mood of men. Br J Nutr. 2011 Nov;106(10):1535-43. doi: 10.1017/S0007114511002005.

Researchers have also found people who usually drink lots of water feel less calm, less content, and more tense when their water intake drops.⁶⁾Pross N, Demazières A, Girard N, Barnouin R, Metzger D, Klein A, Perrier E, Guelinckx I. Effects of changes in water intake on mood of high and low drinkers. PLoS One. 2014 Apr 11;9(4):e94754. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094754. When researchers increased the participants’ water intake, people in the study felt more happiness, no matter how much water they normally drank.

Another large study found people who drink five cups or more of water per day were at lower risk of depression and anxiety.⁷⁾Haghighatdoost F, et.al. Drinking plain water is associated with decreased risk of depression and anxiety in adults: Results from a large cross-sectional study. World J Psychiatry. 2018 Sep 20;8(3):88-96. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v8.i3.88. 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).

More recently, researchers found water with electrolytes may prevent anxiety more than plain water, but it was noted that the placebo effect may explain this connection as study participants were aware when they were given the electrolyte drink.⁸⁾Cousins AL, Young HA, Thomas AG, Benton D. The Effect of Hypo-Hydration on Mood and Cognition Is Influenced by Electrolyte in a Drink and Its Colour: A Randomised Trial. Nutrients. 2019 Aug 24;11(9):2002. doi: 10.3390/nu11092002.

The link between dehydration and anxiety is also observed in children, who are a group at risk of dehydration.⁹⁾Benton D. Dehydration influences mood and cognition: a plausible hypothesis? Nutrients. 2011 May;3(5):555-73. doi: 10.3390/nu3050555. Dehydration might also affect how well we sleep.¹⁰⁾Rosinger AY, Chang AM, Buxton OM, Li J, Wu S, Gao X. Short sleep duration is associated with inadequate hydration: cross-cultural evidence from US and Chinese adults. Sleep. 2019 Feb 1;42(2). doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsy210. Poor sleep can exacerbate feelings of anxiety.

Water on the brain?

Almost every bodily function relies on water. Because 75% of brain tissue is water, dehydration reduces energy production in the brain and can change brain structure,¹¹⁾Biller A, et.al. Responses of the Human Brain to Mild Dehydration and Rehydration Explored In Vivo by 1H-MR Imaging and Spectroscopy. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015 Dec;36(12):2277-84. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A4508. causing the brain to slow down and not function properly.¹²⁾Pross. N. Effects of Dehydration on Brain Functioning: A Life-Span Perspective. https://doi.org/10.1159/000463060

At the molecular level, if water levels are too low, our brain cells cannot function properly, with the brain showing signs of working harder to complete tasks.¹³⁾Wittbrodt MT, Sawka MN, Mizelle JC, Wheaton LA, Millard-Stafford ML. Exercise-heat stress with and without water replacement alters brain structures and impairs visuomotor performance. Physiol Rep. 2018 Aug;6(16):e13805. doi: 10.14814/phy2.13805.

Our cells recognize a state of dehydration as a threat to survival, leading to a state of anxiety. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (a chemical messenger between brain cells) that stabilizes our mood and regulates emotions. During dehydration, we struggle to get the chemicals required to produce serotonin into our brain.¹⁴⁾R.J. Maughan, S.M. Shirreffs & P. Watson(2007)Exercise, Heat, Hydration and the Brain,Journal of the American College of Nutrition,26:sup5,604S-612S,DOI: 10.1080/07315724.2007.10719666

Being just half a liter dehydrated may also increase the stress hormone cortisol, which has been associated with a range of mental disorders, including anxiety.¹⁵⁾Barry M Popkin and others, Water, hydration, and health, Nutrition Reviews, Volume 68, Issue 8, 1 August 2010, Pages 439–458, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x

The big picture

So, based on what is currently known and emerging evidence, the government health communication provides some good advice.¹⁶⁾https://twitter.com/healthgovau/status/1492038209181728770 Addressing lifestyle factors including your water intake in the context of your overall diet, physical activity levels, and sleep are important foundations that can support a person’s mental health. And there is evidence to suggest dehydration can affect our mood.

But it’s important to note there are a wide range of factors that affect an individual’s level of anxiety. No single thing is likely to be responsible for completely resolving those feelings. This is particularly true in people experiencing significant anxiety, where simply drinking more water is unlikely to be helpful on its own.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.