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Stay Hydrated

For peak focus and mental performance, get plenty of liquids

By

Staying Sharp

Updated September 26, 2022

Updated September 26, 2022

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Cavan Images/Getty Images

Try This Today

Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning before reaching for coffee or tea.
Fill up a water bottle. Place it on your desk while working and bring it with you when you leave your house.
Dress up your water. Squeeze lime into sparkling water or infuse regular H2O with fruit, mint or lemon.
Make foods with high water content, like watermelon, cucumber and strawberries, a regular part of your meals.
Monitor bathroom breaks. If you’re properly hydrated, you’ll likely need to use the restroom once every few hours. Your urine should be clear or light yellow.

Why

The brain is made up of about 75 percent water so not staying hydrated can affect how well it functions. Research suggests that dehydration may impair cognitive performance, especially in older adults. Staying hydrated may help reduce this risk

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Legal Disclaimer: Staying Sharp, including all content and features, is offered for informational purposes and to educate users on brain health care and medical issues that may affect their daily lives. Staying Sharp is based on a holistic, lifestyle approach to brain health that encourages users to incorporate into their daily lives activities that are associated with general wellness. Nothing in the service should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Features including the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins, Additional Tests, exercises, and challenges assess performance at a particular moment in time on certain discrete cognitive tasks. Staying Sharp games are intended for entertainment and recreational purposes only. Various factors may affect performance, including sleep, tiredness, focus, and other social, environmental, or emotional factors. Performance is not indicative of cognitive health and not predictive of future performance or medical conditions.

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