Milk may do your body good, but water is essential. Insufficient amounts of water can lead to serious dehydration.
Heat illness comes in different forms. We’ve talked about smart sun protection for outdoor workers and ways to avoid heat illness during the hot summer months. Now we’ll focus on another type of heat illness, dehydration. In the workplace, it is easy to lose fluids through heat exposure, sweat, burns, and lack of available drinking water. High temperatures during the summer months increase the risk of dehydration. And by the time your body begins showing symptoms, it is often too late.
Dehydration is one of the most common types of heat illness.
If you feel thirsty, have dry mouth, feel weak, or feel dizzy, you may be dehydrated. If your body cannot produce enough sweat to cool yourself down it can also lead to heat stroke.
It can be difficult to keep track of the volume of water you drink, but eight glasses a day is the minimum recommended amount. It’s also important to pay attention to how much water you’re drinking compared to how much your body is losing.
According to Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, a person can lose about a liter of fluid an hour doing heavy work.
Here are some tips for developing good drinking habits and staying hydrated:
- Track your consumption. Use a note card or a smart phone app to record how much you drink each day and make sure you drink at least eight glasses a day.
- Sip water regularly throughout the day, even when you’re not thirsty.
- Make it convenient. Take a water bottle wherever you go. Bring your own water pitcher filter to work.
- Drink water that tastes good. Add lemon or lime to your water or buy flavored water with electrolytes.
- Eat high water content food like celery, tomatoes, and melons.
Pay attention to the early signs of dehydration and drink plenty of water before, during, and after work. Find more tips on water consumption and the requirements for heat illness prevention.
Stay thirsty for safety and keep hydrated this summer.