Feeling Stressed? Always Try this First
/When you’re feeling stressed, do you ever ask yourself, “When was the last time I drank some water?”
I know it sounds silly, but water can be both the cause and the cure for your stress.
Not drinking enough water can tax all your vital organs that need water to function properly. When they don’t get it, your body releases cortisol which is one of the major stress hormones.
Conversely, drinking some water can often be a way to feel better … almost instantly.
I had a stressful day recently and once I realized I was feeling stressed so the first thing I did was drink some water. It helped me not only feel better, but I made a few other good choices to keep the stress down the rest of the day.
If you’re like many of us and don’t stay hydrated well enough, here’s 7 ways to change that:
Get a dedicated water bottle and use it all the time. Not only will it help you more easily track your water (see number 6) but it will make drinking water convenient. Bring the bottle with you everywhere and fill it up once it’s empty. You might be surprised at how much you’ll be drinking water with it around.
End each night with filling your water bottle and keep it by your bed. When you wake up in the morning, make drinking water one of the first things you do. Don’t just drink a few sips; drinking as much as you can upon awakening. You wake up dehydrated because you’ve been sleeping for hours! Replenish your body with some good old hydration and see how much easier it is to wake up.
Whenever you leave the house, take your bottle with you. Running to the store? Bring the bottle in the car. Going to a friend’s house? Arrive with your water bottle in hand. Going out to a restaurant? Yup, you can totally bring the bottle to the table. (It’s not against the rules and no one really ever notices in my experience.)
Keep some herbal tea on tap, it counts as water too. I *almost always* have pre-brewed herbal tea in the fridge. I don’t add sugar and it's uncaffeinated, plus it’s delicious and provides other nutrients which helps the body feel it’s best as well. The recommended daily dose of herbal tea is 2-4 cups, so drinking that will supplement your water intake.
Choose bubbly water over sodas or other sugary drinks. At restaurants, you can order club soda. Keep a few cans of Lacroix or similar drinks in the fridge at all times or get fancy with Pellegrino or Topo Chico. (As I’ve entered into sobriety, exploring these options has been so helpful in hanging out with friends drinking and being able to have my own “fun” drinks).
Track your water. You’ll not only become more aware of how hydrated you are and motivated to keep your numbers up, but you’ll also start to notice some patterns. I write down in my planner how much water I’ve had each day. I’ve noticed so many times that when I start to feel down, unmotivated, and not right, it’s almost always when I had a day or two of not hydrating enough. Seeing that correlation is an eye opener. What’s interesting is that I’ll feel fine that day, it’s only two days later that I feel like crap. The more you know.
Move your body. This will help your body crave water and encourage you to drink it. Exercise is also an activity that many associate with water drinking so you’ll have social encouragement as well. (Plus, moving your body is great for so many other reasons!).
Which of these are you most likely to do today? What other ideas would you add to this list?
Leave me a comment and let’s keep the conversation going.
