December 3, 2020
New Study Explores How Hydration Affects Happiness and Optimism
READ TIME: 3 MIN.
Does being properly hydrated have a transcendent effect on our lives? According to a new poll, hydration may be the recipe for happiness.
The new survey of 2,000 Americans split respondents by how many glasses of water they drink in a day and found that those who keep up with their H20 intake tend to be more optimistic, energetic and successful.
Those who drink six or more glasses of water per day are the most likely to strongly agree that they are "very happy" (41%).
Compare that to those who self-report drinking less than one glass per day: only 12% strongly agree with that same statement.
The study, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Bosch home appliances, explored the role hydration plays in our lives and found that the key to drinking more water, and potentially feeling happier, could very well be ice.
Forty percent of those who drink six or more glasses of water per day strongly agree that they're an optimistic person, compared to just 10% of those who drink less than one glass of water a day.
Refreshments could also be the key to waking up feeling refreshed. The study found that those who drink six or more glasses woke up feeling exhausted the least amount of times per week (2.59) compared to those who drink less than one glass of water a day (3.14).
Respondents who drink six or more glasses are also most likely to describe themselves as successful and the least likely to be late to work.
So how does access to ice factor into this phenomenon? Well, room temperature tap water may not be the most refreshing choice of drink to the average person and the results confirmed this to be true, suggesting that not having beverages at our preferred temperature impacts how much we drink, and therefore, our overall energy, happiness and optimism.
According to the poll, well over half of all respondents (56%) said they will not drink water unless it's cold. Further, 47% of those who drink less than one glass of water per day said this is true for them.
Lack of ice also directly affects how much water we consume, with 53% saying that having no ice available means they simply drink less water.
And, it seems that Americans have learned about this inner ice obsession within the past year.
The study showed that 53% of respondents realized the need for better ice production at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 64% of Americans running out of ice multiple times per year.
According to Anja Prescher, Bosch Brand Director, the study speaks to the need for quick, easy access to ice: "From the basic need of staying hydrated to the simple joy of savoring a refreshing beverage throughout the day, ice could be the key to a bevy of positive feelings and behaviors, and ultimately achieving better overall wellness."
The survey also delved into the little things that we consider "satisfying" to see how ice and chilled beverages were valued by Americans.
While the top choice of things that are "satisfying" was found to be "a pillow that is neither too soft nor too firm" (46%), a beverage chilled to the perfect temperature landed in second place (45%).
This need for ice adds up, too. Eighty-three percent of individual Americans go through at least one glass of ice in a typical day, with 58% using one to five glasses and 25% using six to ten or more, adding up to an average of 116 glasses per month or nearly 36 pounds of ice.
The study also showed that 56% of those polled agreed that having a drink that's not the right temperature has the potential to make our day less enjoyable.