Water is essential for vital processes such as neurotransmitter production and cerebral blood flow, so even mild dehydration can affect our mood and concentration.
But although it may feel satisfying to quench your thirst by chugging a large volume of water all at once, this is likely to prompt your body to take action to avoid dangerous overhydration by excreting more urine.
Most people don’t spend time thinking about how they drink water, but sipping is better for hydration. For example, a Canadian hospital study measured how quickly urine production increased when a large volume of water was consumed in one go.
When people sipped the same volume of water, their bodies retained more of it for longer. So, sipping not only results in fewer trips to the toilet but also increases hydration.
The body strictly regulates water content to maintain osmolality – the concentration of dissolved particles in your blood. This increases with dehydration and decreases with overhydration.
Osmoreceptors in the brain monitor osmolality, sending signals to release the antidiuretic hormone (ADH), which acts on blood vessels and the kidneys to control water and salt levels.
Low blood osmolality suppresses ADH release and leads to more dilute urine. In rare cases, people have died from so-called ‘water intoxication’, which leads to plummeting blood sodium levels, causing cells to swell, including in the brain.
Although the body isn’t usually at risk from downing a large drink of water, sipping smaller amounts over the course of the day helps maintain hydration without triggering the body’s regulatory responses.
This article is an answer to the question (asked by Pravin Mannan, via email) 'What's the best way to drink water?'
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