If you exercise regularly and sleep well, but still feel stressed by situations you know you can handle, the answer could lie in restoring your hydration levels, according to recent research.
This is evident from a new study conducted by Liverpool John Moores Universityand published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, found that those who are under-hydrated during stressful situations can suffer from 50% higher cortisol levels, meaning that taking care of your hydration is an essential aspect of staying healthy.
How was the research conducted?
The project, funded by Danone R&I, aimed to demonstrate the importance of water by dividing healthy young adults into two groups. One group included individuals who were expected to drink a large daily volume of fluid (2.5 liters for men and 2 liters for women) and the other group contained lower volume drinkers (men and women who drank less than 1.5 liters of fluid per day).
The participants maintained their drinking habits for seven days and were then measured on their stress responses, psychological characteristics and sleep behavior. Stress was stimulated through experiments such as test job interviews and mathematical tests.
What were the results?
“Both groups felt equally anxious and experienced a similar increase in heart rate during the stress test,” explained Dr. Daniel Kashiwho worked on the groundbreaking study. “However, only the low fluid group showed a significant increase in salivary cortisol in response to the stress test.” In fact, the underhydrated participants had cortisol levels that were more than 50% higher than the hydrated individuals during the same stressful situations.
Cortisol is a natural response to stress and is often referred to as the ‘fight or flight’ response, but when levels are consistently high our health suffers. “Cortisol is the body’s main stress hormone and over-reactivity of cortisol to stress is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and depression,” explains Professor Neil Walsh, physiologist at LJMU’s School of Sport and Exercise Sciences.
Staying hydrated to combat stress and anxiety
One of the biggest challenges with staying hydrated is that many people don’t need fluids when they need it most. “Although the low-hydration group did not report being thirstier than the high-hydration group, they had darker and more concentrated urine, clear signs of poor hydration,” explains Dr. Kashi.
When the body senses dehydration due to insufficient fluid intake or excessive loss, it causes the release of a hormone called vasopressin, which acts primarily on the kidneys and promotes the reabsorption of water to maintain blood volume and electrolyte balance. However, this mechanism comes at a cost, because sustained release of vasopressin places additional strain on the kidneys, and they then have to work harder to concentrate urine and manage electrolyte balance.
The researchers suggest that while further long-term studies are needed, their findings reinforce current recommendations for water intake: about 2 liters of fluid per day for women and 2.5 liters for men. “Being hydrated can help your body manage stress more effectively,” advises Dr. Kashi. A good way to check your hydration status is to check the color of your urine: light yellow generally indicates good hydration, while a darker color indicates dehydration. “For example, if you know you have a stressful schedule, perhaps an upcoming deadline or a speech to give, keeping a water bottle nearby can be a good habit with potential benefits for your long-term health,” Dr. Kashi suggested. In other words: drink more, stress less.
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