Work environments can be demanding on your body both physically and mentally. It’s no surprise that as a busy executive you often find yourself reaching for your coffee mug or soda bottle as it can be difficult to see the benefits of drinking water. These beverages can provide a quick shot of caffeine and sugar needed to perk back up and stimulate the brain in order to get more done. However, drinking caffeinated and sugary beverages can lead to crashes that leave you feeling worse than before your first sip of joe.
At this point, you might be wondering how you could possibly fuel yourself and feel fresh in a healthy and efficient way. The simple (and perhaps surprising) answer is water! The benefits of drinking water are abundant.
Recent studies have pointed out the link between the higher intake of water and its positive effects on the person’s health, weight, performance, and productivity.
5 Science-Based Health Benefits of Drinking Water at Workplace. From a Sharper Brain to a Better BMI. Drink Water to Increase Your Productivity. CLICK TO TWEET
For the executives, drinking plenty of water can result in some particularly important benefits like improved brain functioning, a boost in energy, and even weight loss. Read on to learn the benefits of drinking water and its impact on your overall health, fitness, and efficiency at work.
Executive Summary:
1. Aids in Proper Brain Functioning
Recent research out of The University of East London has proven the cognitive benefits of drinking water. It showed that adequate water intake can improve brain functioning by up to 14 percent. This increase in the brain’s ability to properly function is due to the relief hydration provides to your brain from signaling for thirst. When your body thirsts, it is sending an almost constant signal to the brain to hydrate. Drinking enough water alleviates this and therefore opens the pathways of the brain up to be used in more productive capacities.
If you’ve ever been distracted by a personal life problem while at work, then you know exactly how this feels. Your focus is fuzzy, attention span short, and distractions are easy to follow. Avoid these productivity drags by drinking enough water to keep your body fully hydrated and your brain working at peak performance.
2. Hydration Equals Energy
Similarly to how proper hydration helps the brain perform better, your entire body will function better when you drink enough water. Dehydration is taxing on the body. Energy levels plummet, tiredness and dizziness can set in, and headaches can be frequent. Remember, according to a study of the Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences in India, it only takes a loss of 1-2 percent of your body water to cause some of these unpleasant symptoms.
Drinking water throughout the day will keep your body energized in a more consistent and reliable manner than stimulants like sugars or caffeine. These products can put you on a rollercoaster of sugar highs and dreadful crashes. Caffeine can enhance your negative physiological responses to stress too.
GET 5 IMPORTANT REASONS TO QUIT COFFEE AT WORKPLACE
3. Improved Attention Span
Clinical research has revealed that drinking water can support the cognitive abilities of the brain and improve your memory, attention span, concentration levels, and problem-solving skills.
Drinking a few sips of water before presentations would prepare your brain to respond to the unexpected queries of the client. Just imagine you are in the middle of a meeting and someone pops up a question to you. Maintaining the hydration of the body by drinking an adequate amount of water will improve your reaction time and help you reply to the client’s queries in the most appropriate way.
Research studies have found that adequate water intake can enhance the attention span and prevent the involuntary wavering of thoughts.
4. Drinking Water and Weight Loss
Perhaps one of the most tangible benefits of drinking enough water is the likelihood that your clothes will fit better and you’ll see lower numbers on the scale. A small study by Dr. Brenda Davy showed that drinking 2 cups of water before meals resulted in fewer calories consumed. If this finding is applied to the workplace, drinking plenty of water throughout the day will result in fewer calories coming from snacks we crave when we are actually thirsty.
Weight loss is one of the most revered benefits of drinking water. In a recent study, a strong correlation was found between improper hydration and elevated levels of obesity and higher BMI totals. This benefit of drinking water is directly linked to the fewer calories consumed due to curbed cravings as well as the increase in energy provided by drinking enough water.
All of the aforementioned benefits culminate in an overall healthier lifestyle which almost always results in a lower body fat percentage and a healthier BMI. Looking and feeling your best is essential to projecting confidence in the workplace. With these improved health benefits of drinking water, you’re sure to be sending a message of health, vigor, and vitality.
5. Improves Mood
It is common for executives to feel frustrated due to work pressure, undue demands of the clients or non-cooperative colleagues.
A recent scientific experiment has revealed that drinking water can have a positive impact on the hormonal balance in the body and improve your moods.
Keeping your body well hydrated will help you avoid negative emotions such as anger, frustration, irritability and aggressiveness at the workplace.
On the contrary, you might be able to turn the tables around by getting your uncooperative colleagues to cooperate with you by your cheerful mood and positive approach towards handling their unfriendly gestures.
Meeting Your RDA
Exactly how much water your body needs to be hydrated is impossible to know. Generally, it is recommended that adult men drink about 3.7 liters per day and adult women drink about 2.7 liters per day. However, it is important to keep in mind that every person is different. Some people may need less or more than these recommendations to remain properly hydrated.
Conclusion
No matter how far you take your water consumption challenge, know that the benefits of drinking water will be noticeable. From a sharper brain to a better BMI, drinking water will have you feeling fit and energetic enough to meet the day’s demands.
There are several methods to deriving the benefits of drinking water. Try drinking a glass of water before any other beverage or meal to keep you from accidentally going most of the day without water. Alternatively, you can challenge yourself to go a full week replacing all beverages with water to see clearly the impact proper hydration can have.
LEARN SOME MORE INTERESTING WAYS TO STAY HYDRATED AT WORK NOW!
Check out our infographic on benefits of drinking water by clicking the image below:
Be sure to comment below how your water challenge went!