A large study found people who drink five cups or more of water per day were at lower risk of depression and anxiety. In comparison, drinking fewer than two cups per day doubles the risk. The link between dehydration and anxiety is also observed in children, who are a group at risk of dehydration.
Researchers have also found people who usually drink lots of water feel less calm, less content, and more tense when their water intake drops.”
Source: The Conversation, February 27, 2022. Link. The growing field of nutritional psychiatry focuses on the effects of foods and drinks on our mental health. Despite water constituting 60–80 percent of the human body, it is often overlooked as a significant nutrient. During dehydration, we struggle to get the chemicals required to produce serotonin into our brain which can lead to a state of anxiety.