14 Ways To Drink More Water (and Why)

Water contributes to wellness in big ways, which is why it’s so important to keep an eye on your water intake. However, staying hydrated is sometimes easier said than done — especially when your days are packed with work, childcare and other responsibilities.

The good news is that there are some simple ways to bump up your water intake. In this blog, we’ll outline 14 evidence-based tips to help you drink more water, along with important insights into healthy water intake.

14 Ways To Drink More Water

Let’s start with a few simple hydration hacks to make it easier to work water into your schedule:

#1: Choose Reusable Water Bottles You Love

Reusable water bottles made of glass or stainless steel are a great way to bring water with you on the go. Choose a fun design that will help you remember to keep your bottle close at all times.

#2: Replace Sugary Drinks

If you need to drink water more frequently, start by replacing one sugary drink per day. That helps you add a more reliable source of hydration to your diet without having to cut out all your favorite beverages all at once.

#3: Drink Throughout the Day

Don’t try to drink all the water you need for the day at once. Instead, remind yourself to drink throughout the day and keep your reusable water bottle within reach while you work, clean the house or play with pets or kids.

#4: Put Water in the Fridge

Drinking cold water can make staying hydrated more appealing. Put your reusable water bottle or a pitcher in the fridge so you always have a refreshing drink to look forward to.

#5: Make Your Own Healthy Flavoring

Try infusing your water with the flavor of fresh fruits, vegetables or herbs to increase your water intake. There are plenty of fruit water infusion recipes to make water more enjoyable without added sugars or artificial ingredients.

#6: Set Drinking Water Alarms

Your phone or computer can be useful tools to help you increase your water intake. Set alarms throughout the day to remind yourself to drink water — and for better results, set your phone across the room so you have to get up to turn off the alarm (and grab a drink while you’re at it).

#7: Create a Routine

Sometimes, it’s easier to remember a task once you’ve associated it with an everyday routine. Try drinking water every time you answer an email or phone call, let the dog outside or check social media.

#8: Drink With Meals

You may have heard that you shouldn’t drink water at mealtimes. The truth is that water helps break down your food and can aid in the digestion process, which means it’s smart to grab a glass every time you sit down to eat.

#9: Start a Hydration Challenge

If you want to add more fun to your water intake, try making it into a challenge with your family, friends or coworkers. Choose a period of time — like one day or week — where everyone keeps track of their water intake. Once the time is up, the person who drank the most water could get a prize like a new reusable water bottle.

#10: Drink When You Exercise

Remember your body loses fluid through sweat, which means it’s important to drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise. That’s especially true if you’re outside in hot or humid weather. Keep in mind that regular water is often a better choice than sports drinks or vitamin water, helping you improve hydration without the extra ingredients or calories.

#11: Drink Before You Get Thirsty

Some people might not get thirsty until they’re already dehydrated, so you shouldn’t wait until you’re feeling parched. Instead, find other ways to remind yourself to keep drinking water, even if you’re not that thirsty.

#12: Know Your Dehydration Risks

Different people have different hydration needs, but they also have different dehydration risks. For example, your body might need extra water to process certain medications, so keep track of your needs and contact your doctor with any questions.

#13: Set Simple Goals

If you’re not used to drinking water all day, it can be difficult to keep up with your fluid intake. To start off on the right foot, create simple goals for yourself — such as drinking a set amount before your lunch break or refilling your reusable water bottle a certain number of times. This will help you get into the habit of hydration without stressing out about your progress.

#14: Find What Works

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to hydration. If a strategy doesn’t work for you, adjust it or try something new. The most effective methods are those that integrate seamlessly into your existing habits and preferences.

How Much Water Should You Drink?

These tips can help remind you to drink more water — but how much water do you actually need to drink?

Different people have different water intake requirements. For example, you need to drink more when you’re exercising or working outside, because activities like these will make you sweat and lose more fluid.

However, if you’re wondering how much water to drink in a day, there’s a simple guideline to follow: about 11.5 cups (91 ounces) for women and 15.5 cups (125 ounces) for men. As a benchmark, the average single-use plastic water bottle holds about 17 ounces, which means you’d need to drink between six and eight of them every day to help your body function at its best. (That can quickly get expensive and wasteful, which is why many people choose reusable water bottles instead.)

Note that you don’t have to get this full amount from drinking water: typically about 80 percent of people’s total water consumption is from drinking water and beverages; the other 20 percent comes from food.

Why is Fluid Intake So Important?

Water is considered one of six essential nutrients, along with fat, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals.

Here are just a few of the most crucial things water helps your body do:

• Regulate temperature
• Lubricate joints
• Boost immune strength
• Digest food
• Remove waste products from the kidneys
• Improve sleep
• Manage mood

If your body maintained the same fluid levels at all times, you might never need to drink at all. However, you’re losing water even as you read this. Breathing, sweating and other everyday activities can change the fluid levels in your body. In fact, you can lose between two and three liters of water every day — which is why healthy water intake is so important.

H3: Where Should Your Fluid Intake Come From?

For the most part, 80% of your fluid intake comes from drinking water and other beverages, while the other 20% comes from your diet.

Ideally, that 80% should be mostly water, not sugary drinks or other beverages. That’s because fruit juice, vitamin water and energy drinks are often be loaded with sugar and can affect hydration and overall wellness.

As for the 20% that comes from food, you have plenty of options, including these snacks with high water content:

• Apples
• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Zucchini
• Watermelon

What Should You Know About Dehydration?

If you lose more fluid than you take in, the result is dehydration. Symptoms of dehydration can include thirst, fatigue, dizziness and confusion, depending on the severity of your condition; even as little as 2% fluid loss can impact brain function.

Anyone can get dehydrated, especially if you’ve been sick for a while or are exercising in hot weather, but the risk is higher in young children and older adults.

Can You Drink Too Much Water?

It’s possible to drink too much water. This condition is called hyponatremia, and it occurs when your kidneys can’t get rid of fluid fast enough. As a result, your blood’s sodium content becomes diluted, which can lead to headaches, confusion, seizures and in extreme cases, even a coma.

The good news is that most healthy, well-nourished adults are not often at risk for hyponatremia. That’s because you get sodium from your diet, which can help balance your body’s levels of this electrolyte.

Improving Your Water Quality

If you’re aiming to improve your fluid intake, the first place to start should really be ensuring your home has cleaner, better-tasting water. Tap water can be an abundant and convenient source, but if it doesn’t look, taste or smell right, it may discourage regular consumption.

Here’s what to know about your water quality and how to improve it:

Your Drinking Water May Pose Various Concerns

If your water has an off taste, odor or discoloration, it can make it more difficult to meet daily hydration goals. While not all of these issues are health-related, they often signal underlying concerns that can be addressed with the right solution.

You Should Test Your Water

Many water quality issues aren’t visible or detectable without testing. That’s why we recommend having your tap water professionally tested — even if you haven’t noticed any changes. A professional water test can reveal key factors such as chlorine content, pH, hardness and more. These insights help determine whether filtration is necessary to improve water quality.

You Can Filter Drinking Water

If you have aesthetic concerns or the results of a water test indicate there are other quality issues with your tap water, one of your best options is to choose a comprehensive drinking water filtration system. These systems can reduce unpleasant tastes, odors and colors while addressing potential contaminants like lead, arsenic and mercury.*

Start Your Hydration Journey Today

Improving your water intake starts with improving your water quality. Once you’re confident in what’s coming out of your tap, it becomes much easier to build lasting hydration habits — whether that means upgrading your filtration system, investing in a quality reusable water bottle or finding routines that help you stay on track.

Are you ready to drink more water? Take the first step by scheduling your free water test and consultation today.

*Contaminants may not necessarily be present in your water.