Page 1410 - Xmo Strata - Bulletin Archive

Health, Safety & Environmental Bulletin No 523

07 July 2016

Hydration

At the time of writing the Met Office are forecasting showers interspersed by drier spells for most of
July. When the weather is not hot or sunny it is easy to forget the need to keep hydrated, but
dehydration affects your concentration and energy levels even on less sunny days. Generally, most
people need about 1.5 to 2 litres of fluid a day, which is about eight to 10 glasses. The amount of water
you need depends on the climate and the amount of physical activity you do – you need to drink more
if you exercise more and you need to drink more if it's hot and you're sweating water out of your body.

The symptoms of dehydration include thirst, headaches, general discomfort, loss of appetite, lack of
concentration, confusion, unexplained tiredness, and even seizures. If you experience any of these
symptoms, you may not be drinking enough water. Although water is the best choice to re-hydrate
yourself, other liquids such as milk, tea, fruit juices are suitable, but these substitutes have increased
fat/sugar content. Consider eating water-rich fruits and vegetables such as cucumber, lettuce or
tomatoes – these can easily be made into sandwiches and eaten at break time to rehydrate.

Source: http://www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/directory/h/hydration