Your Pee Could Reveal If You’re Too Stressed to Function

You skip your morning glass of water, get caught up in emails, and before you know it, you’re running on caffeine and wishful thinking. Meanwhile, your body might be struggling.

Research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that people who don’t drink enough water—less than 1.5 liters a day (around 50 ounces)—produce significantly more cortisol during stressful situations.

Cortisol is commonly referred to as the “stress hormone.” It spikes when your body perceives it as being under threat. It’s helpful in short bursts, but chronically elevated levels are tied to everything from heart disease to diabetes and a multitude of other issues.

The study followed healthy adults and split them into two groups based on fluid intake. Both were put through a stress test involving public speaking and mental math. Heart rates jumped across the board. Nerves were shared. But the under-hydrated group released way more cortisol, even though they didn’t feel thirstier than anyone else.

Their urine told the story. It was darker and more concentrated, showing just how dehydrated they were.

Your Pee Could Warn if You’re Ill-Equipped To Handle Today’s Stress

That detail matters. Most people wait until they’re thirsty to drink, but by then, the body’s already scrambling. When fluid levels drop, the brain signals a release of vasopressin to conserve water.

Unfortunately, vasopressin doesn’t stop at water conservation. It’s wired into the same stress system that tells your body to brace itself, which means being mildly dehydrated could make you more reactive to everyday tension—without you realizing why.

A rolling boil of minor annoyances can hit just as hard as a single crisis. When you’re already running dry, it doesn’t take much—an offhand comment, a traffic jam, someone breathing too loud in line—for your body to sound the internal alarm.

And over time, that will catch up with you. Especially in a world where chronic stress is the norm, not the exception. It’s not long before you find yourself with chronic anxiety, kidney issues, and heart problems. 

Staying hydrated isn’t a cure-all, but it’s one of the few things that’s cheap, accessible, and doesn’t require rearranging your life. You don’t need a smartwatch or a wellness app to check your pee. Pale yellow? You’re fine. Dark amber? You might need to chug a pint or two. 

Pressure is inevitable these days. You’re going to encounter situations that make you stressed; the bills aren’t going away, you still need to answer all of those emails, and your family still counts on you. You might as well help your body cope as much as you can.

Why not try something as simple as using that Stanley that’s been sitting in your cupboard?