Why staff hydration is just as important in winter

During winter, we’re more likely to reach for a warm beverage than a cold glass of water.

It makes sense; we want to stay warm and cosy, and a cup of tea or coffee is many people’s go-to when it’s chilly outside. While other liquids can keep us hydrated, water is the most efficient. So, if you let your water intake slip, you’re bound to notice a few negative side effects.

Staying on top of your water intake is just as important in winter as it is in summer (which may come as a surprise to some). After all, we sweat less and do less strenuous activity in winter. However, dehydration is just as dangerous in winter.

Today, we’ll go through all the reasons it’s important that your staff are hydrated this winter and the signs of cold-weather dehydration to look out for. Do you want to keep on top of your staff’s health? Our water coolers make staying hydrated quick and simple, with access to fresh spring water whenever you need it.

Why do staff drink less water in winter?

When working during winter, especially outdoors in construction or landscaping, employees are more likely to keep a flask with them and refill it with tea or coffee.

Not only does this help keep you warm, but many tea and coffee drinkers drink multiple cups a day because they love the taste and the caffeine rush. For people who work particularly strenuous jobs, this caffeine intake can give them the boost they need to get through the workday.

Plus, our bodies can feel less thirsty in winter, since we’re moving around in colder conditions, and we often stay in and relax more during our time off in winter. Yet, our bodies still need the same amount of water intake to function properly.

Here are a few more reasons why your staff may be filling up their glass with water less this winter:

The body suppresses thirst in the cold: Blood vessels constrict in winter to keep us warm, which shifts more blood to our core. This can trick the body into thinking we’re more hydrated than we are, so you feel less thirsty.
Sweating is less obvious: People tend to sweat less during winter, but even when we do, it can be absorbed quickly by thicker clothes, and we may not feel ourselves sweating. Therefore, you won’t think to rehydrate as much.
Routines change: During lunch breaks, staff may go out less to avoid harsh weather, meaning they’ll be doing less activity and won’t feel the need to drink as much. Darker mornings and evenings can also affect mood and energy, so staff may snack more and drink less.
Hot drinks replace water: As we’ve said, people are more likely to drink tea and coffee in winter to stay warm. While these contribute to our hydration levels, they’re less effective than water, and staff are more likely to drink more slowly and top up less because they’re more ‘filling’.

Why is it important to stay hydrated in winter?

During the winter, we’re more likely to keep the heating on for longer periods, resulting in dry, heated air. By sitting in this for hours on end, we’re bound to lose a lot of water vapour from breathing in these humid conditions and sweating more.

But since we aren’t trying to cool ourselves down as we do in summer, staff are less likely to compensate for this water loss by drinking more. Workers who work outdoors for long periods in bulky clothing are more likely to experience the effects.

Especially if they’re working in dangerous conditions, such as construction sites with heavy machinery, where a mistake from tiredness and a foggy brain can put them, and others, at risk. Keeping hydrated will:

Reduce the risk of flu and illness: Fluids help keep mucus in your nose, throat, and lungs at a healthy, thinner consistency so it can trap and clear germs more effectively.
Improve energy and mood: Staff will stay alert, especially when working in more challenging weather, decreasing the risk of injury and faults. This will also improve motivation and performance at work.
Improve temperature regulation: Our circulation works harder in cold weather as blood vessels in the skin tighten to conserve heat. Staying hydrated supports healthy blood volume and helps your heart pump efficiently, preserving more heat.
Avoid dry skin and itchy eyes: Dry air in offices can cause skin to dry, lips to chap, and eyes to become dry and sore. Drinking enough water will help improve skin health and keep your eyes and lips wet and moisturised.
Reduce muscle stiffness: Working can cause muscle and joint strains on an average day, and even more so in winter. Dehydration can contribute to muscle cramps, so drinking plenty of water will help prevent them.

5 signs of cold-weather dehydration

It’s easy to dismiss signs of dehydration while you’re working, no matter what season it is.

You might put headaches down to staring at screens all day (and maybe that’s partly at fault) or think you feel tired and rundown just because you’re so busy.

However, headaches, fatigue, and lack of concentration are classic signs of dehydration, but they’re easy to blame on other things. While dehydration in summer is dangerous, it can also impact cognitive performance, physical health, and thermoregulation in winter.

Here are the main cold-weather dehydration signs to look out for in your staff:

1. A dull, nagging headache

This can feel like eye strain or a tense, painful forehead. In fact, headaches are often a sign from your body that you need to drink water.

2. Dry mouth, lips, and scratchy throat

Most people think these are signs of a cold creeping up (which they also are), but often, not drinking enough water is the culprit.

3. Fatigue or mood swings

Not drinking enough fluids during the workday will cause staff to feel tired more quickly and make their movements feel heavier and sluggish.

This affects motivation and performance at work and can worsen with little sleep. You may even find that small issues annoy you more easily than they normally would, and you act on impulse from irritability.

4. Darker urine and fewer toilet breaks

If you’re not drinking enough, your body will have less water to release. The other side of this is going to the toilet too much and not replenishing your water levels by drinking more.

Darker urine that smells strongly can also indicate that your body is short on fluid.

5. Feeling light-headed when you stand up

Often going hand-in-hand with headaches, feelings of dizziness when standing up or vision fading out can be linked to low blood volume from dehydration.

This is another nudge from your body that it needs more fluid to keep circulation running smoothly.

Simple ways to increase water intake in winter

While tea, coffee, and warm drinks still count toward your daily fluid intake, it’s important to regularly drink a glass of plain water. It’s not only healthier overall with less sugar and no caffeine, but it also has no negative side effects.

If you or your staff don’t like the taste of water, doing the following can help get that daily intake up and reduce hydration:

Drink some fruity, herbal teas
Add natural flavourings to your water
Dress in lighter, comfortable clothes to prevent sweating easily
Add electrolyte tablets to water for an extra boost
Take frequent breaks at work so you’re not overexerting yourself

By purchasing an office water cooler from Cool Water Company, you will be able to keep on top of your staff’s hydration habits and needs. Placing them near desks will encourage and remind them to drink more water and make it easier for them to do so.

We also provide water coolers for construction sites to protect staff who are at greater risk of dehydration. These are designed to withstand harsh weather and constant use while protecting your staff from germs and contaminants with natural spring or filtered water options.