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

A new analysis by the American Cancer Society observed that colon cancer or colorectal cancer has now become the leading cause of cancer death in US for people under 50. As per the report from the American Cancer Society, adults who are 65 or younger comprise nearly 45 per cent of all new colorectal cancer cases. This is a significant increase from 27 per cent in 1995.

Dr Timothy Cannon, director of the Molecular Tumor Board and co-director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Program at Inova in Virginia who spoke to Fox News Digital said, "Once considered a disease that primarily affected people over 50, we are now seeing increasing diagnoses in patients in their 20s, 30s and 40s — making it even more important not to dismiss symptoms based on age alone."

How Can You Detect Colorectal Cancer?

Doctors and experts across say that early screenings could help. Health officials recommended screenings to start at the age 45 and continue through age 75 for adults at "average risk".

Other ways could also be stool-based test that are used to detect blood or DNA changes, which could be potential indicators of colorectal cancer.

A colonoscopy is another method, a medical procedure that allows a doctor to examine the inside of a patient's colon and rectum. It uses a thin, flexible tube with a camera on the end. It is typically done every 10 years for adults at average risk.

"Colonoscopy remains the gold standard because it not only detects cancer early but can also prevent it by identifying and removing precancerous polyps," said Cannon.

Dr Michael Martin, who is a California-based physician, however, emphasized that colonoscopy is usually done for younger patients who are at higher risk.

As per Dr Martin, Stool-based tests are appropriate screening options for average-risk adults, but they are not the best choice for people with significant family history, inflammatory bowel disease, hereditary syndromes or alarm symptoms. If symptoms are present, the goal is not screening but diagnosis, and colonoscopy is usually the more appropriate test."

Who Should Get Screened For Colorectal Cancer Before 45?

There are three kinds of people who could get their colon cancer screened before turning 45. Experts suggest these people are as followed:

People With Strong Family History

The American College of Gastroenterology recommends early screening if one first-degree relative is diagnosed with colorectal cancer, or an advanced polyp before age 60, or if two first-degree relatives are diagnosed at any age.

Symptoms That Are Critical

There are red flags which could hint you to get the screening done before 45, they include:

• Rectal bleeding with bright red blood
• Dark or black stools
• Blood in stool
• Persistent changes in bowel habits like constipation or diarrhea
• Unexplained iron deficiency or anemia
• Ongoing abdominal pain or cramping
• Unexplained weight loss
• Persistent sensation that bowel is not emptying fully

Genetic Condition

Some people with certain genetic condition could have an increased risk of colon cancer, this includes people with Lynch syndrome. This is an inherited DNA mutation that increases lifetime risk. People with this condition should get a colonoscopy every one to two years starting from the age 20 to 25 years, or two to five years before the youngest diagnosed family case, note the National Cancer Institute.

Every year, on March 13, World Sleep Day is observed, with this year's theme being "Sleep Well, Live Better". In many ways, it is true, as the National Institutes of Health, US, notes that sleep helps with almost everything in your life. A good sleep helps with learning and the formation of long-term memories. Not getting enough sleep or enough high-quality sleep could lead to problems, affect your mood, immune system and your learning capabilities. So, to be true to the theme of "Sleep Well, Live Better", Health and Me, based on what experts told The New York Times (NYT), came up with six day-time habits that will help you sleep better.

Why is it important? Much conversation that happens around good sleep focuses on nighttime routine, but what you do throughout the day also impacts how well you sleep.

Speaking to NYT, Joseph Dzierzewski, senior vice president of research and scientific affairs at the National Sleep Foundation, noted that daily habits play a critical role in regulating sleep patterns. According to him, the choices people make during the day can be just as important as their bedtime routines.

Morning Sunlight Is Important

As per Dr Indira Gurubhagavatula, a professor of sleep medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, who also spoke to NYT, getting sunlight within an hour of waking helps suppress sleep-inducing hormones and signals the body to shift into "wake mode". This helps reset body's internal clock so that it naturally becomes tired again by bedtime.

While spending an hour outdoors may not always be feasible, experts say even short bursts of light exposure help. Opening the blinds, sitting by a window, or having morning coffee on a balcony can make a difference. Even about 10 minutes of sunlight is better than none.

Read: Not Boarded Any Flight And Still Monday Feels Like A Jetlag? You Are Not Alone

A Consistent Mealtime

Experts note that the body operates on a 24-hour internal clock known as the circadian rhythm, which regulates sleep and wake cycles. The digestive system also plays a role in this rhythm and responds to cues about when food is consumed.

Eating meals at inconsistent times may disrupt this rhythm and potentially affect sleep quality.

A consistent meal time also helps with healthy habits and helps you to avoid digestive discomfort and acid reflux during sleep.

Caffeine Habits: Is It Time To Rethink It?

Dr. Charlene Gamaldo, a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist at Johns Hopkins Medicine, told NYT that caffeine stays in some people's systems much longer than others. In slow metabolizers, caffeine from a morning coffee could remain in the body for more than 12 hours, potentially interfering with sleep.

Time Your Medication For Early Hours

According to Dr. Gurubhagavatula, certain drugs, including decongestants such as phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine, medications used for ADHD and asthma, some antidepressants, and oral steroids, may have stimulating effects.

This is because some medication could make it harder for you to fall or stay asleep, when taken late in the day.

Be Consistent When You Wake Up

Experts say that frequently changing wake-up times, even on weekends, can disrupt the circadian rhythm and make it harder to maintain a healthy sleep schedule. However, the timing does not need to be exact. Staying within about 30 minutes of the usual wake-up time is generally sufficient to maintain consistency.

Be Attentive Towards Your Workout Timing

Regular exercise is widely associated with better sleep, and health guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. However, for some people, exercising too close to bedtime may make it harder to fall asleep. Strenuous workouts can temporarily increase body temperature and raise stress hormones and endorphins, which may keep the body alert.

About 30 to 83.7 million adults in the United States have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), notes American Lung Association. Roughly 80 per cent of these cases remain undiagnosed. However, now, a simple daily pill, an old drug, could just be the solution.

Scientists in Sweden and other places too, have been studying the anti-seizure medicine sultiame as a treatment for OSA. In their latest Phase II trial, the scientists found that people on sultiame experienced an improvement in their apsea symptoms, and their sleep quality too improved as compared to those taking placebo.

The results points towards the potential of sultiame becoming an effective option for people with sleep apnea, especially those who cannot tolerate continuous positive airway pressure (CPACP) machines. The findings are published in The Lancet, and the researchers noted: "These findings offer perspective for a pharmaceutical approach to treatment of patients with obstructive sleep apnea."

Sleep Apnea Pill: What Is This Condition?

OSA is the most common form of sleep apnea, and it happens when airway muscles physically block a person's breathing during sleep. This could pause the body to wake up enough to start breathing again, only for the cycle to restart throughout the night, anywhere from five to 100 times an hour. This also causes low oxygen levels and disturb people's sleep and, over time, can raise the risk of other long-term health problems, which could include heart diseases and even dementia.

What CPAP machines do is they use air pressure to keep the airways open during sleep. While machines are an effective way, some people have trouble using them long term, which is why some companies use less cumbersome interventions, including medicines.

Read: Harish Rana Case Highlights Why Planning For A Living Will Is Important

Sleep Apnea Pill: What Was It Used For?

Sultimae or sulthiame was first launched in the 1960s by Bayger AG as an anticonvulsant - which means, it was a drug designed to treat epilepsy and prevent seizures by stabilizing nerve cell membranes and reducing abnormal, excessive electrical activity in the brain.

What the drug does is, it inhibits carbonic anhydrase, an enzyme that plays a role in regulating our breathing. Research also suggested that this could help people with sleep apnea by preventing airway collapse. The US-based Apnimed, in collaboration with the Japenese company Shionogi & Co., Ltd., have been looking to develop sultiame as a sleep apnea treatment.

How Well Has The Sleep Apnea Pill Been Tested?

The phase II of the trial involved 298 patients. Of them were untreated, moderate and people with severe sleep apnea. The people were observed for over a 15-week period, of them, half were randomized to a placebo pill to be taken right before bed, while rest were given varying doses of sultiame.

The results showed that people who took sultiame saw a noticeable decrease in apnea symptoms and also witnessed improvements in their sleep quality and daytime sleepiness. People in the highest dose group saw the most improvement, with apnea symptoms being reduced up to 47 per cent.

“It feels like a breakthrough, and we now look forward to larger and longer studies to determine whether the effect is sustained over time and whether the treatment is safe for broader patient groups,” said study researcher Jan Hedner, a senior professor of pulmonary medicine at the University of Gothenburg.