Dr. Alessandro Zanasi of the Sanpellegrino Observatory explains how proper hydration can help keep students' intellectual performance high
The moment so feared by Italian students - who will face state examinations in the coming days - has arrived. On Wednesday 19 June is in fact scheduled the first written test with which all the students of the fifth year will be confronted, regardless of the course of study followed. "Terror runs on the web" you could say by reading the more or less ironic content shared these days on social media and sharing the hashtag # maturità2019.
According to data provided by the Ministry of Education, this year the last year of high school almost 470.000 pupils began: in these hours, therefore, a veritable army of boys is facing one of the most exciting and unforgettable moments of their lives .
An important goal that is often accompanied by high study rates and peaks of stress and anxiety that negatively influence lifestyle. Rest, healthy eating and proper hydration should instead remain the basis of the daily routine.
It is certainly wrong to indulge in fasting from a "closed stomach" but also to eat quickly to get back to the books as quickly as possible. No to study nights and not to allow yourself a few breaks to rest even during the day. “Precisely in moments of greatest emotional tension - explains Dr. Alessandro Zanasi, expert of the Sanpellegrino Observatory and member of the International Stockholm Water Foundation - it is essential not to give up the right hours of rest and to follow a healthy diet by favoring healthy and light foods. In terms of cognitive performance, this will help the children to maintain a good concentration and regain the right energy ”.
A precious help, but too often underestimated, also comes from proper hydration: drinking the right amount of water - about 8 glasses throughout the day - helps to keep the psycho-physical well-being of the body and mind high. "Not everyone knows that in order to function at its best, our brain needs to be nourished, or rather hydrated - continues Dr. Zanasi - if study and reading make the mind more elastic, adequate hydration keeps it active and allows it to perform all his cognitive functions in full efficiency ".
Drinking is a natural gesture but the students, immersed in the study, risk neglecting it. This is why it is essential to have water always available on your desk or "set up" real "water breaks" to switch off and return to books with more concentration. In general, it is necessary to drink frequently throughout the day, without getting thirsty, which is actually the first symptom of water stress. Drinking too little can therefore interfere not only with physical performance, as is known, but also with brain.
A condition of moderate dehydration, with a loss of about 2% of body weight, is enough to meet signs such as headache and fatigue, which can be associated with a reduction in concentration, attention and execution of even simple tasks. “To return to the maximum of one's intellectual performance - concludes the expert - it may be useful to drink one or two glasses of water. Let us also remember that water is a real food because it contains a series of elements that are used by our body to perform specific functions. When you drink, you not only quench your thirst, but also take important elements such as calcium, magnesium, iron, sulfur, essential for psycho-physical well-being ”.
SAN PELLEGRINO
Sanpellegrino is the leading beverage company in Italy, with mineral waters, non-alcoholic aperitifs, cold drinks and teas. Its products, a synthesis of well-being, health and balance, are present in 150 Countries through branches and distributors spread across the five continents.
Sanpellegrino, as the main producer of mineral water, has always been committed to the enhancement of this primary asset for the planet and works with responsibility and passion to guarantee this resource a quality future. A commitment that also passes through the promotion of the importance of proper hydration: Sanpellegrino in fact supports and spreads the principles of psycho-physical well-being linked to the correct consumption of water, becoming the spokesman of "education to hydration" through a program that promotes the daily consumption of the correct amount of water, according to different needs and lifestyles.