Tips For Staying Hydrated At Work

Why is it important to stay hydrated at work?

Keeping hydrated is vital in order for us to optimise our health and performance in everyday life and that extends to our working day. It can be so easy during a busy day to forget or not prioritise taking on fluids during regular intervals.

Taking those little moments, although you feel you may not have time at some points in your day, are definitley worth it. Studies show that dehydration will affect concentration levels, mood, clarity of thought and a huge increase in fatigue.

Hydration is crucial for your health, but it’s also crucial for success at work too. Dehydration impacts your concentration, reaction times and mood, which combined will massively impact your work. Feeling groggy, tired and irritable from dehydration will not only slow down your pace but will prevent successful team collaborations.

Here at Wellbeing Group, the home of workplace refreshment, we have put together some top tips for staying well hydrated whilst working from home. Keep yourself healthy and focussed throughout your working day, helping you perform to the best of your ability.

What are the signs that you are dehydrated?

The following symptoms signal that you could be dehydrated:

• Feeling sleepy or fatigued
• Feeling thirsty or hungry
• Headaches
• Dry mouth
• Dark yellow or amber coloured urine
• Struggling to focus
• Dizziness
• Feeling restless or irritable

Tips on staying hydrated at work:

1) Avoid processed food

Fast food and other processed foods such as microwave meals contain excessive salt, sugar and fat compared to fresh food. Consuming excessive quantities of salt, sugar and oil speeds up the process of dehydration, so avoid fast food and opt for fresh foods instead.

2) Electrolytes

Electrolytes regulate the flow of water in and out of cells and regulate nerve impulses. We lose these essential salts in our sweat, and they are crucial to staying hydrated. If you are doing a lot of physical work consider taking electrolyte supplements to stay hydrated. Coconut water is a good natural alternative to sports drinks as a source of electrolytes.

3) Choose the right snacks

Pick a selection of fruits and vegetables high in electrolytes or with a high water content to see you through your working day. Bananas, raisins, avocados, spinach, sweet potato, coconut, beans and lentils are all high in electrolytes. Foods such as apples, pineapples, strawberries, blueberries, melon, cucumbers and celery all have a very high water content and make very hydrating snacks to keep you hydrated throughout the day.

4) Pick the right water

Avoid flavoured water with added sugars and flavourings. Sugar and other additives have a dehydrating effect on the body. If you really can’t stand the taste of water try adding flavour with a fruit infuser bottle, which gives you the option of adding natural organic flavours of your choice to your drink!

5) Drink water regularly

One glass in the morning or at lunch won’t be enough to keep you hydrated. You should take in 2- 3 litres of water a day, so keep a bottle or glass of water with you all the time and prompt yourself to keep drinking especially on hot days. Alternatively, why not try our water coolers, which provide fresh drinking water on demand.

6) Wear light or loose clothing

Avoid wearing thick, dark or tight fitting clothing that does not allow your skin to breathe and cause you to sweat more. Instead, opt for lighter and looser clothing that will allow your body to keep cool and prevent dehydration from overheating or sweating.

7) Try soups and stews for lunch

Soups and stews have a much higher water content than “dry” lunches. As well as keeping you hydrated, it is easy to make a large batch of your favourite soup or stew at the beginning of the week, and then you have your work lunches prepared for the rest of the week, saving you time!

8) Avoid alcohol

Everyone likes to let their hair down after work, but try keeping alcohol to a minimum as it can cause dehydration. The effects of this can still be felt the day after, leaving you feeling tired and groggy.

9) Keep cool

Switching on or raising the air conditioning can really help with staying hydrated at work. But why is that? Fresh or cool air will help your body maintain a healthy temperature and prevent you from overheating. It will also  reduce the loss of water through sweating. Want more tips on keeping cool?

10) Don’t wait until you’re thirsty

Thirst is actually a sign that you are already dehydrated. Keep drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day and eat fruits and vegetables with high water content to avoid becoming thirsty in the first place.

11) Hydrate yourself after exercise

If you’re hitting the gym before work, try weighing yourself before you start your workout and immediately afterwards. For every pound you’ve lost, drink an additional 500 ml of water to replace the body fluids you lost during the workout.

12) Quit Smoking, vaping and nicotine gum

Nicotine – as well as various other chemicals found in cigarettes and e-cigarettes – causes dehydration and affects your body’s ability to regulate hydration. As well as numerous other benefits to your overall health, giving up these habits will also help you stay hydrated!

13) Drink ice cold water

Help keep your core body temperature down by drinking chilled water. If your office doesn’t have a water dispenser that provides chilled water, why not recommend our Nebraska Elite Direct Chill Desktop to your employer?

14) Check Your Urine

One of the quickest and simplest indicators of how hydrated your body is your urine. If you are hydrated your urine should be fairly clear, colourless and odourless like water. The darker your urine the more dehydrated you are. If it’s dark yellow or amber in colour then replenish your water levels and guzzle down some H2O!

If you’re thinking of getting water coolers for your offices, contact us today for advice 01905 337187

We hope you found this article helpful, please don’t forget to share with anyone else in the same boat and feel free to send us your ideas!

Email: sales@thewellbeinggroup.co.uk

Staying hydrated at work