Basic Psychological and Physiological Hydrostrategies in Humans

Humans are strongly tied to water and our bodies show a number of hydrostrategic attributes—both psychological and physiological—for interacting and dealing with water. We value living near water, derive pleasure and even health benefits from viewing water scenes, and seek out water areas for recreation. Compared to other terrestrial mammals, humans are exceptionally thirsty and have physiological mechanisms useful for interacting with water such as subcutaneous adiposity and the diving reflex. Intriguingly, our health is critically dependent on dietary sources of essential fatty acids, which are predominantly found in water environments.