Not drinking enough water can increase your stress levels
Not drinking enough water—less than 1.5-liter a day—can make your body release more cortisol, the main stress hormone, according to a new study.
In stress tests like public speaking and mental math, people who didn't hydrate well had a much higher spike in cortisol than those who drank enough.
Even mild dehydration can trigger a stress response
Researchers tracked hydration using urine color and found that even if you don't feel thirsty or anxious, being underhydrated can still push your cortisol higher.
The body releases vasopressin to save water, but this also amps up the stress response.
Aim for pale yellow urine
Letting dehydration drag on could raise your risk for problems like heart disease or diabetes down the line.
Easiest hack? Keep an eye on your pee—aim for pale yellow—and make sipping water part of your daily routine to help manage stress.