In the summer, many people will have no hesitation in making regular use of the office water cooler service. It’s not because they want to have more informal conversations, but because the heat of the day will get everyone seating more and increasingly thirsty; it’s because a nice glass of water will both rehydrate them and cool them down.
All that may seem obvious and familiar, and just what workers need when they come back in after a lunch break spent outside under the hot sun.
However, many people may fail to appreciate just how much they need to drink water in autumn and winter. This may not be a time when the weather makes anyone sweat, but there are other ways people can get dehydrated.
While many people associate autumn and winter with increased rainfall, the weather can actually be drier and the lower temperature means less humidity, so the dry wind can blow moisture away from your skin. The lack of sweat adds to the dryness.
This can lead to all sorts of dry skin issues, such as flaking, roughness or even cracks – especially to the lips.
Many steps can be taken to tackle this from applying skin moisturising creams through to having a humidifier indoors, but drinking more water can also help. By doing this, you can reduce the vulnerability of your skin to drying out.
It is important to note that skin dryness is also associated with ageing. That means you can be a lot more prone to suffering from it in old age, when the days by the office water cooler are just a memory. However, that does mean that older workers in the office will need to drink more water than younger ones and take other steps to protect themselves.
Nobody can prevent the passing of the years, but you can at least ensure the seasons do not pass without taking the right steps to stay hydrated and look after your skin.