Life is full of stressors: your boss giving you work despite an already loaded to-do list; weekends packed with child or parental care; an income that barely covers your bills. But perhaps there’s more to your feelings of overwhelm than meets the eye.
A new study has linked under-hydration with stress, finding that those who drank less than 1.5 litres of water a day had 50 per cent higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It suggests that mild yet chronic dehydration may be making daily life even harder. Last year, a survey by PureGym revealed that the average amount of water drunk a day was just 759ml. It may come as no surprise so many of us feel stressed all the time.
Being thirsty is making you tense
The study, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, divided participants into two groups: those who drank less than 1.5 litres daily and those who drank their recommended water intake (two litres for women and 2.5 for men). They put each group through a test involving arithmetic and public speaking, then monitored how their bodies responded.
While both groups reported feeling just as nervous and had similar heart rate increases, the under-hydrated participants had much higher cortisol. Researchers put this down to how the body tries to regulate water levels by releasing the hormone vasopressin, which also activates the body’s stress system.
It means that even small amounts of under-hydration could build daily stressors into intense moments with serious impact. “While relatively small, this study and other research consistently shows that people who are under-hydrated have higher baseline stress, and feel more tense and fatigued,” explains nutritionist Hannah Alderson, author of Everything I Know About Hormones.
“We don’t need to obsess over litres and millilitres, but staying hydrated is one of the simplest ways to support your stress response. In practical terms, think of hydration as hormonal support, it helps your adrenal glands, your liver and your overall stress response to stay in balance. A well-hydrated body manages cortisol more efficiently and recovers faster from both physical and emotional stress.” Aim for over 1.5 litres a day. While that can include what you drink in teas and coffees, try to focus on plain water.
Slouching does nothing for your nervous system
Hunched posture doesn’t just cause physical pain – it can exacerbate mental stress too. “Poor posture is associated with more sympathetic nervous system responses – that feeling of ‘fight or flight’ mode,” says Krissie Ivings, a clinical psychologist, cognitive-behavioural hypnotherapist and founder of Aspire Lifestyle. A systematic review published in 2024 found that long periods of time spent with a rounded spine position are linked to reduced heart rate variability – the difference between heart beats and a key indicator of stress.
Sitting prawn-like also leads to shallower breathing, which is linked to an activated stress response. When we’re sat upright and the lungs have more space to fill deeply, the body’s calmer states can be accessed. “That’s why many stress management approaches teach deep breathing exercises like paced breathing or box breathing,” says Dr Ivings.
There’s no one “good” posture, but try to keep your shoulders directly over your ribs and hips and allow your ribcage and belly to expand with your breath.
Intense training can actually add to our stress if we don’t manage our time and fatigue properly (Photo: Guido Mieth/Getty)Going for a run isn’t always the answer
Though exercise is touted as a stress-beater, there can come a time when you have too much of a good thing. The body sees exercise as a physical stressor; adapting to your training then makes you better at tackling other stress in your life, and so you generally feel more relaxed when you exercise regularly.
“But intense training can actually add to our stress if we don’t manage our time and fatigue properly,” says Keiren Douglas, a personal trainer at Nuffield Health. “Pushing through a workout under conditions where you’ve not slept enough, eaten enough or already clocked a lot of hours of mental strain at work might feel harder than usual and increases the risk of overextending yourself.”
He advises skipping workouts if you’re exhausted or are still sore from your last workout. It might also be worth switching to lower-intensity movement like walking or yoga that bring mood benefits without the physical strain.
Unwinding with a glass of wine might work against you
Alcohol is often drunk as a stress reliever because it’s a nervous system depressant, explains Alderson. The problem is what happens after. “As the alcohol leaves your system, your brain and body experience a rebound effect,” says Alderson. Stress chemicals surge and blood sugar levels drop. “That combination can leave you feeling wired and emotionally fragile the next day – known as ‘hangxiety’.”
“For some people, even a single glass can elevate cortisol or disrupt sleep quality enough to feel it the next day. That’s especially true if you’re already running on stress or if you’re drinking on an empty stomach. But the cumulative effect is what I see most often in clinic,” Alderson adds. “Only drinking once a week allows your hormonal and stress systems to reset properly.”
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Do you wake up to the radio, get ready to a playlist, commute to work with a podcast, then spend all day talking in meetings? It might not be helping your sense of calm.
Dr Elena Touroni, a consultant psychologist and co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic, agrees. “Our nervous system is designed to scan for potential threats, so even if we don’t consciously notice the noise, the brain often stays on alert. Over time, this low-level vigilance can raise cortisol and leave people feeling more drained or irritable than they might expect,” she explains.
A simple tip is to build moments of intentional quiet into the day. Taking off your headphones (or, using noise-cancelling ones if you’re surrounded by a wall of sound) is a good place to start. “Even a few minutes of genuine quiet can help the nervous system reset and bring stress levels down,” says Dr Touroni.
Anticipating notifications makes it impossible to relax
“Having all of your notifications switched on, particularly for high-volume apps like emails or WhatsApp conversations, is something I tell my clients not to do,” says Best. “Whether it’s an audible sound, a vibration, or just the visual of a new alert, the compounding effect of minute-by-minute updates can really elevate stress levels.”
Dr Gill agrees, dubbing these notifications “micro-disruptions”. “They are associated with higher cortisol and slower ‘off-job recovery’,” she explains. “Even anticipating interruptions – like a reply to the message you just sent – can elevate stress hormones.”
Putting your phone in do-not-disturb mode is a good way to mitigate the constant stream of people and tech trying to grab your attention without the unachievable goal of having to disconnect completely. In fact, a paper in the journal Computers in Human Behaviour found that “Batch checking” notifications – intentionally viewing notifications in intervals – three times a day leads to more attentiveness, productivity and a better mood, as well as reduced stress and fewer interruptions, compared to those who had notifications available at all times.
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