In essence, it could be said that human beings are water. Three-quarters of the brain and heart are made up of water and 83% of the lungs too, for example. Hydration is a serious matter and more important than it may seem to us.
The importance of water
Drinking an adequate amount of water every day is more than relevant, as water lubricates the joints and bones, regulates body temperature, and nourishes the brain and spinal cord.
When we become dehydrated, sensory receptors in the hypothalamus of the brain release a signal from an antidiuretic hormone that reaches the kidneys and causes aquaporins, proteins that regulate the passage of water through the cell membrane and allow the blood to retain more water. . The most immediate visual consequence is that our urine becomes darker, but the negative effects go far beyond this coloration.
What happens if we don’t drink water?
Not drinking water can cause fatigue, a decrease in cognitive function, alterations in mood, a drop in blood pressure and skin moisture … A dehydrated brain contracts -literally- in the absence of water as it requires extreme effort to function. If dehydration lasts for several days, the body experiences more serious sequelae and eventually death. Without fluids, an individual can endure 15 hours in an extreme environment and 3 days in normal conditions.
If we drink little water over a long period of time we also help tip the balance to suffer digestive problems, diabetes, weight gain, skin problems, high cholesterol, fatigue or constipation.
Not drinking water breaks the balance of the body. To avoid these harmful conclusions for our body, it is recommended to drink around 2.5 to 3.7 liters of water for men, and 2 to 2.7 liters of water for women.
Bad mood
Unless you want to isolate people in the office, monitor your drinking regimen, as dehydration can also make you irritable and moody. Two studies conducted at the University of Connecticut looked at both men and women in a series of cognitive tests, and found that dehydration caused them to feel moody, drowsy, and even headaches.
Eat excessively
Sometimes we confuse thirst with hunger, so it’s smart to drink water when a craving bug bites us. That is why it is a good idea to drink water before sitting down to eat, as it can lead us to consume fewer calories and we will have a better idea of our hunger and appetite signals, as shown in a 2018 study published in the journal Clinical Nutrition Research . Water can keep us from being very hungry when it comes to sitting down to eat, and listening to our thirst and hunger signals can give us an idea of what the body really wants.
