It’s no secret that water is kind of big deal. In fact, it may be the biggest deal, but a liquid that is so essential to a healthy body is regularly neglected. Be it busy schedules, the lack of taste, or other beverages that you’d rather be drinking, there is no excuse for avoiding water. Staying properly hydrated is just as important as flossing your teeth or getting enough sleep, and we know that you aren’t making up excuses to avoid sleep.
Drinking water is necessary, people, and there’s no way to get around it. Just because coffee requires water to make it, that doesn’t mean you drink water by gulping coffee on the regular. Sugary sports drinks that promise a plethora of hydrating electrolytes are not hydrating the body. And don’t think for a second that the ice in your alcoholic beverage counts as hydrating. These beverages actually dehydrate the body, making the battle to stay hydrated even more challenging. Fortunately, we have tips to help you keep your hydration game strong.
Bookend Each Day With Water
Some people are so immersed in their work schedules or daily activities that they forget to drink water. One way to encourage yourself to drink more water is to start your morning and finish the workday by drinking at least 12-16 ounces of water. Make sure that you don’t chug water right before bed, so as to avoid waking up to pee throughout the night. Add some fresh lemon juice to your water glass in the morning to assist with natural cleansing.
Add Flavor The Right Way
Some people require more flavor in their water to help satisfy their daily water intake. We advocate the addition of fruits, herbs, and some vegetables to your water, but there is a right way to do it to unlock maximum flavor. Give you water more umph by muddling fresh herbs in a bowl to release their essences and flavors. You can also add fresh citrus wheels, but make sure to keep the peels on because for the best citrus flavor.
Don’t Leave The Glass Empty
You wouldn’t leave your car on empty and never replenish it with gas, right? When you finish drinking the water in your cup or bottle, don’t just leave it there so it can collect dust. As soon as you finish the last drop of water, head to the refill station and fill your glass or bottle to the brim. Next time you want a sip, you’ll have water at the ready.
Mark Your Bottle
This trick works if visual markers will influence your hydration habits. If you go by the “drink half your body weight in ounces of water” rule, which we encourage, start by purchasing a reusable bottle or jug that can hold that amount of water. Fill up the bottle and write different times at the quarter, halfway, and three-quarter marks. If it’s 10 a.m. and you are supposed to be at the quarter mark by 10:30 a.m., you can race against the clock to meet your hydration goals.
Use An App
In the digital age, many people respond positively to daily notifications and alerts, so apply that to your hydration habits. There are many apps, including Gulps, that can help increase your water intake by sending you reminders to hydrate. The visual reminder displays how much you should have already consumed and where you should be by your next notification.
Find Your Temperature
You aren’t testing to see if you have a fever in this scenario; rather, you need to determine what temperature appeals to you. Some people like sipping iced water through a straw all day, while others prefer room temperature water. Find the temperature that motivates you to drink more water, and make the constant effort to obtain that temperature water whenever you can.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
