Water Helps Ease General Anxiety!
Today I want to look at something so simple and yet equally powerful in alleviating the symptoms of general anxiety. This tip also helps reduce the frequency and strength of panic attacks.
Fresh Drinking Water
There is no quicker way to significantly reduce general anxiety than adopting good eating and drinking habits. One of the most easily implemented and effective additions to your diet is fresh water.
Water is a great quencher of thirst but more importantly here –a great quencher of anxiety.
Nearly every function of the body is monitored and pegged to the efficient flow of water through our system. Water transports hormones, chemical messengers, and nutrients to vital organs of the body.
When we don’t keep our bodies well hydrated, they may react with a variety of signals… some of which are symptoms, of anxiety. Here is some interesting information about water
1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so
weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism
as much as 3%.
4. One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for
almost all of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water, is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
Regular fresh drinking water is a vital ingredient to your diet. This is something the medical profession has been telling us for years. When we are dehydrated our cells can feel this at a molecular level and communicate this to the subconscious as an underline subtle anxiety or threat to survival.
The key to re-balancing a deficit of fluids is to drink eight glasses of fresh water daily. You must spread this intake throughout the day and not drink it all in one go! Otherwise you don’t give your body a chance to absorb it.
Have you noticed the effects of dehydration on your emotions before? If you have ever suffered from a serious hangover after a night out on the town, you will understand the feeling of dehydration all too well.
Hangovers result from dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. I’m sure many of you are familiar with the “the hangover fear”. This is a heightened sense of anxiety and jumpiness that results from the dehydration of hangover.
The surest way for someone who suffers from high anxiety to experience yet more anxiety, is to drink excessive amounts of alcohol and wait for the hangover to set in the following day.
It is important to be aware that dehydration is a factor that contributes to anxiety and nervousness. The good news is that it is easily remedied by drinking regular fluids. Personally, I have found that not only does regular intake of water ward off any subtle feelings of anxiety, but it is also incredibly useful for building stamina and avoiding fatigue. Give this some real consideration. Simply increasing the amount of fresh water you drink is a very easy step to incorporate into your daily routine. Most of us fall short of consuming the recommended amount.
Always remember that there is a lot of hope for an immediate and successful recovery from all forms of panic attacks and anxiety disorders. You can have the life of your dreams – Anxiety does not have the right to steal that hope from you.
Sometimes taking very small steps can lead to massive improvements. One of my favorite writers wrote about how everyone should approach their problems with the same philosophy as the woodpecker.
Keep chipping away at it and eventually the whole damn tree will collapse!
Barry Joe McDonagh
If you want to post a comment to about this articel simply click ‘Leave a reply reply’ below.
jenny
wow, icant belive what you have done for me; been suffering for 30years. wow i feel good. thank you so much
Prateek
thanks for sharing such information with me…
I hope one day I’ll become normal again with your help…
thanks a lot sending me the mails…
and I am expecting more from you…
Eve
I look forward to more emails from you..to say the least I am normally not a water drinker..BUT if it’ll help
Then I am There… thank you again, God bless
mike z
thank you very much im really thankful for these emails bout panic away i been feeling lot better since i heard of this thank you !!!
Teaze
I can relate to the hangover feeling, as it is one that can be worse with a panic attack episode. I have been suffering from depression since 5th grade (1995) and panic attacks since 2007. It has not been an easy journey for a young person to go through as i feel i have missed out on the essence of growing up and being carefree..my introvertness was mistaken for being a respectful little girl who just liked watching tv rather than go out with friends (not that I had many). only to find a more emotionally distressed person struggling to fit in each day due to panic attacks. Alcohol abuse becomes natural as you try and take away the fear of another attack but only makes you prone to having another episode. i have really been battling with my attacks recently as i seem to be fine at home but as soon as i go to work it all starts… . I just want to thank you Barry for giving us an opportunity to share eachothers experiences as im sure most of us initially thought we were alone in this. but more importantly helping us find ways to eliminate this horrible “illness” if i may call it that.i am definately using your techniques and have also found that a good nights rest and lots of water is an excellent way to begin. I have found control in myself and have minimized the use of alcahol, so i can function healthily with the rest of the world – I AM 25YRS OLD AND IN CONTROL… !!!
jessica jones
I just turned 18 when I had my first child and 2 months after that I had my first anxiety or panic attack. I thought I was having a stroke.My face went numb or at least I thought it was and I freaked out. Went to the doctor and got lots of tests done including going to a heart doctor. Everything was fine! Now five years later Im still scared. What if their wrong? What if they missed something?What if I die and my daughters have no mother? Now I have a beer when I get anxious so it doesn’t go to panic and I’m realizing thats not the solution. I have to be here for my girls,mind and body, thats why I’m here. These newsletters make me feel that I’m not alone with this.Can’t wait to read more!Thanks!
shelley
hi
i am 38 and i suffered my first panic attach 5 yrs ago after having my son.
i had no idea what they were all about till i was coming over a bridge and thought thati was
having a heart attach! but i was having a panic attach…..
i had all the tests done and everthing was ok.
i had a slitght one the other day and calmed myself down by talking myself out of it.
it worked. i have been told to drink water before and it sure helps.
I know drink 2 to 3 ltrs of water per day.
i am lucky and i do not get them that often but when i do they do linger on for a week or 2..
i really look forward to reading some more of these articles.
thanks for all the insights.
hope
i think its working…… o god i dont believe. i had the best presentation today. i really appreciated the art of gratitude. i think i am gaining back my confidence.
Janie
Hi, drinking more water daily is a good idea and will to this. When i do feel anxious, i tend not to drink much at all that day, when the evening is almost over, i drink more then. I always have a glass of water beside me when I sleep.
Thanks for the tip.
Have a good day.
Michael
Barry. I am not a person to make comments, but I feel that it is necessary to encourage others to keep their chin up.I am new to this anxiety thing- but it sure is real!!! Went to doctors- you will have to take medication- yes maybe the rest of your life.(I am 66) Your approach appears sound- and yes it seems to be working. I realise there is such a thing as mind over matter, but maybe this is just the problem ? The mind is what we need to strengthen?? Thanks for your input.
era
thank you so much for sharing with me about panic attack. your website and your email is very helpful and informative of my situation now. please send me more email about how to conquer fear/anxiety or nervousness. GOD bless you.
Esther
It is amazing to realise so many people are suffering in the same way as me. This mini course really does disarm the anxiety and help me to realise there is hope for all us sufferers out there. I hope to return to my old self after nearly a year of wasted time feeling ill, avoiding friends and feeling like I can’t cope. I have now had a month off work because I couldn’t control the anxiety any longer and felt like I was making it worse by plodding on feeling so bad. The hints on keeping busy seem to work. It is true that the depersonalisation does diminish when you are busy and gives me hope that one day I will no longer even worry if I feel detached or if I will have an attack that day. God bless Barry and all of us anxiety sufferers. Can anyone comment on use of alcohol whilst taking Citalopram? I have totally given up alcohol but sometimes would like a glass of wine and daren’t in case it brings my anxiety back. Like Barry says, we are all very brave. It takes guts to face the world feeling like this! God bless.
phil
thakyou so much for the emails you are sending. these techniqes are very helpfull and its good to hav new things to try. ive been having them now for years an stil they scare the s**t out of me. but knowing nothing isgoing to harm you is a massive weight off my sholders.
well thanks again!!
Rudra Precht
Yes, like all these other people i say thank you thank you thank you! But there is a difference for me….I actually feel better when I am around people or if I go somewhere. I feel safer where people are. I have the attacks in the evenings and nights when I feel like I am alone and no help could get to me quick in case something happens. And I for sure don’t drink much water at all. I will try! I stopped drinking drinks with caffein, does caffein make anxiety worse?? Someone told me it does, and sugar too. And yes, I do feel much more confident that there is a way out of this!!! I have children, I can laugh and play with them again without thinking about the horrible attacks anymore. Its great! I used to dread the nights for a couple of month now, I could not go to sleep. The attacks would rip me out of my sleep all the time! But it has gotten SOOO much better. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joan
Thanks so much for the 4 mini letters. I found them to be most helpful, especially the 20 second count your fears away. I never realized there were so many others experiencing the same feelings that I am. For some strange reason it gave me confidence to know that I’m not alone, I’m not going crazy and I’m not having a heart attack. I will try drinking more water. And, I pray, with your advice I’ll overcome these fears and and these frightening feelings. Thanks again……..Joan
tyler
I am 18 years old and have suffered from anxiety since three months ago when i had my first panic attack. the good thing is is that i didnt develop a panic disorder, i have them rarely, but i have terrible anxiety. Ill worry about things like my heart and in general my health. Your not supposed to worry about that when your eighteen, your supposed to be having fun, which i was until that happened three months ago. Since then, ive been in a psychiatric hospital for a week, where they balanced my meds. the meds took the edge off, but it was still there. It’s horrible when a though comes into your head like what if i go into cardiac arrest, even though thats not relevant to my age. I was diagnosed with wolff parkinson white, a heart arrhythmia, but theyre still wondering if i really have it or not, so that is adding to my anxiety, cuz one of the syptoms, though very rare, is cardiac arrest. I knew that it had an extremely small chance of happening, but for some reason i just couldnt get it out of my mind. When i read your first article, I tried it by letting that thought come into my head and labeling it like you said, and i really worked! it comes into my head every once in a while, but when it does, i do the exercise and it seems to get less and less intense every time. The only time it gets me is when it catches me off guard, and im too busy to really focus on doing that exersize, but hopefully my mind will be trained to not be afraid of this anymore. What your doing is great, and actually works, unlike those other websites that charge you and don’t give any longterm results. I really feel confident that this is working and im going to continue doing these exercises. Thank you, you’ve given me and many others hope
Heather
I am one of those people that has never drank much water. I also am a bad anxiety person so I will be trying to drink more water.. Will let you know the improvements as I feel them. Thanks heaps for this tip. (I have known all along how water is important but needed this jolt I think to put it into action.)
wolf
thankyou the chiping away soungs promising yust the thought makes me feel thers light at the end of the tunel
mayank dhir
this step would be truly benifitial sir .. thank u so much for ur help may god give u all happiness and joys 🙂
marie @ 8:48am
Hi Barry
I’ve been a victim of anxiety since the past 3 months. Like what other suffers go through, i go through that too, and it really bothers me, i went to hospital and all blood test came okay, but these feelings is just driving me insane, to the point that i will stay in bed but can’t sleep because of too much worrying and then my anxiety starts, which i get really scared because i have only one child and she’s only turning 5 yrs. old. Well, i was reading our local news online, when i got to the bottom, i saw a highlighted topic saying “NO MORE ANXIETY” so right when i clicked on that, your articles came out, i’ve been praying to GOD to help me ease these feelings, and i guess God gave me the answer to ur websites. I still have struggles sleeping at night, i get scared to go out of my house at times, i hardly visit my families, which am keeping my own (my daughter & common-law) family away from having fun because am afraid to be alone all the time. Now am practicing your steps that ur sending me through my email. PLEASE SEND ME MORE INFORMATION OR STRATEGIES ON HOW TO REALLY EASE THESE FEELING OR ILLNESS! Once again THANK YOU SO MUCH for helping us with our disorders. PLEASE HELP ME OUT because am from far far far far away, i live in the Commonweatlh of the Northern Islands called “Tinian” and we have the smallest hospital, which we go off island for serious treatment. THANK YOU & MAY GOD BLESS US ALL!
jake
I would like to say thanks for all the advise that you have given me. I can really feel that it is starting to make a diffrence. the 20sec count down works really well. But i would have to say that my favorite one is telling my self to have an anxiety attack, and that is probally one of the hardest things to tell myself but it seems to work. I am not a 100% cured yet but with these simple things that you have given me i have started to notice a diffrence. I to also take lexapro but have recently came off it and am trying to lead alife with out taking pills. I know in my heart that i am the one that brings this on myself,and i am the one that has to relize that it is me and not a medical condition.
I can totally relate to the people that think that there heart is going to explode, and that is the number one thing that tips my anxiety off. Reading these responses from the other people helps me alot to know that i am ok and that my heart is not going to explode. I am only 24 but have suffered for years with all the things that the people have talked about in the letter. agian thank you and thank you to all the people that i can relate with,all the letters let me know that i am not alone and i am not the only one that battles with this horrible anxiety.
Sonia
Jake,
I use the same method too it seems to work best, i was terrified the first time i asked to have a panick attack but then nothing happened and i was so relieved. My problem now is when i know a situation is coming, such as an interview this afternoon, i work myself up for hours!! so i don’t have an attack or anything i am just anxious for hours. I am not sure how the interview will go i will use the technique once i get there, but do you have any tips??
marie @ 8:48am
Hi Barry,
i really think these mini courses your sending us through email REALLY helped me to control most of my anxiety when its about to trigger again. AGAIN THANK YOU VERY MUCH! PLEASE send me more information about anxiety and panic attacks. MAY GOD BLESS US ALL!
Ted
Hi Barry thank you for all your helpful tips on anxiety and your panic away programme which I have found very helpful all the best regards Ted
Saurabh
I love you dear author, you are simply a good man who helped me a lot and saved my life getting ruined. You , helped me to regain control over my body and mind. You are best.
May god give you best in your life.
Ted
thanks Barry for your help I am gradually getting over depression and anxiety though having job to get confidence back still I will keep on the one move technique
Kylie
Your emails are so helpful. I just started receiving them last week and I am already having less panic attacks. It was especially helpful to use the 20 second countdown. I will for sure try the water now. These last few days have been so much better for me then the previous two weeks. After having panic attacks for 20+ years, this is absolutely amazing and so helpful Thank you!! I look forward to receiving your next email.
Janie
Barry since first reading your article on drinking more water, I have been and noticed the change too but still i have my good and bad days. I wake up feeling irritable some mornings and I feel not my self for a couple of days. I have purchased your book on line and have been very busy so I need to get back into it. I appreciate your emails, they are great keep up the good work it gives me hope and courage.
Jeanie
Hi, i know i have been reading your articles for just like a week but i really do think they will help me….i thank you so so much…..God Bless
lhen
i am very thankful for your advice…i will try to fight my anxiety,try to cope up and drinks lots of water..hope you will send me your next email..keep it up,god bless.
mita
thank you very much for sending me the mini courses. im very grateful it has helped me because i was struggling with my anxious thoughts.since last year ive been suffering from high anxiety with physical symptoms. it is very hard on my kids as well as im a single parent. i would like to be anxiety free so i can look after my kids properly.Thanks and God Bless.
christine
my son is experiencing high anxiety with symptoms, your comments and thoughts on what works is very helpful. As his mom I feel very helpless but Im learning more ways in which i can help him cope and make a difference. thanks for your emails. God Bless you and yours, christine Oh, he took a bunch of water with him to work for his 1-10 shift today..
Abdul
I really appreciate for your good idea ,bro may God bless you ,your wonderful person ,i understand you want to help more people out there as you can ,you have nice material in your mind ,i really pray for man .
Rick
Thanks a lot. It really helps. I almost got everything solved. My Panic attacks are not a problem anymore. The only problem is that I fell that my tongue is getting sour or how to say hard to move, and that’s what causes the stress. Other than that, I have started to out with friends, in bars, do everything, Thanks again for the mini courses, it really helps. Keep it up. Rick
Ted
Thanks Barry I am drinking water as you said so hope with that and breathing exercises things will come right Thanks again Ted
Debbie
Barry, I’ve just signed up for your mini course last week. It has helped me little by little. I’ve had panic attacks for years and then it went away. Last year I had them only at night.. I never wanted to go to sleep. Had them every hour. I should of went to the docters, but thought I had them under control.. Yeah right!
Then 1 month ago as I had my hourly nonturnal pantic attack, the attack lasted for 3 hours.. I went to the hospital and to find out I have anxiety and panic disorder.. Well, they told me to stop smoking, drinking caffeine and drinking alcohol.. main cuprid for the attacks.. I feared for my life so much that I stopped all three.. tough but I’m doing good.. I’m still struggling and yes I did see my docter and I’m on meds and inhalers for my astmas. I’m only 41 and wanted to just die then live this way.. It’s affected my life to the point I needed my husband home 24/7.. Well I know I’m not the only one who goes through this, and talking about it sure does help.. So Thanks Barry, for the e-mails.. I’m going to conquer this!!!!
Carole
I have been suffering the panic attacks about six weeks. Every other day and loss of appetite. I am going to try the 20 second countdown and drinking 8 glasses of water. Carole i
Colin
Barry, thank you so much for all your help. I greatly appreciate it, i find these exercises very helpful, I’m slowly but surely learning how to control and avoid anxious feelings. Thank you once again. Colin
Anu
very useful tip indeed
Thun
Thanks Barry, you are so amazing, you are my inspiration. I’m so grateful and appreciat for you methods and techniques to handle the anxiety and panic attack and I still practicing everyday. I’ve suffer from these symptoms for more than twenty years, especially when I’m communicating or working around people, it’s embarassing and miserable, and I have tried all kind of prescribtions and supplements, but just some of them just work for temperary and I realize none of medication can be curred these type of symptoms. After I read all of your ideas, I feel getting better a little by a little….
God bless you,
Isabell Green
Hello barry
I have been reading up on your panicaway anxiatiy and i would like to say thank you i think i still have some way to go but by trying your relaxing methods is making me alot less stressfull i am working with russell hemmings at the moment and he is rearlly helping me to drive places on my own without fearing about getting lost i have been driving for 14years but have never drove anywhere on my own before now i am still nervous but i hope by taking onboard all the knowledge from you and russell i am sure i can over come my anxiatiy i will keep reading everything you send me thank you so much.
Abbie
I had post natal depression with both my children. Niether time I had treatment as I was always able to pretend their was nothinhg wrong with me! One evening while relaxing with my husband I had a pain in my head so bad I thought I was going to faint…to cut a long story short , many trips to the A7E dep and being told that panic disorder was just something I had to live with I have had to try and learn that taking medication would be the only thing that would keep this debilitating disease at bay….Not happy to stop there I scoured the internet for answers, and very quickly almost freakely quickly I found you Barry….I have only just started trying your mini series and it has seemed to help. I havent yet driven on a motorway as I’m too afraid of the feelings I get….reading all the comments have been amazing too as you do feel like you’re slightly mad sometimes!!! Thanks SO much, looking forward to recieving more of your advice! Off to drink some water!
Taag
Barry,
thank you for all of the information you have available to us, who are unfortunately have these panic attacks and GAD. I’ve had this for the past 4 years and thought I was the only one..amazing as it sounds, it took 2 years for me to finally find out what it was…I went to see all kinds of specialists to diagnose this. I am seeing a therapist and am not on any medication…and I would like to stay that way. Thank you again and I appreciate all that you do…it makes so much sense and your words of explaining and showing, sharing examples in partners with your audios have made me see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you so much for all you are doing for me…I’m so glad to have found your site…Your support is most admired!
I also believe that God creates amazing things and reasons for events in one’s life…God bless you.
April
I’ve been having panic attacks for over six months it started the night my mother passed Dec 23. I had no clue what it was, and it became more severe about a month ago I thought I was having a heart attack, and my hands drew up and in, it was the scarriest thing since…….ever. Anyway I’ve had a panic attack everyday since the first one in December, I didn’t know what they were and I was trying to fix it so, I quit smoking (thank you God), I started watching my sodium and sugar intake, and I quit drinking soda and started drinking water which I hardly ever did and my panic attacks are almost gone but if say for instance I drink a soda during the day it makes my attacks stronger.
Ann
A couple of months ago I had a very bad vertigo, vomiting, atrial fibrillation attack – hospital for 3 days – and I have anxiety attacks just thinking about the vertigo coming again. I was helpless with it and had to call the ambulance which, by the way, cost over $1,000, luckily covered by Medicare and AARP supplement. Drinking water, at least 8 glasses a day, does absolutely help. I start feeling anxious, and drink another glass. I do have some Xanax on hand if things get too bad because it really helps, and I don’t take it regularly. I do take 1/2 a lexapro in the AM.
Hoping to get off these soon but am presently concentrating on getting off the Blood Pressure meds which have such awful side effects. I still take a 325 mg coated Aspirin, and will be going down to 162 mg very soon (2 small ones, coated). Everything I have read so far is very encouraging. thanks.
Ann
I’d like to follow up on my comments a few moment ago. Your advice is right on, but I must say, reading the comments of others, that one of the most important things you offer is someone to talk to about anxiety and panic. Many of us do not have that resort – friends and family often just don’t understand if they have never been through it. Just imagine having PTSD as the returning armed forces do – can’t imagine their agony with no-one to turn to. Ann
Ted
Thanks Barry for your help I am getting over my depression times but still suffr with anxiety attacks so will just keep on with your helpful tips and exercises and drink plenty of water and things hopefully will come right I sleep well at night but my worst time is when I wake up in the early morning and start clock watching thinking I should be up and doing things when I should at 81 be taking life a bit easier Any way with your help I have to get my confidence back to start doing constructive things like drawing and painting which I used to do but at the present have a job getting motivated.Thanks again and all the best to other people with similar complaints and may they with your help improve thier lifestyle Regards Ted
abdallah ashamrani
thank you .this what i am gana do right now
Katie Brandt
Great article – I loved all of the stats you gave and it makes complete common sense that it would help – I just never put 2 and 2 together
dawn
Thank you for the practicle side to dealing with these issues. I feel like I really have a handle on this. Your e-mails have been simply written and easy to follow. Thank you for thinking of others and revealing what you have learned to us.
wRetch
I can definitely back this one up. Cool water definitely helps, no matter what the situation is. I also tend to like bananas and yogurt. Somehow, they make me feel safer when I eat them.