Most people understand how dehydration affects the body, but not everyone fully understands how it affects the mind.
While the ideal fluid intake varies from person to person, a five-year study of over 15,000 Americans between the ages of 20 and 50 found that 43 percent of men and 41 percent of women failed to meet their daily intake recommendations and also drank less as they got older.
Why the brain needs water
Whereas the human body is anywhere from 45-percent to 75-percent water, the brain is composed of 73-percent water. To function optimally, brain cells need to maintain a balance between water and a number of other different elements -- and when the body loses too much water, it disrupts that delicate balance. As a result, the brain cells become less efficient.
So, how does this affect someone at work or in day-to-day life? It can manifest in a few different ways, all of which are signs and symptoms that we generally associate with dehydration: difficulty focusing, impaired short-term memory, difficulty recalling long-term memories and an impaired ability to perform mental arithmetic. In the workplace, these deficiencies can lead to a higher likelihood of mistakes and accidents.
The link between cognition and hydration
In one study, researchers found the test group that consumed the most water performed best on the visual attention test, while those in the no-water group performed the worst. Another study found that young adults who were given 200 milliliters of water saw increased performance from the baseline in sustained attention.
Researchers have also found that short-term memory improves after fluid consumption. In three different studies, subjects' performance on memory-related tests — such as recalling a list of objects — improved after water consumption compared with their no-water counterparts.
When you consider that dehydration affects the flow of oxygen to the brain and causes the heart to work harder to pump oxygen to the organs, it's not surprising that being under-hydrated can make one feel groggy and lacking in energy. That helps explain why consuming a glass or two of water or an electrolyte replenishment beverage can help you perk up and immediately start feeling more alert.
Unlike other areas of the body, the brain has no way to store water. For this reason, it's important to ensure you're hydrating adequately throughout the day. The general guideline to follow is one cup of water for every 20 pounds of body weight. However, there are a number of factors that influence hydration requirements, including medications, temperature and humidity levels, and physical activity or exertion. The more fluid you lose -- whether from sweating under PPE or simply from breathing — the more you need to take in.
A properly hydrated workforce is a better and safer workforce, no matter what kind of work they do.
It's important to remember that all fluids count toward keeping you hydrated. Water or electrolyte replenishment beverages like Sqwincher are an excellent choice, but coffee and even food (especially those with high water content) work, too.
For more information, visit www.sqwincher.com or call (800) 654-1920.
