Is your day so hectic that you often find yourself forgetting to drink water? If so, you are like most of us. Recent research has shown that about 80 percent of Americans do not drink enough water each day.

Doctors recommend that the average person drink the following each day:

  • 2200 ml for women (roughly 74 fluid ounces)
  • 3000 ml for men (about 101  fluid ounces)

This may vary depending on body size, activity level, and weather. The larger the person, the more you exercise, and the warmer the weather the more you should drink each day. As you can see, men should also intake slightly more than women on average.

Here are some tips to help ensure that you stay hydrated, no matter how chaotic your day may be.

15 Methods to Amp Up Your Water Intake

#1. Use A Straw

Using a straw can help you drink more water with each sip. If you are looking for ways to drink more water each day switching to a cup that uses a straw, rather than an open spout, may be an easy way to drink more water per sip.

#2. Use Custom Water Bottles

Carrying a bottle with you wherever you go is a great reminder that you need to hydrate your body. But often we do not keep track of how much we have drunk. You can use customized bottles that label how much water you should drink each hour. For example, instead of listing the ounces that you have in the bottle, some bottles label the measurements in time, like 8 am, 9 am, etc. This helps ensure that you are hydrating your body each hour, reminds you when to fill up your water, and overall helps you meet the minimum requirement of water.

#3. Try Flavored Water

If you do not like the taste of plain water you can try some of the many flavored varieties. In fact, you will find a vast supply of flavors on the market. Drinking flavored water is better than not drinking any water.

#4. Find A Water Buddy

One of the best ways to remember to drink water is if you have another person encouraging you to do so. Find a friend at work to help remind you to drink water. Together you can encourage one another to lead a healthier lifestyle, one drink at a time.

#5. Drink After Using The Bathroom

While you are already up and moving around to use the bathroom you should drink a glass of water. Using specific times, like bathroom breaks, can help remind you to drink water.

While it may be difficult to drink an entire cup of water after a bathroom break you should at least finish the 8-ounce cup of water before using the bathroom again.

Assuming that you use the bathroom eight times a day, from morning to night, and you drink a cup of water each time you go to the bathroom, you can drink all eight 8 ounce cups during the day using this trick.

A bathroom break serves as a simple reminder to drink water. The longer you use this trick the more naturally you will remember to do this. Before long you will not even have to think about drinking water and you will be doing it.

#6. Drink Water Before You Eat

Recent studies have found that when people who are trying to lose weight and they drink water before each meal tend to lose weight on average than people who do not drink water before they eat.
The most notable study found that drinking 16 ounces of water 30 minutes before meals has the largest effect. Drinking water helps keep you hydrated, but it can also help you lose weight. Since about fifty percent of Americans would like to lose weight, we should all start by drinking more water.

#7. Set Alarms To Drink Water

If you find yourself feeling thirsty throughout the day you are not getting enough water. Our busy schedules make it difficult to remember to drink water even if it is right next to us.
Try setting a reminder on your phone or fitness watch to remind you to take a few gulps. Start by setting an alarm each hour. When the alarm goes off it can help remind you to chug away.

#8 Eat Water-Based Foods For Hydration

If you have a difficult time drinking enough water each day you can try in taking some of your water by eating water-based foods.
Some of the best water-based foods for you to eat include watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, lettuce, bananas, and even shrimp. Most fruits and vegetables have a high percentage of water in each piece.
Not only can eating these foods cure your sweet tooth, but they can also help you stay hydrated.
drink water

#9. Use A Water Filter

Investing in a water filter may help you drink significantly more water. Water filters are not very expensive and can save you a lot of money in the long run since you will not be purchasing plastic water bottles.
A water filter can greatly improve the overall taste of your water since it filters out chemicals. The improved taste may leave you drinking more water.

#10. Check The Temperature Of Your Water

If you find it difficult to drink water it may be because you have not found the ideal temperature to drink it at. Some people prefer their water room temperature while others like to have iced water. Sip some water at both temperatures and decide which one you like more.

If you find that you like colder temperatures better, you should get a water bottle that keeps your drink cold for hours. This could help you drink more water.

#11.  Exercise More

The more you exercise, the more water your body will need and the more water you will naturally crave. If you are already struggling to drink the minimum water requirement, it may sound crazy to say that you should exercise more and drink an additional two or more glasses of water for each hour that you exercise.

This is not crazy at all, because you will want to drink more water after exercising and this will come naturally to your body and your mind. Researchers have found that the average person loses between 17 to 50 ounces of water for each hour of exercise. Therefore, you should be drinking about 2 or more 8-ounce glasses of water before, during, or after exercise to replenish your lost fluids.

There are tremendous benefits to remaining hydrated while you exercise. Drinking water helps improve your athletic ability, increases your critical thinking skills, delivers nutrients to your body more efficiently, reduces the amount of effort on your heart, along with many other things. It is crucial that you do not get dehydrated when you are exercising.

#12. Use A Water Tracking App

There are endless apps available for free on most phones. If you are attached to your phone and carry it with you everywhere you should try downloading a free water tracking app. These apps can help keep track of your water intake and can keep a record of it for you to look back at later. Some of these apps also remind you to take in more during the day. If you have your phone with you, downloading a water tracking app can help you effortlessly consume the correct quantity each day.

#13. Drink Rose Water

If you have a difficult time drinking water to stay hydrated try drinking rose water for its incredible beauty benefits. If you are looking for natural ways to rejuvenate your skin you can sip rose water daily to give your skin a younger-looking glow.
Enjoying a glass of rose water each night before bed can be an easy addition to your beauty routine but can also help you add a glass of water to your counter.

#14. Initiate A Water Filling Station At Work

Many companies, schools, and public buildings are starting to use hydration stations to fill up water bottles. They use filtered fountains with a camera to encourage more and more people to drink up. If your place of work does not already have one of these stations you should encourage them to get one.

#15. Carry A Reusable Water Bottle

Do not rely on other people to get your water. You should always bring your own water bottle with you wherever you go so that you do not have to worry about buying water or asking for water. Using a reusable bottle can be the best reminder that you need to hydrate. Whenever you pick it up or set it down during your day it is a reminder to drink.
drink more water

Final Thoughts: Use These Ways to Drink More Water

There are some great tricks to help ensure that you stay hydrated throughout the day. No matter who you are or what you have planned for your busy day these tricks can help ensure that you get enough water. These tips and tricks do not require you to do anything differently during your day. They only serve as a reminder for when and how you can boost your intake.

Drinking at least eight cups of H2O each and every day can help improve your overall health, help you lose weight, increase your athletic ability, and improve your mindset. While we all need a minimum of 64 ounces of water each day, with a healthy diet we can get about 20 percent of our water from foods.

While there are endless benefits to drinking water, many of us still do not get as much as we need. If you find yourself thirsty throughout the day try using one or two of these tricks to get you started down the right path of staying hydrated and feeling healthy.