Why when you drink water when you’re really thirsty you feel better/hydrated instantly but in that moment hydration hasn’t even started?
In: Biology
The moment you drink water, your sense of taste tells the brain more water is incoming and it actually releases some water early to flush the system, mostly from your fat reserves, which also double as water storage.
This is one of the functions your sense of taste has. Your body will also release glucose and fat early when you eat, before digestion kicks in, knowing reinforcements are on the way, to get you powered up and moving quicker than you might otherwise.
When you are thirsty, you aren’t dehydrated yet. Its just your bodies way to tell you to drink water BEFORE you get dehydrated. So when you drink water, you brain does ‘Good boy, here’s a treat.’
Anyone else just take a drink of water after reading this?
Basically there are several ways for your body to tell you to stop drinking. Some are short term and act within minutes, and some are long term and take awhile to work.
Basically, you feel less thirsty quickly after drinking for two reasons: 1. Your mouth is wet. This tells your brain you are drinking water. And 2. Your stomach expands. Sensors in your stomach tell your brain you have had a good amount of water and to stop drinking for now. That way you don’t drink too much and hurt yourself.
Long term, if you drink enough water your blood becomes less salty, which tells your brain you have had enough water.
Being thirsty means you’re past dehydration. Drinking water (obvi) wets the mouth which most likely was dry af. Quick little reward.
A lot of times, what we feel is simply from fulfilling the actual activity rather than from the outcome of the activity. What we feel is usually a state of mind rather than what is actually the case. When you’re doing something important, hunger and rest is not a concern. However, as soon as you complete it, your mind is ready to pass out or crave food.
Nerves in your mouth and gut are able to monitor fluid intake and how salty that water is in real time and “anticipate” how much more or less water you will need once that fluid enters your blood, and your sense of thirst is adjusted.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6483081/
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