Staying hydrated can feel like a challenge sometimes, can’t it? But learning how to drink more water is totally doable.
Staying hydrated can feel like a challenge sometimes, can’t it? But learning how to drink more water is totally doable.
We’ve got you covered with some super simple ways to drink more water and create healthier hydration habits. We’ll also chat about why keeping hydrated is so important for your overall well-being.
Did you know your body is made up of about 60 percent water? That’s a fun fact, but it’s also a reminder of how crucial hydration is for your overall health.
Drinking enough water supports countless bodily functions, from digestion to energy levels, and helps keep your skin looking vibrant.
And yet, many struggle to drink enough fluid throughout the day. So, you may be wondering, How much water should I drink? and How often should I drink water? We’ll dig into all these questions — and more — ahead.
Learn why hydration is essential to healthy living, how to know if you’re not getting enough water, and how to improve your H2O consumption habits.
What exactly does water do for the body? Hydration plays a vital role in many bodily functions:
Water lubricates the joints, helping them move smoothly while reducing discomfort.
It also plays a critical role in producing saliva, aiding in digestion and keeping your mouth healthy.
Water serves as a building block for cells, ensuring they function properly.
It rinses waste from the body, primarily through urine.
Water also helps transport oxygen throughout the body.
When you’re well-hydrated, your body can sweat effectively and maintain a stable temperature, especially during physical activity or in hot weather.
Everybody is different, so what you might need to stay healthy and comfortable might not be the same as what your neighbor needs. Things like your activity level, the weather, and your overall health can influence your personal fluid intake sweet spot.
Activity level. If you’re physically active or exercise regularly, you’ll likely need more water to replace the fluids lost through sweat. On the other hand, if you live a more sedentary lifestyle, your needs might be lower.
Weather and climate. In hot, humid conditions, your body loses more fluids, so it’s essential to drink more water. Conversely, in cooler weather, you might not feel as thirsty, but hydration is still important.
Overall health. Your overall health also affects how much water you should drink. For instance, certain medical conditions, medications, or dietary choices can influence your hydration needs.
The most common suggestion is to drink eight glasses of water a day. However, there’s no scientific data to support that recommendation.
Fluid needs vary and can be influenced by many factors, including age, body weight, climate, physical activity, and overall health status.
Research shows men need about 125 ounces of water daily, while women should get around 90 ounces of water a day.
Listening to your body is key. Thirst is a natural indicator you need more water, so pay attention to those cues.
Keeping an eye on the color of your urine can also help — pale yellow or clear generally means you’re well-hydrated, while darker colors can point to a need for more fluids.
Generally, you should drink water when you’re thirsty and until you feel comfortable again.
Also, when you work out, you lose more fluids through sweat. So you should drink more than usual.
Ultimately, finding your personal “sweet spot” for hydration is about understanding your unique needs.
Here are a few tips to help you boost your hydration levels — these will set you up to successfully apply the tips in the next section.
Goal setting helps you identify specific behaviors you want to change and gives you a framework to enact that change.
There are two main types of goals: incorporating a new behavior and eliminating an old one. It can be helpful to figure out which kind of goal you’re setting — cutting out high-calorie drinks and drinking more water may require different tactics.
The acronym “SMART” presents great criteria for setting good goals. It stands for goals that are:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timed
Once you know what kind of goal you want to set, hone in on ways to make it more appropriate and feasible. Setting specific, measurable goals can lead to better hydration habits.
Once you’ve set your goals, you’ll want to find ways to make meeting them easier.
For example, if you want to drink more water during the day but aren’t great at keeping track, a good water bottle might help you. Plus, it’ll probably lead to less plastic waste. Packing a water bottle is also good for anyone on the move.
The best bottles are built to make chugging or sipping easy. Some even come with measurements to cut out the guesswork of how much to drink and little annotations to encourage you to keep drinking.
You might also look for insulated options that keep your water cool or a tumbler with a handle so you don’t have to cradle it like a baby.
This approach is worthwhile if you know you’ll drink more water if you have good flavor options on deck. For instance, you might add bubbly water to your grocery list or add fresh fruit or cucumbers to a glass of water at home.
Now that we’ve laid out ways to set yourself up for hydration success, keep reading for specific tips to improve your hydration habits.
Since time-related goals are easiest to keep, it’s a good call to set timers on your watch or phone. Setting incremental timers can help you remember to drink more, especially on busy days. There are also water-drinking apps to make it even easier.
If your city isn’t known for having great tap water or you just don’t like the taste of yours, the key to upping the amount of water you drink could be as simple as getting a filter.
Whether you opt for something you can fill up and then store in the fridge or prefer to install one directly to your faucet, there are lots of options.
Though it adds an extra step in the hydration process, getting a water filter could definitely pay off if it makes hydrating a little tastier and, thus, more motivating.
Some people find plain water boring. That’s sometimes why they choose the less healthy drink when given the option. If you’re wondering how to drink water without dreading it, here’s your solution: flavored waters.
You could also get fancy and make your own spa water, infusing it with ingredients like mint, basil, lemon, or cucumber. Herbal teas and sparkling water without added sugar are great too!
Although they’re not quite as healthy as flavored water or plain H2O, you could also incorporate sports drinks with more electrolytes in them, especially after a workout. Look for options without added sugars or calories.
In any case, flavored waters can be great ways to curb cravings for more sugary carbonated beverages, like soda.
On that note, if you crave a sugary drink — like processed fruit juice, soda, or caffeinated drinks with added sugars — challenge yourself to have some water instead.
Not only will this help increase your daily water intake, but it’ll help you cut back on high-calorie beverages. It’s challenging at first, but once you make it a habit, the cravings will start to dissipate.
One review looked at the role of sugar-sweetened beverages in the global obesity epidemic. It found a strong causal connection between sugary drinks and weight gain.
As another review points out, drinking water instead of other beverages (or in greater volume than other beverages) helps with weight management. Research shows that even if the only change you make to your diet is cutting out drinks with sugary drinks, you might still see a positive impact on weight loss.
Watermelon, strawberries, and lettuce are all great water-rich foods. Don’t foresee yourself snacking on these fruits and veggies? You can put them in smoothies (using frozen ingredients will suffice and help cut costs).
If you have a hard time sipping throughout the day, try having a full glass of water (heavy pours, welcome) during transition moments, whether it’s right when you wake up or right after you go to the bathroom.
If you have difficulty functioning early in the morning (happens to the best of us), apply the above rule to mealtimes instead of the early morning. The key is to associate drinking water with another automatic behavior or routine so you remember to do it.
Your brain sends signals to your body to tell you whether you need water. Here are some ways to know if you’re not getting enough water:
Thirst
Dark yellow, smelly urine
Less frequent urination
Dizziness
Increased body temperature
Dry mouth, lips, and tongue
Sunken eyes
Low blood pressure
The causes of dehydration can vary, but they include:
Medication side effects
Diarrhea and constipation (just generally abnormal bowel movements)
Heatstroke
Excessive alcohol intake
Excessive sweat post-exercise
Fever
Severe dehydration can be a medical emergency and a big risk factor for kidney stones, so seek care from a healthcare provider if the symptoms are severe.
Yes. It’s not super common, but it’s possible to be overhydrated. When this happens, it’s called water toxicity. To prevent it from happening, avoid drinking more than a gallon of water a day unless you’re involved in strenuous activities that increase your water needs, like hot yoga or working outside in hot weather.
Hydration benefits are pretty endless. And healthy habits start with little changes (one sip at a time), like drinking more water every day.
Here’s what to remember:
Water is a pillar of good health. It supports digestion, energy levels, joint lubrication, waste removal, oxygen transport, and body temperature regulation.
Hydration needs vary based on activity level, weather, and health conditions. Listen to your body and pay attention to thirst cues and urine color. While the commonly recommended water intake is eight glasses a day, men typically need about 125 ounces and women need closer to 90 ounces.
To drink more water, set specific hydration goals, plan ahead by carrying a reusable water bottle, and incorporate flavored water or hydrating foods into your routine.
Be mindful of symptoms like thirst, dark urine, fatigue, and dry mouth, which can indicate you need more fluids.
We hope these strategies make your water intake goals a little more approachable. Looking for more tips? Learn how to build healthy habits to achieve your goals.
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