Back to School Burnout: Why is Hydration Important for Focus

Your child's been back to school a few weeks already, but they still haven't found their rhythm. The slow morning wake-ups, dozing off at their desks; after a couple months off, they should feel well rested, but everything from keeping their eyes open in the evening to getting their homework done looks like a struggle.

There are a lot of things parents put their child's perceived lack of energy down to: irregular sleep patterns, changing hormones, diet or activity. It's true that these can all have an effect, but they're not the full picture. And with so many possibilities, it's hard to know how you can help.

However, there are a couple of ways you can help keep your child focused and energised this new school year. Building a hydration routine and making electrolytes part of your child's everyday is an easy way to give them what they need to stay alert and focused, both at school and at home.

Why Is Hydration Important for Staying Awake

The human brain is around 75% water, and even the smallest drop in your body's fluid levels can have an impact on cognitive function. That's because when fluid levels drop, so does blood volume, and lower blood volume means less oxygen getting delivered to your brain. In the course of a normal day, we can feel this dehydration in our slowing thoughts and flagging concentration. This can sap focus and cause things like afternoon tiredness.

Beyond concentration there are other dehydration symptoms to watch out for, especially in children:

• Complaining of headaches
• Dry or cracked lips
• Irritability
• Fewer trips to the loo

Some studies have found that children or adolescents are also more prone to dehydration than adults. Children can have a lower tolerance to heat and may not always recognise or act on thirst cues, especially when they're distracted by busy school days. Add in a full timetable and warm classrooms, and it's easy to see why their energy dips.

Why Electrolytes for Kids Are Important for School

Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge when dissolved in the body's fluids, such as sodium, potassium and chloride. They help regulate fluid balance and support normal nerve and muscle function. We get most of our electrolytes through food and drink, and lose them mainly through sweat and urine.

When kids go back to school it's possible that they end up losing electrolytes faster than in the summer holidays. From earlier wake-ups to full, busy days, a child who rolls out of bed late, skips breakfast and rushes to school could be dehydrated with an electrolyte imbalance before their first lesson even starts.

The signs of electrolyte imbalance:

• Persistent fatigue even after rest
• Muscle cramps or twitches
• Brain fog and difficulty concentrating
• Headaches
• A general sense of feeling flat or low-energy

The problem is, low electrolyte symptoms are easy to blame on something else, especially with schoolchildren. A headache could be too much screen time, or tiredness could be going to bed too late. Knowing the signs and having a hydration and electrolyte plan in place can help you and your child stay on top of these symptoms.

Building Healthy Hydration Habits

Getting your child to take on more fluids and electrolytes doesn't have to be complicated. A few small habits, built into their existing routine, are sometimes all it takes to help support adequate hydration throughout the day.

Before school

Start the morning with a drink alongside breakfast. After a full night without fluids, this is an easy opportunity to begin the day hydrated before your child heads out of the door. Make filling their water bottle part of the morning routine too.

During the school day

Encourage your child to take regular sips from their water bottle whenever their school allows it. Break times and lunch are useful reminders to have a drink.

After school

When they get home, encourage them to have another drink, especially before starting homework or heading to an after-school activity. If they've been particularly active, this can also be a useful time to replace fluids and electrolytes lost through sweat.

In the evening

Don't try to catch up by drinking lots of water at the end of the day. Little and often is much easier to build into a routine, helping good hydration habits become something your child does without having to think about it.

For days where your child's going to be more active, O.R.S Electrolytes are great for a quick hydration boost. Our tablets are pharmacist-formulated and made according to WHO guidelines, making them an easy, trustworthy way to support your child's hydration throughout the school day.

Can Children Have Electrolytes?

Children can have electrolytes. They play an important part in facilitating regular bodily functions such as maintaining fluid levels, muscle function and nerve signals. Our everyday hydration range can be used for children, and we also have specially formulated hydration tablets for kids.

Dosage guidelines for children

• For children aged 6 and above, just dissolve 2 tablets in 200ml of water.
• Children aged 3–6 should take 10ml of electrolyte solution per kg of body weight, with small sips.
• Children under 3 can have 10ml per kg of body weight with small sips, but only under the advice and supervision of a doctor, midwife or a medical professional.