Curious Kids: how do we feel thirsty?

How do we feel thirsty? Shruthi (she), 8 years

Authors

  • Roshan Rigby

    PhD Candidate in Nutrition and Dietetics, Griffith University

  • Clare Van Dorssen

    Knowledge Translation and Impact Coordinator, Griffith University

  • Lauren Ball

    Associate Professor and Principal Research Fellow, Menzies Health Institute, Griffith University

Hi Shruti!

Thank you for your important question.

Most of our body is made of water. And we need water to do all sorts of really important things. We need water to help us digest our food, and move nutrients and oxygen around our body. We need water to make our muscles move and to make sure we don't get too hot or too cold.

We lose water all the time too - when we sweat, breathe and go to the toilet.

So we need to replace that water. If we don't, we can start to feel thirsty.

Feeling thirsty is good for us

Our brain is amazing. It can tell us when our body doesn't have enough water (but has too many salts and minerals).

Our brain then sends messages to parts of our body to put things right. We feel those messages as an urge to drink. And when we feel that thirst, we drink.

How do we know when to stop drinking?

We all know that nice feeling once you start gulping down water on a hot day. But how does your brain know you've had enough water?

When we drink water, the water levels in our blood rises, and the levels of salts and minerals drop. When your brain is happy with these levels, it tells us. It removes the urge to drink any more.

Also, when we swallow water, a "happy" chemical called dopamine is released into our bodies that makes us feel good. This is why drinking other liquids, like fruit juice, can feel good, even if it doesn't doesn't do as good a job as water at rehydrating us.

Listen to your body

As the weather gets hotter, it's even more important to keep drinking water. You want to replace all that water you lose while riding your bike, or running around with your friends in the heat.

So if you feel thirsty, that's really your brain telling you to drink up.

Hello, Curious Kids! Do you have a question you'd like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to [email protected]

The Conversation

Lauren Ball receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners & Queensland Health.

Clare Van Dorssen and Roshan Rigby do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

/Courtesy of The Conversation. This material from the originating organization/author(s) might be of the point-in-time nature, and edited for clarity, style and length. Mirage.News does not take institutional positions or sides, and all views, positions, and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s).