Dehydration Can Trigger Anxiety to Brain Fog, Here's the Scientific Fact

Illustration of not drinking enough. (Freepik)

JAKARTA - There is a fairly strong relationship between dehydration and mental health. When the body is deficient in fluids, hormonal changes, cognitive function decline, sleep disorders, and various other uncomfortable physical symptoms can occur, all of which can affect mood.

This may explain the results of two studies in 2018 and 2024. If combined, both show that people who drink less water tend to feel more anxious, depressed, and have suicidal thoughts.

Of course, this does not mean that water is the main cause or solution to mental disorders. However, these studies show that water intake has an important role in our state of mind.

To understand further, psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD explains how dehydration affects the brain and psychological conditions, as well as providing some tips for staying hydrated and helping improve mood.

About 60% of our body is made up of water. So, it's no wonder that hydration has a big impact on mental health. Dr. Albers always asks his patients about their drinking habits.

"I always ask how much water I drink, because it affects my mood a lot, just like food and sleep," he said, quoted from the Cleveland Clinic website.

He also advised us to pay more attention to daily water intake.

"You don't have to have a mental disorder for dehydration to affect mood," he explained.

"The symptoms may be mild, but it is still important. If they are collected, the effect is felt," he continued.

If the body is deficient in fluids, here are some of the effects:

1. Causes hormonal imbalance

Drinking less can increase the stress hormone (cortisol), while hormones related to feelings of pleasure actually decrease. As a result, brain chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin are reduced. This condition can make a person more irritable, sad, or feel tired.

2. Trigger the "fight or flight" response

Hormonal imbalances also affect other body functions. When cortisol levels rise, the body goes into a state of alert (fight or flight).

This can cause symptoms similar to anxiety, such as a rapid heartbeat, breathing faster, sweating, and tense muscles. Even though you're not actually anxious, these symptoms can still interfere with your mood.

3. Makes the body feel uncomfortable

Dehydration not only makes the body 'on alert', but also causes physical discomfort. It's hard to feel good mentally if the body condition is not in good condition. Symptoms can include headaches, fatigue, muscle cramps, and constipation.

"Physical and mental health are very related. If the body is not in good condition, the mind is usually affected," explained Dr. Albers.

4. Disrupt brain function

Dehydration can cause an imbalance of electrolytes in the body. In fact, electrolytes such as sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium are essential for brain function.

When disturbed, this can affect focus, thinking ability, learning processes, decision-making, memory, thinking speed, and language comprehension.

As a result, a condition often called "brain fog" or a foggy brain appears.

"The brain needs enough fluid for nerve connections to work well. If you drink enough, you can be more focused, sharp, and clear-minded," said Dr. Albers.

Brain fog often appears at the same time as depression. The good news is, if dehydration is only temporary, drinking water can help restore brain function quickly. However, if it lasts a long time, the impact can be more serious.

5. Disturbing sleep

Lack of sleep can worsen mood and dehydration can make sleep quality decrease. Many people deliberately reduce drinking so as not to go back and forth to the bathroom at night. However, dehydration can actually make it more difficult to fall asleep and maintain a good night's sleep. It is recommended to stop drinking about two hours before going to bed, but still meet the fluid needs throughout the day.

Tips for maintaining hydration for mental health

Maintaining the balance of body fluids is often considered trivial, even though the impact can extend to a person's emotional state. Many people do not realize that drinking less water can affect mood, concentration, and stress levels in daily activities.

When the body begins to lack fluid, the brain also feels the effects, so that emotional responses become less stable.

"The relationship between dehydration and mood is like a seesaw. The less you drink, the higher the stress," said Dr. Albers.

This also explains why when we are stressed or depressed, we find it increasingly difficult to take care of ourselves, including meeting our fluid needs.

Some tips to try:

- Use an alarm as a reminder to drink

- Link drinking habits with other routines (for example after eating

- Drink water immediately after waking up

- Record water intake (using an application or manually)

- Always carry a drinking bottle

- Reduce caffeine and alcohol consumption (because it can accelerate fluid loss)

- Consume foods high in water, such as fruits and vegetables

- Make drinking water more interesting, for example by adding fruit

- More sensitive to body conditions and signs of dehydration

- Pay attention to electrolyte intake (for example from coconut water, herbal tea, or milk)