Just In
- 1 hr ago Golden Rules To Follow For Happy Marriage For A Long Lasting Relationship
- 1 hr ago Gajalakshmi Rajyog In Aries 2024: Lucky Zodiac Signs Who Will Get Financial Benefits
- 5 hrs ago Met Gala 2024: Date, Theme, Venue, Guest List, All You Need To Know About The Fashion Event
- 11 hrs ago Summer Fashion: Your Bollywood Style White Outfits Guide To Keep It Cool And Chic
Don't Miss
- Movies Chief Detective 1958 Episode 2 OTT Release Date, Time, Platform: When & Where To Watch? What To Expect? DEETS
- Sports IPL 2024: LSG vs CSK Award Winners, Man of The Match, Post-Match Presentation, Scorecard & Records
- News Chinese President Xi Jinping Orders Biggest Military Reorganisation Since 2015
- Education Exam Pressure Does Not Exist; Studying Punctually is Crucial; Says Aditi, the PSEB 2024 Topper
- Finance Reliance, ONGC, Tata, Adanis: Energy Stocks Didn't Get The Memo Of Bears, Up 12% In 30-Days; 10 Stocks To BUY
- Automobiles Suzuki Swift Hatchback Scores 4 Star Safety Rating At JNCAP – ADAS, New Engine & More
- Technology Dell Introduces AI-Powered Laptops and Mobile Workstations for Enterprises in India
- Travel Journey From Delhi To Ooty: Top Transport Options And Attractions
Dehydration Can Alter Human Brain, Affect Mental And Physical Performance
Dehydration occurs when your body has an insufficient amount of water. This insufficiency leads to disruption of the normal functioning of the body. Anyone can become dehydrated, however, it is more dangerous in older adults and children[1] . The common causes of dehydration are not drinking enough water, losing too much water through sweating, excessive vomiting and diarrhoea, fever, certain medications etc.
Severe dehydration can lead to low blood pressure, heat injuries, seizures and kidney problems [2] . According to a recent study, dehydration can alter the shape of the human brain and weakens one's ability to perform tasks.
Dehydration Can Cause Brain Swelling
The study, conducted by a group of researchers in a Georgia Institute of Technology found that when one gets dehydrated, a part of their bran swells up and causes the neural signalling to intensify. This, in turn, results in making even the simplest of tasks seem difficult doing [3] .
The researchers also studied the impact heat can have on an individual's body and it was asserted that exertion alone can cause weakness, however, water loss from body showed a twice bigger impact on the body's ability to carry out tasks.
According to the lead researcher Mindy Millard-Stafford, "we wanted to tease out whether exercise and heat stress alone have an impact on your cognitive function and study the effect of dehydration on top of that" [4] .
The researchers were examining the impact of exercise and heat on cognitive function and on doing that it was found that when the participants sweated and drank water, their ventricles in the centre of the brain contracted. And on examining exertion plus dehydration, the ventricles were shown to be expanding. However, the expansion of ventricles was not linked to weak task performance ability.
Changes In Brain Leads To Physiological State Of Dehydration
Matt Wittbrodt, another researcher in the study said, "the areas in the brain required for doing the task appeared to activate more intensely than before, and also, areas lit up that were not necessarily involved in completing the task."
And went on to assert that the other areas of the brain lighting up could be the body signalling that it is dehydrated. The study focused on the motor impact of the human body than cognitive complexity.
Now that you are aware of the perils of dehydration, make sure to follow these steps to prevent dehydration:
Drink
plenty
of
water
[5]
[6]
.
Eat
foods
with
high
amounts
of
water
like
fruits
and
vegetables.
Avoid
or
limit
drinks
with
caffeine
like
coffee,
teas
and
soft
drinks.
Avoid
or
limit
drinks
with
alcohol.
Set
a
"drink
water" reminder
on
your
phone.
Carry
your
own
bottle
of
water.
Replace
your
fizzy
drinks
with
water.
- [1] Pachter, L. M., Weller, S. C., Baer, R. D., de Alba Garcia, J. E. G., Glazer, M., Trotter, R., ... & Gonzalez, E. (2016). Culture and Dehydration: A Comparative Study of Caída de la Mollera (Fallen Fontanel) in Three Latino Populations. Journal of immigrant and minority health, 18(5), 1066-1075.
- [2] Vidal, F., Peña, G., Hernández, R., Bertot, V., & Noda, S. V. (2016). Effect of homeopathic remedies and gentamicin in diarrhea in piglets. Revista de Investigaciones Veterinarias del Perú (RIVEP), 27(4), 792-798.
- [3] Cheuvront, S. N., & Kenefick, R. W. (2011). Dehydration: physiology, assessment, and performance effects. Comprehensive Physiology, 4(1), 257-285.
- [4] N.A.(2018, 22 Aug). Dehydration Can Affect Your Brain. Retrieved from, https://www.ndtv.com/food/dehydration-can-affect-your-brain-easy-ways-to-include-enough-water-daily-1904363
- [5] McGaw, I. J., Van Leeuwen, T. E., Trehern, R. H., & Bates, A. E. (2019). Changes in precipitation may alter food preference in an ecosystem engineer, the black land crab, Gecarcinus ruricola. PeerJ, 7, e6818.
- [6] Wittbrodt, M. T. (2018). Does dehydration affect brain structure, function, and cognitive-motor performance? (Doctoral dissertation, Georgia Institute of Technology).
- healthDiscover How Hydration Can Alleviate Headaches!
- healthExpert Talks About Dehydration And Urological Issues In The Monsoon
- health5 Drinks That Are Actually Dehydrating You!
- pregnancy parentingHeatwave Tips To Keep Your Kids Safe
- wellnessWorld ORS Day 2021: Can Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) Speed Up Recovery From COVID-19?
- wellnessWhy Is Litchi Considered An Excellent Summer Fruit? Know More About Refreshing Litchi Recipes
- wellnessRamadan 2023: Foods To Eat And Avoid For Fasting Associated Dehydration
- wellnessAyurvedic Tips To Keep Yourself Cool This Summer
- disorders cureDid You Know What Causes A Fever? Check Out Number 19
- wellnessWhat Are The Reasons Behind Your Frequent Headaches?
- wellnessWorld ORS Day: Health Benefits Of ORS Drink And Quick Recipe For Homemade ORS
- babyWhy Is My Newborn Not Urinating?