Drink Water So Your Brain Can Perform To Its Fullest
“Two liters of water per day keeps your body hydrated.” Surely you have read this phrase many times. But what this statement does not specify is that water is also good for the brain.
According to several studies, there is a relationship between dehydration and lack of concentration or memory. Water is essential for the functioning of our body, as we all know, but also for the development of the mind. So, the truth is that you can boost brain capacities by drinking water every day. Something as simple as it is indispensable!
Hydration and mental health
Drinking water daily allows you to hydrate the organs, the cells, the muscles… and also the brain. Recently published studies indicate that people who do not consume enough water increase their chances of getting sick, especially when they enter old age.
This is not to say that water makes us “smarter” but rather that it helps us reach our maximum mental performance. Thus, water acts as a kind of guardian for our brain, and, therefore, for us.
We must not forget this maxim: “the greater the level of dehydration, the less alertness and concentration: more drowsiness, fatigue and exhaustion“.
A glass of water in the desert
In order to understand how this fluid is vital in our body and brain, we could analyze the case of a person who is lost in the Sahara. When his ration of water is finished, hallucinations and mirages soon appear. It is true that there are other factors that influence him, such as high temperatures, sun and despair, but lack of water immediately affects motor coordination, attention and short-term memory.
According to doctors, when someone is dehydrated they have a lesser amount of electrolytes and this leads to an alteration in brain activity and in other systems involved in cognitive processes (the ability to process information). Loss of fluid in the body results in increased production of “stress” hormones and a decline in the functioning of memory and perception.
Hydrated brain, “awake” brain
Dry mouth, headache or difficulty expressing ourselves correctly are just a few of the symptoms that “warn” us of the scarcity of water in the body and mind. General malaise, dizziness and disorientation are warning signs in a higher stage.
We should not wait til we feel thirsty to drink water because at that moment we are in an initial stage of dehydration. If this happens very often, the brain begins to weaken. Poor fluid intake has its consequences at any age, but especially in children and the elderly, who are more vulnerable.
When the brain is hydrated the signs of mental fatigue (so common today) disappear and you do not need to make a great effort to achieve the same result (you will perhaps avoid overtime in the office). By drinking liquid daily we can improve our daily activities, especially those related to planning and visuospatial processing.
To know if we are well hydrated or not, in addition to drinking those two liters of water that we are advised to drink so much, there are other interesting factors. For example, analyzing the color of our urine (if it is dark and scarce it may be because we lack liquid) and avoiding alcoholic drinks, soft drinks and coffee (all of them cause dehydration).
When it is hot or when we exercise, it is necessary to increase the intake of liquids and to add natural juices to our diet. If you are not a “lover” of water or forget to drink it, you can always carry a bottle with you or even set alarms at different times of the day. Whether winter or summer, we advise you to drink water for the sake of your body and your mind!
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