Quench Your Thirst, Boost Your Mood: The surprising link between hydration and mental health

By now, most of us know that drinking enough water every day is part of an overall health routine. Being properly hydrated not only helps us maintain our energy levels, but it also keeps our skin moisturized and our brains sharp and focused. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, maximize athletic performance, or improve your skin, a physician is likely to tell you to drink more water. The benefits of drinking water may go even further than that, though. Being properly hydrated could help to reduce the symptoms of mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. See the research that links proper hydration and mental health:  

Depression & Anxiety 

Depression is a condition that affects about 16 million American adults every year. It can happen to anyone at any age and can affect your ability to lead a normal life. If you have depression, you might suffer from relationship difficulties, social isolation and alcohol or drug misuse. In some cases, depression leads to suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts.  

While we still don’t know the specific cause of depression, genetic, biological, environmental and psychological factors are all thought to play a role.  

Anxiety is a different disorder but often occurs alongside depression. Feeling worried or scared about everyday situations is a common sign of anxiety and it can lead to insomnia, headaches, and chronic pain. 

Living with depression and anxiety is challenging for anyone. It’s safe to say that getting the proper treatment for these conditions is vitally important to allow you to lead a relatively normal life. The usual course of action is psychological counseling or medications such as antidepressants, or both. Making lifestyle changes can help too. For example, getting enough sleep or exercising regularly can boost your mood. Likewise, stress-reduction techniques such as breathing exercises can reduce anxiety by anchoring you in the present moment.  

In addition, a study now suggests that drinking more water might help as well.  

The Impact of Proper Hydration on Your Mood 

A clinical study looked at whether the amount of water a person drank had an effect on his or her moods and sensations. The study involved 22 people who drank anywhere from two to four liters a day, and 30 people who drank less than 1.2 liters a day. Those who drank more water were asked to drink less and vice-versa.  

At the end of the study, those who drank more water than usual reported feeling better about aspects of their lives such as sleep and waking up. On the flip side, those who drank less water than usual reported lower levels of satisfaction and calmness and fewer positive emotions. They also had less energy and were a little less physically active overall.  

In other words, the amount of water you drink can have a positive, or negative, effect on your mood. That means drinking enough water could potentially reduce some of the symptoms of depression and anxiety.  

The question then becomes, how do we accurately track the amount of water you drink in a day? That’s where HidrateSpark comes in! 

How HidrateSpark Can Help 

HidrateSpark uses positive psychology to prompt users to drink more water. Each HidrateSpark bottle has an app-based reminder that glows to alert you to drink water. You can adjust the color, frequency, and intensity of the reminder to suit your personal preferences. The unique SipSense technology embedded in the sensor is more accurate than taking manual readings. There are four different sizes to choose from, so you can pick the size that best works for you.  

Add in Bluetooth connectivity and fitness tracker integration, and you can track your hydration with precision. This, in turn, can provide a clearer picture of the impact of hydration on conditions such as depression and anxiety. Of course, we are not suggesting that hydration alone cures depression, but instead that tracking hydration along with exercise and other lifestyle factors can help identify what helps a person’s mental health maintenance over time.  

Try our smart bottles yourself, or give the gift of hydration to anyone in your life who is trying to mentally or physically improve their health.