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This article is part of <\/span><\/i>Upstream,<\/span><\/i><\/a> The Daily Wire\u2019s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories \u2014 from our featured writers to you.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n ***<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Ever feel like everyone and everything is the absolute worst? It\u2019s not your fault. Just this once, we\u2019re letting your spouse, your boss, your kids, and that complete idiot in the Target parking lot off the hook. Your <\/span>bad mood<\/span><\/a>, racing thoughts, or out-of-the-blue exhaustion could be your brain\u2019s thirsty cry for help. Luckily, you can part the mental clouds and boost your sunny mood by drinking a glass of water.<\/span><\/p>\n Studies<\/span><\/a> show that even slight dehydration can leave healthy women feeling aggressive and depressed. <\/span>Long story short, not drinking enough water really messes with your hormones. It pumps up the stress hormone <\/span>cortisol<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and dampens the serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine that help you chill. So is it a surprise that the little fight-or-flight voice in your head is telling you to start a street brawl with the Amazon delivery driver?<\/span><\/p>\n Grab a Blueberry Hibiscus <\/span>Topo Chico<\/span><\/a> and huddle up: Drinking enough water keeps you from accidentally starring on one of those true crime documentaries about a woman who went ham on her family. She was \u201csuch a great mom\u201d and \u201calways made these amazing brownies for the bake sale\u201d \u2014 until she forgot to fill up her Stanley before school pick-up and lost her freakin\u2019 mind.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen we lose fluid through sweat, we breathe, we do everyday activities, if those fluids aren\u2019t replaced \u2026 that can lead to mood changes. We can be irritable, stressed, and kind of feel fatigued,\u201d registered dietitian for Blue Cross Blue Shield <\/span>Shanthi Apello<\/span><\/a> said.<\/span><\/p>\n You heard that right. Everything we do taps into our body\u2019s <\/span>60% water supply<\/span><\/a>. But it\u2019s gonna be okay, She-Hulk. Water may be a <\/span>$540 billion<\/span><\/a> global industry, but it\u2019s also basically free from the tap.<\/span><\/p>\n Back when a\u00a0<\/span>historical drought<\/span><\/a> was trending in Los Angeles, I spent a little time researching what I could do to help, other than not starting an almond farm where a single nut allegedly needs a <\/span>gallon of water<\/span><\/a> to grow.\u00a0<\/span>Sorting through a bunch of stories about celebrities limiting themselves to four-minute cold showers for the cause (yeah, right), I stumbled across a water bottle that featured an alarm that lets you know when to drink more water. Neat. <\/span><\/p>\n The first review, though: \u201cSHOOK UR TELLING PEOPLE TO DRINK MORE WATER WHEN WE\u2019RE IN A DROUGHT!!!\u201d Maybe she didn\u2019t get the \u201cyou need water to survive\u201d memo.<\/span><\/p>\n I imagined this one-star reviewer bravely <\/span>lasting a whole week<\/span><\/a> without water and then rage-posting about it as a bunch of California almonds sipped on industrial irrigation like they were \u201c<\/span>sliving<\/span><\/a>\u201d like Paris Hilton on an inflatable swan at a swim club. No wonder she was making no sense and was irrationally mad at the world. She needed more water!<\/span><\/p>\n So, how much water should you really drink? The eight-glasses-a-day rule was good while it lasted, but it doesn\u2019t work for everyone. General guidelines suggest somewhere <\/span>between six<\/span><\/a> to <\/span>15 cups<\/span><\/a> (or <\/span>120 ounces<\/span><\/a>) a day, but it all comes down to your body and your lifestyle. Even your local weather forecast plays into it.<\/span><\/p>\n As a rule of thumb, well-hydrated pee should look pale yellow (more like <\/span>lemonade<\/span><\/a>, not <\/span>Michelob Ultra<\/span><\/a>). Men commonly need <\/span>more water than women<\/span><\/a>, active people require more hydration than the sedentary set, and anyone living in a hot climate should probably be hitting the LaCroix harder than those in cooler places. But a <\/span>hydration calculator<\/span><\/a> can give you the most personal results.<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re still questioning the transformative powers of hydration, the 1980s water fountain scene in \u201c<\/span>The Secret of My Success<\/span><\/a>\u201d proves that even a little sip turns anyone into Princess Diana. Or something. (I didn\u2019t see the rest of the movie.)<\/span><\/p>\n Tragically, sitting in a hot tub does nothing to hydrate you. Your skin might feel more lubricated, but your body\u2019s largest organ is actually designed to keep moisture in and <\/span>external liquids<\/span><\/a> out. In fact, long showers and <\/span>pool days<\/span><\/a> actually cause your body temperature to dysregulate and your body to sweat and lose even more water. To get the maximum benefit, water\u2019s gotta get into your <\/span>bloodstream<\/span><\/a>. And that means you have to drink it.<\/span><\/p>\n As far as the best water goes, it\u2019s all fair game. Standard water has proven to lessen symptoms of <\/span>depression and anxiety<\/span><\/a> on the daily. And electrolyte-boosted water, such as unsweetened <\/span>coconut water<\/span><\/a>, can help <\/span>replace sodium<\/span><\/a> lost through prolonged sweating, workouts, or illness. <\/span>That <\/span>Chlorophyll Water<\/span><\/a> blowing up TikTok Shop for its <\/span>antioxidant<\/span><\/a> properties might not yet be a verified <\/span>cure for cancer<\/span><\/a>, but it\u2019s fire for hydration. And, yes, you can make your own <\/span>natural flavored water<\/span><\/a> by infusing a jug with lemongrass and ginger, strawberries and mint, or pomegranate seeds.<\/span><\/p>\n If part of your soul just died thinking about staring down a bottomless glass of Fiji Water all day, you can get your daily H2O from food, too. Veggies such as <\/span>cucumbers<\/span><\/a>, celery, zucchini, and asparagus all contain at least 92% water, and <\/span>kombucha<\/span><\/a>, tea, and coffee count, too.<\/span><\/p>\n Of course, any water tastes better in a reusable bottle. Once you find the right one, sneak your water past airport security by <\/span>freezing it<\/span><\/a> prior to boarding. Be it reverse osmosis water from home or a $1,000 bottle of <\/span>Fillico Jewelry Water<\/span><\/a>, as long as it\u2019s a solid block of ice, you can join the mile high<\/span>drated<\/span><\/i> club at 35,000 feet and stick the landing while enjoying your happiest mood ever.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n