Water is the source of life for almost everything on the planet. When it comes to us humans, it doesn’t just keep us alive, it benefits us in all sorts of ways that we often do not appreciate. Drinking water and staying hydrated is a key tool in staying healthy in both body and mind. Therefore, the importance of drinking water and importance of hydration is something your workplace should know about.
We all know that the best way to hydrate is to drink water, but why do we need to and what does it do? It is recommended that men drink 2.5 litres of water per day, whilst women are advised to drink 2 litres. This does vary depending on age, levels of physical activity and whether or not you are pregnant.
The human brain is 95% water, the lungs are 90% and the muscles are 76%, which shows exactly how important it is to maintain good hydration levels within your body. This involves creating a water balance whereby we take in water as fast as we lose it through excretion, breathing, sweating and digestion. If we fail to maintain this balance, our lymphatic system directs water to the cells that are the most essential first, leaving others to suffer and our bodies to be less efficient.
Whilst we can obtain some water from the food we eat, 80-90% of it should come from drinking. By drinking water in favour of other drinks, you are avoiding unnecessary sugars and calories in the quest to stay hydrated. Drinking water as a regular habit instead of waiting until you are thirsty is the best approach as a thirst usually means you are already dehydrated. When you drink water, it can also prevent overeating, so by having a glass of water at lunchtime can benefit your health and your diet.
Our bodies need water in a variety of ways, but did you know that our minds do too? It has been shown that staying hydrated can actually help to improve work productivity and concentration, meaning that a good source of drinking water in the workplace really does benefit everyone. This is of particular importance if your working environment is warm and dry, as dehydration can occur more quickly than normal.
The importance of drinking water cannot be stressed enough, so here are some additional benefits to drinking water and staying hydrated:
If we start to suffer from any form of dehydration, we can begin to experience headaches, fatigue, lack of focus, dizziness and sometimes even fainting. Water can also help us to effectively eliminate waste from our bodies, regulate our internal temperature, lubricate joints and cushion vital organs. This means that a hydrated workforce is a much healthier and happier one.
Amongst the previously listed signs of dehydration, if someone is dehydrated within your workplace, they can show signs of:
Hydration has so many benefits, and they are all factors which should be important to an employer. Installing a source of fresh water such as a water cooler or vending machine can help to ensure that all your staff stay on the right track and can help increase the productivity of your business for a seemingly minimal cost.
If you’re looking to increase hydration within the workplace, here are a few options that your business might want to consider.
Firstly, businesses have an obligation to provide fresh drinking water as per the The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. The water provided has to be completely free of bacteria, parasites, dangerous substances, microorganisms and substances that react with other elements.
To help promote hydration in the workplace creating displays around the workplace that shout about the many benefits of drinking water will educate your staff, as well as remind them to go and grab a glass.
In contrast, you could look to list the drawbacks of becoming dehydrated and how that can negatively affect your body.
Another option your business should consider is increasing the number of water machines within the workplace. This option allows for staff to have easy access to fresh clean water around the office. Water coolers are suitable for any business no matter the size. If you’re a large organisation with various points for some water cooler chat, you may want to increase hydration stations and water towers to incentivise hydration in the workplace.
For more information or to enquire about water solutions in the workplace, please contact our team today.