Do you have a colleague who has a bit of a temper? Well a glass of water may be just what is needed to calm them down.
Keeping hydrated is not just good for the body, but also good for a person’s mood and energy levels, according to research by the University of Connecticut.
It found that sitting at a desk for 40 minutes had the same impact on hydration levels as working on a treadmill for a similar amount of time.
Harris Leiberman, co-author of the research, said: “Even mild dehydration – 1.5 per cent loss in normal water volume in the body – that can occur in the course of our ordinary daily activities can degrade how we are feeling, especially for women, who are more susceptible to the adverse effects of low levels of dehydration.”
Office workers are reminded to drink water regularly throughout the day as feeling thirsty as a sensation only starts to kick in once the body has already become dehydrated.
Tests were carried out on both people who were hydrated and those who were dehydrated with emphasis on a number of areas including memory, reasoning and concentration time.
In the results it was found that women suffered more from a loss in concentration due to dehydration than men, but both experienced fatigue and a difficulty to complete some tasks.
The recommended amount of water to drink each day is two litres and office staff may find it has a profound effect on their mood and productivity levels.
Recent surveys have found that office staff eat chocolate and crisps throughout the day due to boredom and that many forget to stand up from their desks.
Any changes which make employees healthier, such as drinking water, is good for both them and employers, as a fit workforce is less likely to take time off sick.
