October 06, 2020

Have you been in a creative slump lately? What if it’s not you, but rather your lack of water intake? It turns out dehydration can affect many parts of our brain and body that are necessary for creativity. Here four ways dehydration could be harming your creativity. 


You’re Having Trouble Staying Focused

It’s difficult to be creative when you’re getting distracted by every other thing around you and recent studies have taught us that dehydration can lead to inattention. In fact, you only have to be dehydrated as little as two percent for it to hurt your cognitive performance, specifically when it comes to attention. So if you notice your mind bouncing around when you’re trying to complete a creative task then maybe it’s time for you to start drinking more water. 


You’re Not Moving As Much

When you’re drinking more water you are also being more physically active. This is simply attributed to the fact that you have to get up and go to the bathroom more often. Not all, but most creative jobs require sitting for long periods of time which is not optimal for the creative process. In 2014 there was a study published by the American Psychological Association that found that movement measurably increased creativity in the participants. They concluded that, “Walking opens up the free flow of ideas, and it is a simple and robust solution to the goals of increasing creativity and increasing physical activity.” 


You Are Tired  

Nothing is harder than being creative when you can barely keep your eyes open and yet we end up doing it all of the time when we have that deadline to meet. Well, it turns out you could feel more alert and awake simply by drinking more water on a daily basis. One of the most common side effects of dehydration is fatigue, so it’s no wonder that when we aren’t drinking enough water we feel extra sleepy! 


Your Brain is Foggy  

Having a foggy brain is one of the biggest foes to creativity, but what if you could easily think with more clarity and the only thing holding you back was dehydration? Studies have shown that being properly hydrated can not only help you think with clarity, it can actually help you think faster! Who wouldn’t want that? 


Sources: 

https://www.tckpublishing.com/why-drinking-water-is-important/?fbclid=IwAR2WjqT8QUSYDEDNwoRDKOojqNHgOJjuuRmSUcaWo72lt8Zzwr_eGzhcBIM 

https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/xlm-a0036577.pdf 

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/07/30/632480321/off-your-mental-game-you-could-be-mildly-dehydrated 

https://thechalkboardmag.com/could-this-simple-habit-be-causing-your-brain-fog