Why Hydration is Essential for Productivity

Discover why keeping your body hydrated is essential for the mind

You may reach for the coffee to give you a boost, but do you know the benefits that plain old water has on hydrating both body and mind?

Hydration in the heat

Summer in the office can be hot! It makes you reach for a cool refreshment. Prevent the mid afternoon slump by keeping your body hydrated throughout the day.

Our bodies are made up of water

Did you know…?

• 75% of your brain is water
• 85% of your blood is water
• 80% of your skin is water

Even mild dehydration (1-2% of bodyweight lost) can cause headaches, tiredness, lack of concentration and reduced athletic performance.

Hydration is not only good for your body but is essential to keep your mind active and alert. This is especially important in the summer when the heat can cause us to sweat and become dehydrated. You wouldn’t think twice about keeping hydrated during physical activity. So why not hydrate your brain when doing tasks that require mental involvement?

What happens when you become dehydrated

Delayed reactions

You may find your body becoming sluggish and slow to react.

Loss of concentration

You can become irritable, distracted and cranky from dehydration. Drinking water helps to boost concentration giving you a clear mind to think.

Headaches

Headaches fog our ability to think clearly and perform at our best

Feeling of fatigue

Dehydration affects your muscles making you feel more tired and drained.

Muscle cramps

Physical pain from cramps may distract you from performing your daily tasks.

Affects blood pressure

Blood plasma is 90% water. During severe dehydration your blood becomes more concentrated and can lose the electrolytes that help your heart and muscles function properly.

Causes of dehydration

Besides hot temperatures making your body sweat, the drying effect of air conditioning can also cause dehydration. As lovely as it is to stay cool in the office, if you do have air conditioning, make sure you drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated. Travelling on aeroplanes that use recirculated air can also make you become dehydrated, which is why it is recommended that you keep sipping water during a flight.

What does water do to our bodies?

Water has an incredible restorative effect on the body:

• Water eliminates toxins from the body, helping to keep your immune system working correctly
• It flushes out caffeine, sugar and other impurities
• It boosts energy – if you’re feeling low on energy drinking water will pep you up
• Water helps with digestion – poor digestion can leave you sluggish.
• Water helps your body absorb nutrients in food
• It lubricates our joints and eyes
• Water helps regulate body temperature to keep you cool

How much water do you need to stay hydrated?

We’ve all heard the general rule of 8 glasses of water a day. It depends on you, the individual and how much you sweat, your gender, age, body type and how much you exercise. 8 glasses may not be achievable for many of us. If you ever become engrossed in a task sometimes you may forget to drink.

Try these tips to keep hydrated at work:

• Set an alarm to remind you to drink
• Use an app to prompt you Buy a refillable water bottle to keep at your desk for refills
• Encourage hydration at work by installing a water filter or bottled water dispenser or supply bottled water to employees.
• Provide low sugar alternatives to water such as fruit squash, flavoured water, herbal teas and juices. Hot drinks such as tea and coffee also count towards your water intake (although they are mild diuretic).
• Fruit and vegetables contain water too! Fruits such as oranges, watermelon, apples, grapes and cucumber have high water content.

Remember, if you feel thirsty, you could already be dehydrated, so reach for the water for a more productive day ahead!

Sundry Supplies offer a wide choice of cold drinks and hot drinks to help you stay hydrated and productive. Search on our website to find a host of products.