|  | Diet Nutrition | Nutrition

Hydration & Focus

It is commonly known that proper nutrition and a healthy, balanced diet are linked with mental performance and ability. Proper hydration, however, is also a criterion to maximize mental capacity. Specifically, there is a link between hydration and the ability to focus and concentrate. Studies show that dehydration both directly and indirectly impairs concentration.

  1. Overview

    • Hydration is critically necessary for diverse physical and mental tasks, including the ability to focus. Water accounts for approximately 80 percent of the brain, and it enables neurological transmissions. It also refreshes the blood in the brain and helps to relieve the head of toxins. Hydration improves brain function and concentration by facilitating brain activity and by improving the brain's short-term memory.

    Mild Dehyration

    • Mild dehydration causes various symptoms and side effects that impair mental performance. Mild dehydration causes tiredness, headaches, dizziness, disorientation and feelings of vertigo or imbalance. All of these symptoms and sensations reduce alertness and impair a person's ability to concentrate on a mental task. In fact, mild dehydration can decrease focus by as much as 10 percent, according to the UK-based Education and Resources for Improving Childhood Continence, or ERICC. The effects of dehydration become more severe as dehydration increases.

    Thirst

    • Thirst, like hunger, is uncomfortable to experience. In addition to dehydration's direct impact on mental performance, thirst can also indirectly interfere with focus by distracting the individual from the task at hand. Parching thirst more severely impacts focus, but mild thirst can as well. According to a study of the effects of dehydration in elementary school children reported by ERICC, water consumption had an immediate alerting and revitalization effect in dehydrated students. Teachers observed enhanced performance and alertness in students after students consumed two large glasses of water.

    Hydration Needs

    • Staying hydrated is essential for the preservation of energy and to maintain mentally sharpness. Hydration needs, however, depend on body size and other factors, such as intake and activity. Experts recommend drinking water during and after physical activity to maintain hydration. Additionally, it is important to drink water with coffee or caffeine to counteract the dehydrating effects of caffeine, which is a diuretic. Good hydration also depends on a diet low in sodium, which usurps and retains water in the body.

Nutrition - Related Articles