I know how hard it is to drink enough water. I gave up drinking sodas and juices on a daily basis when I was 14, so I’ve have had plenty of practice staying hydrated. Even though water is the only thing I drink (not counting wine and coffee), I still find it a little hard to drink enough.
Current research says we should be getting between 30 to 50 ounces of water daily, and while that’s not as much as the traditional “eight glasses a day,” it’s still a lot. With that being said, I’ve found a few ways to make it easier to drink more water and to make the water you drink count.
- Drink a large glass of water before coffee in the morning.
The very first thing you should do when you wake up is pour yourself a cold glass of water and drink it. Don’t even think about coffee or breakfast before you’ve done this. You can feel pretty parched in the morning, since you've been several hours without any water, so fixing that needs to be your first priority. Aside from hydration, swigging some H2O also promotes digestive health, maintains kidney function, and improves brain function. - Drink a glass before you go to bed.
It’s good practice to drink some water before bed too. I don’t recommend drinking a huge glass, but four to eight ounces should be fine. Drinking water about 30 minutes before bed helps me feel like I’m sleeping better, prevents me from waking up thirsty in the middle of the night, and reduces that parched feeling in the morning. - Only order water at restaurants.
There are several benefits to a water-only approach at restaurants. First, it saves you money, and trust me those restaurant sodas add up fast. I’ve also found that I drink a lot of water in order to wash down my food, so choosing water over sodas is beneficial. I consume fewer calories and stay hydrated without having to think about it. - Drink a glass of water for each cup of coffee.
Coffee is a mild diuretic, but you have to drink large amounts for it to be significantly harmful. However, the act of drinking water after a cup of coffee can greatly increase your water consumption. Simply think of it as a combo to guarantee you don’t slack on the H2O. - Keep a bottle of water with you at all times.
This can be the best way to guarantee proper hydration. I started carrying a reusable water bottle with me in high school, and it’s become a daily staple since then. As long as I have a water bottle I have no excuses not to drink enough water. Having a water bottle eliminates the chance of turning to sodas or juice when you’re on road trips, at work, or anywhere else.
