How to keep hydrated in the workplace

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by: John K Murphy
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Word Count: 561
Date: Sat, 9 Apr 2011 Time: 5:16 PM
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A common notion is that water is the best source of hydration. Becoming dehydrated is much more serious and dangerous than you may realise. The brain is made up of around 70% water, meaning that even a slight dehydration can have a negative effect on your body, your work and your productivity.

Offices are notorious for being very dry environments, with most heated in the winter and cooled in the summer. These dry environments can cause you to dehydrate a lot faster than you would normally, so investing in a water cooler could dramatically improve staff productivity and morale.

Water is by far the best way to keep hydrated throughout the day and a water cooler in the office is a perfect solution to keep everyone happy. It is cheaper, easier and more effective than anything else and will ensure that everyone in the office will have a constant supply of water. While most people may think they can get their water intake from somewhere else, the options sometime have downsides. Sports drinks and carbonated drinks often contain a lot of sugar. By not having enough water, your body and your mind will suffer as you struggle to concentrate. If you don't have the time to pop out to get a bottle of water, then relying on cups of tea to get through the day will leave you tired, irritable, un-inspired from one day to the next. A constant available supply of water will help keep your energy levels up and keep your brain working to its normal rate. We lose water through urine, sweat and even by breathing, so it's important to constantly maintain proper hydration levels

You will know if you are dehydrated if:

1. You feel dizzy

2. You feel weak

3. You have an extreme thirst or an inability to drink

4. Are suffering headaches

5. Have a dry mouth

To better decide how much water you need each day, you need to divide your body weight in half. The answer is the approximate amount of water (in ounces) you ought to drink every day. You ought to drink half of your body weight to remain hydrated and healthy, although most experts recommend drinking around 8-10 cups a day.

Water has a whole host of positive effects on the body. Not only does it keep us alive because it increases the amount of oxygen in the body. This is crucial when working for long periods of time as the more oxygen in the body means more the oxygen available to the brain which therefore boosts our alertness and mental clarity. Water helps us stay healthy and flushes toxins out of our bodies and can even help keep our skin clear and healthy.

If you begin to feel a slight slump at work, as most of us do in the afternoon, you may simply need more fluids. So grab a glass of water from a water cooler straight away and feel energised and alert. You will be able to complete more work, more effectively and will go home feeling much better and happier, all thanks to a few glasses of water that you could easily access thanks to the water cooler in your office.

About the Author

J Murphy - Online Marketing - Providing information and advice on the health and lifestyle benefits of drinking water. For further information on bottled water, water coolers and mains fed water coolers.
Phone: 0845 370 1177