Hydration
How Much Water Is Enough on a 12-Hour Shift?
By rediadmin ·
On a 12-hour shift, aim to sip steadily rather than chug — and replace electrolytes, not just water. A stick pack of Redi in 8–10 oz of water once or twice across the shift keeps sodium, potassium, and magnesium topped up.
Why “eight glasses a day” doesn’t fit shift work
The generic hydration advice you’ve heard your whole life was never written for a twelve-hour shift on your feet. When you’re moving constantly and sweating — even lightly, even indoors — you lose fluid and electrolytes at a pace that a few glasses of water can’t match, and you rarely get to drink on a tidy schedule. The result is a slow deficit that builds across the day and shows up as fatigue, headaches, and that foggy hour-eleven feeling.
Sip steadily, don’t chug
Your body absorbs fluid better in a steady stream than in occasional large gulps, and chugging water actually flushes out some of the electrolytes you’re trying to keep. Keep a bottle within reach and take frequent small drinks whenever you pass it, rather than waiting until you’re parched and downing a pint at once.
Replace electrolytes, not just water
Plain water replaces fluid but dilutes the sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride you’ve sweated out — which is why you can drink all shift and still feel drained. Adding a complete electrolyte mix like Redi’s Replenish puts all five back in forms your body absorbs. One to two stick packs across a shift is a good starting point, adjusting for how hot your workplace runs and how much you’re moving.
The takeaway
Don’t count glasses — manage the deficit. Sip steadily, replace all five electrolytes, and reach for caffeine-free hydration late in the shift so it doesn’t cost you sleep afterward. Small and consistent beats heroic and occasional every time.