Drinks for everyone:

Even indoors, water still a necessary staple of summer

It’s hot as blazes outside but you survived the walk from the train to the office, although your shirt looks like it needs to be revitalized. Now it’s time to chill out in the comfort zone of your air-conditioned office. You’ll grab some coffee, eat that still-scorching bagel from your briefcase and get down to business. Just don’t forget to drink your water.

Health experts say the amount of water you need depends on several factors, including your physical activity, the climate you work in, your health status and your body size. Set all that aside and you’re probably more than familiar with the common recommendation to drink at least eight cups, or 64 ounces, of water a day. If you’re a visual person, think of consuming the amount of liquid in a twoliter bottle of Coke or half a gallon of milk.

If nothing else, the rule of thumb at work should be to drink when you’re thirsty. Sure, easy enough. But it’s often easy to forget to hydrate, especially when you’re focused on deadlines and budgets and whether or not you can hit your coworker’s back with a rubber band from four cubicles away. That’s why it’s helpful to keep a water bottle at your desk as a reminder to drink throughout the day.

If your work involves physical labor or you work in a hot environment, you may need to drink more to replace the fluids lost through sweat. Similarly, if you work in an air-conditioned environment, you may find that it dries out your skin and you need to drink more water.

Finally, it’s important to note that while staying hydrated is crucial, drinking too much water can lead to a condition called hyponatremia or water toxicity. This is rare, but it can happen if you drink an excessive amount of water in a short period of time.