From controlling body temperature and flushing out toxins, adequate hydration plays a vital role in our general health and well-being, water is a life essential. However, while dehydration garners significant attention, overhydration, or drinking excessive amounts of water, is a condition that can have serious and sometimes fatal consequences.

Although it may sound bizarre since drinking water is said to be the solution for most health related problems it is important to recognize how much water is considered "too much" or the risks involved with being overhydrated can maintain a healthy balance.

What Is Water Intoxication?

Water intoxication, also termed hyperhydration, water poisoning or water toxemia, develops when an individual drinks much more water than the kidney can excrete. The main function of the kidneys in the human body is the processing and excretion of excess water. However, the human kidneys can process only up to 0.8 to 1.0 liters of water at a time. Drinking an amount that exceeds this may overwhelm the kidneys and put the electrolyte balance out of sync in the human body.

Electrolytes, especially sodium, are essential in maintaining fluid balance within and outside cells. Hyponatremia is the condition when sodium levels fall below 135 mmol/L, resulting from excessive water intake. This causes water to shift into cells, swelling them. In the brain, this can cause severe complications, including coma or even death.

Symptoms of Water Intoxication

The symptoms of water intoxication vary from mild to severe. Early symptoms are often similar to dehydration, which makes self-diagnosis challenging. Common symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Nausea and vomiting
• Muscle cramps or weakness
• Fatigue or drowsiness
• Confusion and disorientation

In more serious cases, water intoxication can cause seizures, loss of consciousness, or swelling in the brain. These complications can be fatal if left untreated.

A notable case occurred in 2007 when a woman participating in a water-drinking contest tragically died after consuming nearly two gallons of water in under two hours. More recently, actress Brooke Shields experienced a grand mal seizure attributed to excessive water consumption.

Causes of Water Intoxication

Water intoxication is rare, but certain scenarios can increase the risk:

1. Sporting Events and Endurance Training

These endurance athletes are prone to water intoxication, especially if they drink large amounts of water without replacing lost electrolytes. Hyponatremia usually happens during long races or marathons as individuals mistake fatigue and muscle cramps for dehydration and continue drinking water in excess.

2. Military Training

Overhydration among military personnel is usually due to severe physical activity in extreme environmental conditions. The total number of hyponatremia cases documented from 2007 through 2022 for the active duty in the United States exceeds 1,600, with a note to this problem on exertion-related overhydration.

3. Mental Health Conditions

Compulsive water drinking, known as psychogenic polydipsia, is linked with some mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and psychosis. People with these conditions tend to drink too much water, causing a hazardous electrolyte imbalance.

4. Drug Abuse

Drugs such as MDMA (ecstasy) raise the body temperature and make people thirsty, and at times, some people tend to drink excess water at events like music festivals. MDMA also leads to urine retention, thus exacerbating the dangers of water intoxication.

How Much Water Is Too Much?

The exact amount of water that causes intoxication varies from one person to another. However, drinking more than 1 liter of water per hour for several hours raises the risk. For healthy individuals, the risk of overhydration is low unless taking part in extreme physical activity or ignoring thirst cues.

Certain medical conditions, such as kidney or liver disorders, can impair the body's ability to process fluids, and even moderate water intake may be harmful. Similarly, certain medications, such as diuretics and antipsychotics, can affect the perception of thirst or fluid regulation.

How Much Water Is Enough?

The widely touted recommendation of eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day has little basis in fact. According to the National Academy of Medicine, a daily total fluid intake is about 15 cups (3.7 liters) for males and 11 cups (2.7 liters) for females, from beverage sources and from food. Usually, about 20 percent of daily hydration comes from foods such as fruits and vegetables.

A better rule of thumb is to listen to your body and drink water based on thirst. Use the color of your urine as an indicator:

• Light yellow urine indicates proper hydration.
• Dark yellow urine may indicate dehydration.

Older adults, whose thirst mechanisms may decline with age, should be proactive about maintaining hydration, especially during illness or hot weather.

Water Intoxication vs. Dehydration

The symptoms of water intoxication—such as headaches, fatigue, and muscle weakness—are similar to those of dehydration. If you are unsure which condition you are experiencing, seek medical attention immediately rather than self-treating with more water.

Preventing Water Intoxication

To avoid the dangers of overhydration:

• Drink water gradually throughout the day rather than consuming large amounts at once.
• Replace lost electrolytes post high-intensity exercise or heavy sweating.
• Consider using sports drinks or salty snacks to help replenish sodium.
• Keep track of fluid consumption during long-duration activities, and do not consume more water than the body is losing in terms of electrolytes.
• If on medications or have specific medical conditions, check with your doctor regarding the safety of drinking water.

For signs of severe water intoxication-including confusion, drowsiness, seizures, and loss of consciousness-customer is advised to seek medical assistance immediately. In the meanwhile, a salty snack would help to temporarily correct low sodium levels.

Hydration is important to health, but overhydration can be a serious risk; the secret is in finding a balance. Drink enough water to satisfy your body, but not so much that it overwhelms your system. Remember, water is life, but moderation keeps it that way.

Hyponatremia (low sodium level in the blood). National Kidney Foundation. 2023.

Water Toxicity. NIH. 2023

Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia: 2017 Update. Front Med (Lausanne). 2017

Update: Exertional Hyponatremia Among Active Component Members of the U.S. Armed Forces, 2007–2022

Keeping the television on while falling asleep or leaving a light on in the bedroom may feel reassuring, but new international research suggests it could seriously affect heart health. A recent study has found that exposure to light at night significantly raises the risk of heart disease, even if a person believes they are sleeping well.

Sleeping With Lights On Could Harm Your Heart, Study Warns

The findings come from a large, long-term study carried out by researchers in Australia and the United States. The team followed nearly 90,000 adults in the United Kingdom over a period of nine years. Participants were given light sensors to accurately measure how much light they were exposed to during sleep.

Researchers tracked cases of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke throughout the study period. The results were striking. Compared to people who slept in complete darkness, those exposed to light at night faced a 56 percent higher risk of cardiovascular problems. The risk of heart failure increased by 47 percent, while the likelihood of coronary artery disease rose by 32 percent. The study noted that this risk was particularly higher among women. The risk of stroke was also found to be up to 30 percent higher.

Why Night-Time Light Is Dangerous

According to the research, published in JAMA Network Open, the main reason behind this increased risk is disruption of the body’s circadian rhythm. This internal biological clock regulates sleep, hormone release, metabolism, and other vital functions.

Artificial light at night interferes with this natural rhythm, pushing the body into a state of imbalance. Over time, this ongoing disruption places added strain on the cardiovascular system. Researchers warned that for people over the age of 40, exposure to light during sleep is emerging as a significant risk factor for heart disease.

Professor Frank Scheer, a neuroscientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, believes doctors should look beyond sleep duration when assessing patients’ sleep habits. He says physicians should also ask about bedroom conditions, including light exposure.

“There is no harm in keeping the bedroom completely dark,” he explained. “In fact, it is extremely beneficial for overall health.”

Simple Tips For Better, Heart-Healthy Sleep

Experts suggest a few practical steps to reduce light exposure at night:

• Turn off the television, mobile phones, and laptops before going to bed
• If light is needed for safety, keep it below 5 lux, roughly equivalent to the soft glow of a few candles
• Use thick, dark curtains to block out streetlights and outside glare
• Sleeping in darkness may seem like a small change, but researchers say it could play an important role in protecting heart health over time.

Researchers also noted that many people underestimate how much light they are exposed to at night. Even dim sources such as alarm clocks, charging indicators, or light filtering in from nearby buildings can affect the body’s natural night-time processes. Over years, this low-level but constant exposure may quietly increase the risk of high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and weight gain, all of which are closely linked to heart disease. The study reinforces a growing body of evidence that sleep quality is shaped not just by how long we sleep, but by the environment we sleep in.

A neurologist has spoken about a simple daily practice that may help guard against cognitive decline, and it requires just six minutes. Dr Clint Steele, a specialist in the brain and nervous system, works with patients to improve quality of life by strengthening brain function and preventing, and in some cases reversing, conditions such as dementia.

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a significant decline in mental function that is serious enough to affect everyday life. It commonly impacts memory, thinking, and reasoning skills. Dementia itself is not a single disease but a collection of symptoms caused by underlying conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia. Common signs include memory problems, confusion, difficulty finding words, changes in mood or behaviour, and trouble completing familiar tasks.

These symptoms usually worsen over time and are not considered a normal part of ageing. Although there is no cure, treatment options can help manage symptoms, and early diagnosis plays an important role in care planning.

Dementia: Signs And Symptoms

The signs of dementia can differ from person to person. Some common examples include difficulty with short-term memory, misplacing personal belongings like a purse or wallet, trouble managing finances or paying bills, challenges with planning or cooking meals, forgetting appointments, and becoming disoriented when travelling outside familiar areas.

Dementia symptoms tend to be progressive, meaning they often begin subtly and gradually become more severe over time, eventually interfering with daily functioning. If you or someone close to you notices ongoing memory issues or changes in thinking or behaviour, it is important not to dismiss them.

Six-Minute Daily Routine That May Help Slow Dementia Risk

The 56-year-old expert says that reading for six minutes a day could meaningfully lower the risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurological conditions. In a TikTok video that has since been viewed thousands of times, Dr Steele points to long-term research showing that strengthening what is known as “cognitive reserve” may help prevent or reduce the likelihood of dementia and similar disorders, as per Mirror.

Why Cognitive Reserve Matters

According to Dr Steele, one way to support cognitive function is by learning new skills, such as picking up a foreign language, learning to dance, or simply reading a book for at least six minutes each day. “Reading six minutes a day actually lowers your risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and more,” he told What’s The Jam.

He explained that reading helps build cognitive reserve, which refers to the brain’s ability to adapt. “Adaptability is so important because when you encounter stress, you want your brain to be able to adjust to that stress, respond in the right way, and then, once the stress has passed, adapt again and settle down,” he said.

A Small Daily Commitment

“One of the most important things you can do is read six minutes a day, according to the research, and that will help,” Dr Steele added. Based in Maine and Florida in the US, he has spent 34 years focused on brain health and dementia prevention.

Public Response To The Advice

His TikTok video has also drawn hundreds of likes and comments. One viewer wrote: “Normally read at least 100 books a year, plus the Bible, dance classes, acrobatics, clogging for at least six years, at 84 still moving, just slower, my mom had Alzheimer’s, so I do know!”

Another commented: “I still enjoy reading news every day.” A third added: “Another really good one is fine art, probably why so many older people take up painting.”

Students gaming more than 10 hours a week can have long-lasting negative effects on their physical and mental health, a new Australian study suggests.

Researchers from Curtin University, Perth have found that playing online games for over 10 hours can worsen diets, increase body weight and led to poorer sleep than lighter gamers.

Professor Mario Siervo, Curtin School of Population Health said of the results: "What stood out was students gaming up to 10 hours a week all looked very similar in terms of diet, sleep and body weight. The real differences emerged in those gaming more than 10 hours a week, who showed clear divergence from the rest of the sample."

What Did The Study Find?

Researchers surveyed 317 students across five Australian universities, with a median age of 20, to understand how time spent gaming each week might affect their diet, sleep, and body composition.

Students were categorized as low gamers (zero to five hours a week), moderate gamers (five to 10 hours) or high gamers, who played video games for more than 10 hours each week.

They found that low and moderate gamers showed largely comparable health outcomes but health indicators deteriorated sharply among students whose gaming time exceeded 10 hours a week.

The study found diet quality declined and obesity was more common once gaming exceeded 10 hours a week, with each extra hour linked to poorer diets even after accounting for other lifestyle factors. While high gamers recorded a body mass index (BMI) of 26.3kg/m2, low and moderate gamers fell within a healthier range, with median BMIs of 22.2kg/m2 and 22.8kg/m2 respectively.

Professor Siervo said: "Each additional hour of gaming per week was linked to a decline in diet quality, even after accounting for stress, physical activity and other lifestyle factors."

Additionally, sleep quality was generally poor across all groups but students who played video games for moderate or high amounts of time reported worse sleep than low gamers.

Despite clear results, the expert added that the study does not prove cause and effect but shows excessive gaming is linked to higher health risks, while low to moderate play appears largely fine.

Why Is Playing Video Games Bad For You?

"Our data suggests low and moderate gaming is generally fine, but excessive gaming may crowd out healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet, sleeping properly and staying active.

"Because university habits often follow people into adulthood, healthier routines such as taking breaks from gaming, avoiding playing games late at night and choosing healthier snacks may help improve their overall well-being," Professor Siervo said.

Playing video games for excessive amount of time has also been linked to paving the way for mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, aggression and poor emotional control as well as social/life problems including neglecting responsibilities, isolation, poor relationships, academic/career impact.

Moreover, previous research has also found that playing games for over three hours straight significantly raises the risk of physical issues. Sessions exceeding this time frame can lead to eye fatigue, headaches, neck pain and wrist pain, regardless of the player's age or gender.

This study was published in Nutrition on January 16.