How Water Helps Your Emotional Self Management

Tips You May Not Have Heard Before

After seeing clients for couples counselling, I often suggest they look after themselves for the rest of the day and to drink plenty of water.  Surprisingly, no-one has ever asked why I recommend this.  So here it is:

We need to hydrate the brain. Simple right!

You see, stress, dehydrates the brain.

When we are experiencing a trauma response, our nervous system is overwhelmed, it’s overreacting and so this may seem basic, but we have to soothe our nervous system. 

Next time when you experience overwhelm, remember to care for your nervous system at this very basic level. 

 

Drink plenty of water.

If we drink water it will rehydrate the brain, and the more hydrated the brain the better you are with your emotional regulation. If you are dehydrated when you come home from work for example, your first few moments with your partner could be when you are at your worst. Stressed and dehydrated, you might react to bad news poorly.

What will you notice with better emotional regulation?

You will begin to notice you’re not nearly as stressed or anxious as you were before. Perhaps as you come home from work, hydrated and less stressed, you can manage some bad news with tact and grace.

What else can you do to combat dehydration?

  • Reduce caffeine – it dehydrates your brain.  (Tea, coffee, cola)
  • Reduce alcohol.
  • Reduce salty foods.
  • Stay cool out of the sun

Experience the Benefits Today

When we are well hydrated, we have a much greater chance of regulating our emotions successfully.

Regulate your emotions with self soothing exercise, breathing techniques and being mindfully self aware.

Self Sooth & Calm Your Nervous System

For example, just being aware of your environment and connecting with your senses, can be a great go-to stress reducing tip while ‘in the moment’.

If you’re at home then lighting a scented candle, and practicing self care for 15 minutes or more could be a great way to unwind too. Simple self care ideas include:

One

Apply body lotion to your skin, hands, face, neck and arms.

Two

Set some flowers in a vase and eat delicious fresh fruit or a healthy snack mindfully.

Three

Listen to a guided meditation and relax deeply

Ongoing Stress / Chronic Stress

While you temporarily may need to withdraw from a stressful situation to self soothe and self regulate, repeated or long term & ongoing problems are best explored further.

The best advice here is to talk to someone. Like your partner for example, a trusted friend or me – your couples counsellor.

While I specialise in couples counselling, I incorporate many emotional wellbeing strategies into the work I do. It’s essential for couples to maintain healthy relationships and happy lives. It’s taking in the bigger picture for successful relationships.

Begin a 30 Day Challenge

What a great time of year to do a challenge.

  1. Stay hydrated each and every day.
  2. Check in with how you are feeling.
  3. Monitor your water intake
  4. Reduce coffee and alcohol
  5. Monitor the difference in how you feel in a journal.

Notice – Improved mental health, stable happiness and mood, perhaps more confidence? You be the judge.

Journal about your experience and share your experience with me, your partner and others.

Getting results? get your kids on board too.

Could water be the missing ingredient in your life?

Could it be as simple as that? Try it and see!

Cheers & Drink up! – Water that is 😉

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