Stay Hydrated to Support Brain Health

Quick Win

Getting enough H₂O is essential for your brain and body to function well.

Try This Today

• Think beyond the drink. Contribute to your water intake by eating foods with a high water content. Many fruits and vegetables have a high water content; cucumbers, for example, are about 95 percent water. Other hydrating options are watermelon, tomatoes, lettuce, celery, spinach and oranges. Slurp soup or dig into some oatmeal, which absorbs a lot of liquid as it cooks. And it’s fine if you prepare oatmeal with milk instead of water: Cow’s milk is about 87 percent water, and almond milk is more than 90 percent water.
• Caffeinated drinks count — in moderation. Despite what you may have heard, tea and coffee probably won’t dehydrate you as long as you keep it to one to three cups a day.
• Monitor bathroom breaks. Use trips to the bathroom to check on your body’s hydration. In general, if you’re getting enough water, your urine should range in color from nearly clear to light yellow. Dark urine can be a sign of dehydration.

Why

Water is vital to your health and not getting enough may cause unclear thinking and mood changes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Your brain is at least 70 percent water, so not staying hydrated can affect how well it functions. Poor hydration was associated with greater declines in memory and cognitive function over two years in a study of 1,957 adults ages 55 to 75 published in BMC Medicine in 2023. So, how many glasses should you drink each day? Your age, sex, body size, the climate you live in, and the amount of exercise you get all play a role in your water needs. It can be helpful to have some guidelines, however, so the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that women aim for about nine cups of fluid per day and men get about 13 cups. Just keep in mind that those are ballpark figures, not prescriptions.