Very often we get asked the question about how much water we are drinking in a day and mostly the number is a lot less than the requirement. Most of the adult population suffers from dehydration or mild dehydration and even if we are thinking about it and feel as if we have drunk enough. When we go back to estimate how much we have drunk, it simply isn't enough to stay hydrated.

This is more the case with hydration at work. If we have a 9 to 5 job or any other job as well, we often forget to drink water or keep track of it and end up dehydrated. In summer when the rate of sweat is very high, this can be severely life-threatening, leading to not just a dry mouth but a loss of consciousness or a heatstroke which is why our water intake should be kept up to the mark even if we are busy at work.

Today we will discuss how much water we should drink and tips to improve it as well as the reasons why we forget to drink water.

 

How much water should I be drinking daily?

The human body is 55% to 75% water. Some of it is present in our plasma, inside and around our cells while some are present around our body which we refer to as water weight. If you have more muscle mass, you will have more water content in your body while most obese people have a lower body-water percentage.

Now the question is how much daily water intake is sufficient to keep this percentage at a normal level and compensate for our normal fluid loss. The general consideration for a regular day is two litres of water to stop dehydration.

In layman's language, we can track it through four small water bottles that we commonly find in any supermarket or eight glasses of water per day. This one bottle is about half a litre hence four of these can roughly amount to two litres. This estimate will make it very easy for you to remember to drink water. 

You can also purchase a 500ml reusable water bottle of your choice at the supermarket which can also be filled four times a day to consume throughout the day, this reduces the amount of single-use plastic you are using throughout the day and they can also look great!

Read: Benefits of a Reusable Bottle 

 

 

Why is it Easy to Forget to Drink Water at Work?

The most common cause of dehydration is due to a lack of hydration at work. Whether it's working places or schools and colleges, people simply forget to drink plenty of water, to the point that they are going through the whole day without so much as a sip. There could be many reasons for that. If work pressure is too much for you to concentrate on anything else and there are already a lot of things on your mind. Some people are generally clueless about the importance of water and some just don't consider it necessary.

In a working environment, we consider it a hurdle to go get ourselves a glass of water and just end up forgetting about it entirely leading to a risk of dehydration. People who do fieldwork have an even tougher job and even more chances that drinking water will slip from their minds.

All in all, laziness and a not-caring attitude are the main reason why you forget to drink water at work and slowly it becomes a habit where you're barely drinking enough water to sustain.

 

Tips for Staying Hydrated at Work

When you start feeling some symptoms like constant headaches, dizziness and lethargy then it is probably because you are suffering from severe dehydration. In such a case we will go through some tips to help you increase your water intake to improve cognitive performance and physical activity.

• The first thing you can do is make the water taste better. You may like a particular fruit or flavour, which you can add to your bottled water such as hydration sachets, these will be beneficial for you as sometimes you will develop a craving for it and once you enjoy the taste of water you will want to drink much more of it. Such waters which have lemon, watermelon, mint, or some greens in them also provide a vitamin and electrolyte boost.
• If you're craving a snack at work, it's probably because you are dehydrated hence you should make yourself drink water when you are unnecessarily hungry.
• Invest in a clear bottle of water that is always at your desk or in your bag so that you are constantly reminded to drink. Transparent bottles are better as they show you how much water you've drunk, and you can keep track of it.
• You can set an alarm for water, and as our phones are constantly in our hands, it will be a good reminder for us if you are at your desk all day, pop a sticky note reminder on your computer and every time you look at it, have a sip of water.
• Eating things like broccoli, bananas or strawberries may also prove beneficial as they are over 90% water.

 

 

Why is it Important for the Body to Stay Hydrated while Working?

Staying hydrated has very crucial health benefits for everyone, every day of their life. When you're working, you need to be in your best mental and physical capacity to provide the best work.

• Constant dehydration can cause drops in your mood, attentiveness, energy, and blood pressure and may lead to cognitive impairment as well. A properly hydrated brain takes half the time to finish a task that a dehydrated brain takes.
• If you have any side complications or health conditions like diabetes or hypertension, proper hydration helps manage that as well and reduces the risk of stroke or cancer.
• Not drinking enough water affects your productivity, brain function and creativity. Water keeps you fresh and improves body temperature regulation, which helps your brain intake knowledge and think of good, productive ideas for your work and increases your efficiency as well.
• Using things like vitamin water and hydration sachets fulfil your electrolyte needs as well which are often associated with dehydration and hence all the metabolic processes related to these will run smoothly as well.

 

The key is to maintain hydration at work throughout the day and not just down a litre of water at one time and then drink no water at all the rest of the day. This just leads to over-hydration and hyponatremia which are both life-threatening conditions.

Water intake should be managed well and this is something everyone should put a conscious effort into it otherwise we will face dire consequences in our work life and personal lives as well.