Dehydration at Work: Signs and Prevention

Water plays a vital role in keeping your body functioning at its best. With around 60% of the human body comprised of water, staying hydrated is essential for maintaining daily health and well-being. Here are some of the key ways water supports your body:

• Keeps joints lubricated: Helps your joints move smoothly, reducing discomfort and supporting mobility.
• Delivers oxygen: Transports oxygen-rich blood to every part of your body, ensuring cells get the nutrients they need.
• Regulates body temperature: Helps cool your body down, especially during physical activity or warm environments.
• Aids digestion: Supports the breakdown of food and nutrient absorption, keeping your digestive system healthy.
• Promotes productivity: drinking water helps boost our concentration abilities our cognitive skills, clears our mind and supports creativity. For more information, check out our guide to Why Drinking Water Promotes Productivity

Read more: The Importance of Hydration

To keep dehydration at bay, there’s a few things you can do in the office or at home:

1. Drink water as soon as you wake

Experts recommend drinking water as one of the first things you do in the morning. It’s a simple yet essential step to rehydrate your body after hours of sleep. Hydrating before reaching for your morning coffee or tea can help kickstart your metabolism, improve focus, and set a positive tone for the rest of the day. Keep a glass or bottle of water by your bedside as a reminder to make this a daily habit.

Related: Is Tap Water Safe to Drink In The UK.

2. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink

It’s easy to get caught up in our to-do lists or looming deadlines, but staying hydrated is important. Rachel Lustgarten, RD, at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian in New York City, recommends, “I encourage people to carry a water bottle with them and refill it throughout the day.” This is especially helpful if your route includes a water dispenser, allowing you to keep your bottle topped up as you go.

3. Aim for 8 to 11 glasses of water a day

A 2004 study suggests that individuals assigned female at birth should aim for 11.4 cups of water per day, while those assigned male at birth should aim for 15.6 cups. Just be careful, as you can overhydrate and drink too much water.

4. Increase your fluids if you are exercising

When exercising, we lose more fluid, some losing up to 1.5 quarts of water an hour. This is equivalent to 6 cups of water!

Read more: Why is it Important to Drink Water During Exercise?

5. Use extra electrolytes

If you exercise before or after work, consider adding electrolytes to your water to help maintain optimal hydration. Electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium, are essential for balancing fluids in your body and supporting muscle function. When you sweat during exercise, you lose these vital minerals, which can lead to dehydration and fatigue if not replenished.

6. Nourish your body with fruit and veg

Staying hydrated at work doesn’t have to be limited to drinking water—snacking on hydrating fruits and vegetables can also help. At your desk, keep a stash of easy-to-eat options like grapes, cucumber slices, or cherry tomatoes. These are packed with water and provide a burst of energy and essential nutrients to keep you focused throughout the day. For more ideas on food to take with you, read our guide to healthy office snacks.

7. Add a sparkle or some squash

Depending on your preference, adding bubbles to your drinking water can make it more enjoyable. Alternatively, if your company has a sparkling water dispenser, you and your colleagues can enjoy a more luxurious drinking option. Or, if sparkling water isn’t to your taste, try adding a splash of squash for some flavour.

8. Limit caffeine and alcohol

Caffeine and alcohol can leave your body feeling parched because they are diuretics. If you’re a coffee lover or enjoy the occasional drink, try to balance it by sipping in between. Keeping these drinks in check helps you stay hydrated and avoid that tired, dry feeling they can cause.

If you’re after a warm drink, there are a lot of benefits of drinking hot water. Opt for herbal teas, and caffeine-free options, or get creative with hot water with lemon. Consider a hot water dispenser for the workplace to make it easier than constantly boiling a kettle.

9. Install a water dispenser for your workplace

Incorporating dispensers in the office or your related industry allows them to be placed conveniently around the workplace. Harnessing hydration in the workplace will encourage you and workers to drink more water while at work. And BRITA office water dispensers make it easier, with an endless supply of water as it’s plumbed into your pipes. With a range of water types, from cold, sparkling and even hot, to making brew rounds, investing in a dispenser is a great way to improve wellbeing at work.

For more tips, read our comprehensive guide to staying hydrated at work.

While drinking enough water is key to staying hydrated, several factors can contribute to dehydration or worsen it.

• Sweating
  Hot weather, vigorous exercise, or physical exertion can lead to excessive sweating, causing your body to lose water more quickly.
• Diarrhoea and Vomiting
  These conditions can rapidly deplete water and essential electrolytes, leading to dehydration quickly. Replacing lost fluids and electrolytes is vital to maintain proper hydration levels.

Staying hydrated at work is essential for productivity and overall well-being. Following the simple tips we've shared, like drinking water first thing in the morning and snacking on hydrating fruits and vegetables, you can make hydration a natural part of your daily routine. And to make it even easier for your team, look at our water dispenser range for convenient and eco-friendly solutions. From countertop, floorstanding and even tap models to ensure everyone can access fresh, filtered water throughout the day. And you can even supply reusable water bottles to encourage refilling!