Water is essential to our physical and mental health. And yet it’s not uncommon for us to find staying hydrated difficult – especially as busy, burned-out individuals. “Everything in your body depends on optimal hydration, from organ function to hormone balance,” explains Los Angeles-based nutritionist .
“When you’re hydrated, your joints are lubricated, your skin is being nourished, and your hair follicles are able to grow healthfully.” And when you’re not? Not only will skin be less lustrous and hair more brittle, but energy lags, detoxification slows down, and digestion is delayed. “As matter starts to build and accumulate in your system, it weighs you down – you feel heavier and less energised.
” Rhian Stephenson, a nutritionist, naturopath and founder of Artah, even says that being dehydrated can lead to stress. “Even subtle changes in hydration can lead to impaired energy production in the brain, alongside changes in mood and cognition, feelings of anxiety, depression and poor sleep quality,” she says. ”Not to mention slight decreases in total body water can significantly elevate cortisol, our stress hormone.
” Mild dehydration can cause a multitude of problems in the body and drinking plenty of water, as well as tweaking your diet, can go a long way for a healthier day-to-day. As Google searches for all things dehydration reach a high this year, we find out how to stay optimally hydrated, with advice from the experts. Individualise your inta.