Employers should provide employees with access to drinking water, even though many workers are unaware of the Importance of staying hydrated at work.
According to the Workplace (Health, Safety, and Welfare) Regulations 1992, there must be a “sufficient supply” of drinking water accessible, whether in the form of a drinking fountain or with a supply of cups. Additionally, HR and occupational health specialists must inform staff members of the significance of being hydrated.
Instead of only tea and coffee, the message to the workforce should be to drink water. They must consistently consume water in little amounts throughout the day, not just during meals or when thirsty. To keep the body’s fluid equilibrium it’s crucial to do this.
The numerous health advantages of drinking water are present in a medical study released by Harvard Health: It transports nutrients and oxygen to your cells, clears bladder bacteria, promotes digestion, reduces constipation, normalizes blood pressure, stabilizes heartbeat, cushions joints, and safeguards organs and tissues.
The Natural Hydration Council asserts that good hydration links to improve cognition and mental function. It can also aid in overcoming lethargy and exhaustion. Increased productivity at work is the result of all these advantages.
Hot-working conditions and strenuous physical labor can dramatically impact a person’s hydration level.
Overheating people may experience breathing difficulties due to shallow, almost gasping breathing. Due to the significant fluid loss from exhaled air, this may cause hyperventilation and ultimately dehydration.
Thirst, lightheadedness, dizziness, dry mouth, eyes, and lips, fatigue, and peeing less than four times daily are all signs of dehydration. Dehydration can worsen and lead to significant consequences if ignored.
Everyone at work needs to keep hydrated, but determining how much water each employee needs to drink can be challenging due to various variables. For instance, a person’s age and gender, the amount of physical activity their job requires, and the environment they work in might influence how much water they need.
Women should drink two liters of water each day. In contrast, males should drink 2.5 liters, according to the European Food Safety Authority. However, this number only applies to those engaged in “moderate” activity levels while working at a “moderate” temperature. It adds when the high temperature is mixing up with physical activity, the body can lose up to eight liters of water each day.
When working hard in hot weather, the Health and Safety Executive advises employees to have around 250ml water every 15 minutes. However, this might not be feasible at work, particularly if the person is wearing protective gear that makes it difficult to drink or if the company’s hygiene policies forbid eating or drinking while working. The HSE advises consuming 500ml of water one hour before the start of work and an additional 500ml of water at each rest interval in this situation.
According to the NHS, men should consume 10 glasses of water each day, while women should drink eight 200ml glasses. The British Nutrition Foundation concurs with this recommendation, stating that water is the most significant liquid to consume to stay hydrated.
Unexpectedly, drinking too much water can cause water intoxication, also known as hyponatremia. Your body experiences unusually low sodium levels, which causes the insides of cells to flood.
You could consume too much water if you carry a water bottle with you all day and replenish it as soon as you finish it. It can be problematic when your body’s cells enlarge since your brain might also swell. It can push out the brain stem once it has enlarged by around 10% and reached the skull.
Nausea and diarrhea are some of the early signs of overhydration. However, as with most health-related things, don’t overdo it. If you continue to drink too much water, it can have highly significant effects, such as seizures.
It is also challenging to determine how much water you need to drink due to the various factors involved, such as the temperature in your office and the kind of duties you perform.
Health professionals often advise adhering to the recommendations of 2.5 liters for males and two liters for women each day if you’re in an office or coworking space with a moderate temperature.
The advice given to workers is to frequently sip on water at different times throughout the day rather than sipping copiously at meals or waiting until they become thirsty.
It is in your best interest to drink the necessary amount of water each day to stay mentally aware at work because being hydrated is linked to improved mental function and cognition and preventing fatigue.
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