Can Simply Drinking More Water Relieve Anxiety & Boost Mood?

Your body is mostly water. If you don't get enough water, you don't feel as good as you could physically or mentally. 

I spent 4 years researching and writing Feed Your Calm, a book about the impact of diet on anxiety and specific anti-anxiety foods and supplements. The number one recommendation on my list of anti-anxiety foods is . . . water. 

There are lots of other foods to add to your diet, or subtract from your diet, to help you be more stress resilient and reduce anxiety, but getting enough water is a simple place to start. 

Hydration for Anxiety and Health: Science-Backed Benefits, Foods, and Daily Needs

Why is Water Necessary to Your Body?

“60 percent of our bodies is composed of water, 75 percent in our muscles, 85 percent in our brains, it’s like oil to a machine.” -- Dr. Roberta Lee.

All your organs and glands need water.

Water transports biochemicals throughout your body. It moves nutrients to the spots they are needed, and moves toxins and reaction leftovers out of your body.

Research-Based Health and Mood Benefits of Drinking More Water

Water benefits your health, mood, ability to deal with both physical and mental stress, and your longevity. 

Research has shown that even mild dehydration can cause the following issues. (Click on the line item for related studies.)

1. Gastro-intestinal problems
2. Headaches
3. Blood glucose issues
4. Blood pressure and heart issues
5. Depression
6. Anxiety
7. Decreased ability to deal with stress
8. Decreased mental alertness and concentration
9. Memory problems
10. Reduced endurance
11. Reduced motivation
12. Fatigue 
13. Impaired sleep
14. General ill health

Can Dehydration Cause Anxiety and Stress?

If you don’t take in enough water throughout the day, you hamper cellular function and stifle your body’s ability to create neurotransmitters and hormones required to deal with stress.

Dehydration also stresses out your body. That adds to your stressor load and can lead to anxiety symptoms.

While I was researching the relationship between food and anxiety for my book Feed Your Calm, I interviewed a nutritionist who said her first question for her clients with anxiety is, "Are you getting enough water?" And her follow-up advice is: "You need to be getting water throughout your day."

Water took the #1 position on my top foods for anxiety relief and stress resilience list. 

Do Foods and Beverages Count as Water Intake?

You get about 20% of your water requirement from food. That percentage goes up if you consume more fruits and vegetables. The rest comes more directly from liquids.

Caffeine Beverages

Some beverages aren't great water sources because they have a diuretic effect — they cause water to be released out through your kidneys.

Recent research suggests that caffeine's diuretic effect depends largely on how much caffeine you consume.

A 2017 coffee consumption study found that 3mg caffeine/kg of body weight did not disturb fluid balance, but 6mg caffeine/kg of body weight produced an acute diuretic effect. This table shows what that translates to for the lower and upper limits: 

🟢➜ I provide a list of caffeine sources in this post: Is Caffeine Amping up Your Anxiety?

Alcohol

Alcohol inhibits anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) — that means alcohol gets in the way of your body retaining fluid. 

The Cleveland Clinic website has a good explanation of why alcohol has a negative effect on hydration.

Other Questionable Beverages

High-sugar beverages are not ideal hydration choices and can have negative health effects. Sodas can have both high sugar content and caffeine, as well as other artificial ingredients that your body has to contend with.

Energy drinks are among the least desirable hydration choices because they often combine a caffeine blast with sugar, other stimulants, and additives like coloring and preservatives.

Liquids You Can Count On

Of course, water is the best choice for hydration.

Broths in soups and non-diuretic herbal teas are also hydrating. (Some herbal teas, such as dandelion root, are diuretic.)

Top 20 Hydrating Foods: Fruits and Veggies with the Highest Water Content

Many fruits and vegetables are packed with water — some are over 90% water by weight!

Adding more of these foods to your diet can support your body’s hydration needs while delivering important nutrients.

Here's a quick-reference list of the top hydrating foods and their water approximate content. 

I was surprised by some of the results when putting together this list. I expected cucumbers and lettuce to be high ranking, but I didn’t realize radishes, cauliflower, mushrooms, and several other veggies were so water-rich.

For water content on more foods, Dr Axe has an extensive list: 52 Hydrating Foods to Help Maintain Fluid Levels & Avoid Dehydration.

How much water is enough?

The answer to the how much water is enough question varies with your activity level, heat exposure, and body size. A common guideline is the number of ounces that equals half your body weight measured in pounds.

Body weight in pounds divided by 2 = number of ounces water

For example: 150 lbs divided by 2 = 75 oz.

7 Easy Ways to Increase Your Daily Water Intake

Now that you know the importance of hydration, let's talk about healthy habits to help you get enough water throughout the day.

1. Set your water goal.

Calculate your ideal daily water intake using the guideline above (or another one if you prefer). It's much easier to reach a goal when you know what you're aiming for.

2. Start your day with a glass of water.

Hydrate with water before reaching for coffee or tea.

3. Plan for having water with you.

Having water within reach makes it easier to sip throughout the day. Since I work from home, I keep a water glass nearby throughout the day and evening and make sure I fill it up regularly.  Many people prefer carrying a large reusable water bottle because it keeps water accessible while making it easy to track how much they've had to drink.

4. Drink water with meals.

Making water your default mealtime drink is an easy habit to build.

5. Eat more water-rich foods.

Fruits, vegetables, and broths all contribute to your daily water intake. The water-rich foods listed above make it easier to stay hydrated while adding important nutrients to your diet.

6. Increase water when you're sweating more.

Hot weather, exercise, illness, and travel can all increase your fluid needs.

7. Track your daily water intake. 

Track your water intake through the size of water bottle you use, a reminder app, a habit tracker, or the number of glasses consumed throughout the day. 

Build a hydration habit.

The best hydration plan is the one you'll actually follow. Choose a system that fits naturally into your daily routine. Small habits practiced consistently make drinking enough water much easier.

More Research-Based Nutrition Tips for Anxiety Relief and Stress Resilience

If you found this information helpful, you'll find much more in my book, Feed Your Calm.

Drawing on my training in Integrative Medicine for Mental Health and years of research, I explain how nutrition, vitamins, minerals, herbs, probiotics, and other supplements may support stress resilience and emotional wellbeing. The book translates research into practical, easy-to-understand information you can actually use.

Disclaimer: This post is NOT intended as medical advice. It is always advised to seek input from personal medical professionals. 

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