Drinking more water helps prevent strokes: doctors

How often do you pause to take a sip of water in a day? Doctors say you may want to drink more, to protect yourself from the risk of stroke. The incidence of strokes reached a 12-year high in 2019. But simply stopping for a sip of water is an easy way to keep your brain healthy.

How can you protect yourself from a stroke? Just by picking up a glass of water. Doctors say drinking water prevents blood clots.

Dr. Lien Li-ming
Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital
Drinking water should reduce the viscosity of your blood. Basically, if your urine specific gravity is high, that means you don’t have enough water, and that is connected to strokes, yes. So it seems like drinking more water dilutes our blood. Presumably it is helpful.

Ministry of Health and Welfare statistics show that more than 12,000 people died of stroke-related causes in 2019, a 12-year high. A fifth of those people were not elderly, showing that younger people are becoming more susceptible. Doctors say we should try to work reasonable hours, reduce stress, and drink plenty while working.

Dr. Lien Li-ming
Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital
Those of us who work outside, in more manual labor positions, perhaps need to drink more water than those of us who sit indoors in air-conned rooms. So each person’s individual circumstances are unique.

Doctors suggest taking a sip every 30 to 120 minutes, or at least every hour during exercise. Taking care of your health while young can help prevent strokes for years to come.