Holy crap, stepping outside my front door this morning was like stepping into an oven. It’s 32 degrees Celsius but according to the Weather Network, it feels like 40 degrees with the humidity (104 Fahrenheit). Welcome to the season of humidity hell in Ontario!
Not only does our body thank us for helping it cool down when we’re hot, our mood thanks us too. Whether we’re too hot or too cold, too hungry or too full, our mood is affected when we’re uncomfortable. If I’m having a super bad day already, coming home to my sweltering apartment just makes things worse. A huge glass of ice water cools me down as I turn on the fan (and maybe that air conditioner).
No one’s mental illness is going to be cured from adjusting one’s body temperature, but every little bit counts when you’re in pain. Whatever you can do to make life easier for yourself, do it! Don’t go rob a bank or anything but hey, make yourself comfortable, because when we take care of our bodies, our bodies take care of us.
One of the simplest ways we can take care of our bodies is to drink more water. After all, 2/3 of our body is made up of water, and our brain is 90% water, and that water has to come from somewhere.
In case you haven’t had enough water today, let me spell it out for you: the “mental” in “mental illness” means “mind” and “mind” relates to “brain.” Brains need water.
Hell, next time you see a zombie that’s going, “BRAINNSSS” say to it, “Brains are 90% water! Leave my brain alone, just have a glass from the water cooler over there!” Then run away. See, this shit is useful!
Water also flushes toxins from our body. When we’re stressed out our bodies produce cortisol which lowers our immune system. Drinking water helps get rid of the stress hormone to keep us well.
Water helps our bodies absorb nutrients, too, so those vegetables and fruits you eat to help your mood will reach their maximum benefit if you drink more water during the day. You can read more about the benefits of drinking water here.
If you don’t like the taste of water, start by putting lots of ice in a big glass before filling it up and add a slice of lemon. Especially on these hot days, water with ice can feel like an extra cold treat, even if you normally don’t like to drink water. That’s how I started drinking water and gradually as those ice cubes melted, so did my idea that water was boring. Now it’s my favourite drink!
So stay cool and stay comfortable and remember that a hydrated body is a happy body!
Jun 19, 2012 @ 23:07:35
And if you’re anything like me, drink lots of electrolytes too!
Jun 20, 2012 @ 11:41:05
That whole Gatorade vs. H20 scene from The Waterboy is in my head now! :P
Jun 20, 2012 @ 04:23:34
Cortisol is also good for losing weight (so they tell me)
Jun 20, 2012 @ 11:38:50
There are a lot of misconceptions about cortisol and weight, since it can both break down fatty acids to use for energy as well as make you hungry. I’m no doctor so I can’t say for sure, but this article on Go Ask Alice seemed to have some good information: http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/cortisol-depression-and-weight-loss
Jun 21, 2012 @ 09:09:06
I never drink enough water, and often wait for a dumb headache as a reminder to do it. Good advice, as always, lady!