How to drink more water every day? Tips and tricks

Hydration is essential to maintain your bodily functions. Water helps regulate temperature, aid digestion , and transport nutrients. Adequate water intake supports energy, focus, and skin health. In this article, you'll discover practical tips for increasing your daily water intake!

1. Why is it important to drink more water?

1.1 The benefits of water on your health

Water plays a fundamental role in the proper functioning of our bodies: it regulates body temperature, transports nutrients, and eliminates waste. Adequate water intake also helps lubricate joints and maintain a healthy fluid balance in the body.

Even mild dehydration can lead to low energy, headaches, and difficulty concentrating. Drinking water regularly helps your brain function better (it's made up of about 80% water!), improving your ability to focus throughout the day.

1.2 Why aim for 1.6 to 2 liters of water per day or more?

It is recommended to drink between 1.6 and 2 liters of water per day, but this requirement can vary depending on several factors, namely gender, age, weight and weather conditions.

Women generally need slightly less water than men, except during pregnancy or breastfeeding, when fluid needs increase. To avoid dehydration, children and the elderly should also monitor their water intake. Water intake increases with weight; the heavier you are, the greater your water needs. The same is true if you live in a hot, dry climate, as water losses are greater in these conditions.

ANSES (French National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety) recommends a daily consumption of 1.6 liters of water for women and 2 liters for men.

If you are dehydrated, certain symptoms will alert you, such as a feeling of thirst, dark urine and headaches, for example.

2. 8 practical tips to drink more water every day

2.1. Hydrate as soon as you wake up

During the night, your body continues to function and loses water through breathing and perspiration. This first glass helps reactivate your metabolism, wake up your digestive system, and eliminate toxins. So as soon as you get up to start your day, drink a large glass of water!

2.2. Adopt a reusable water bottle

Having a water bottle handy is one of the best ways to increase your water consumption. It allows you to always have water available and therefore drink much more regularly. It's a much more environmentally friendly solution compared to cups or plastic bottles.

2.3. Flavor your water

Some people don't like plain water and prefer to add flavors. Opting for natural flavors like lemon or mint can help make drinking easier. Also, herbal teas work well too!

There are a multitude of combinations you can try, such as mixing lemon and mint, orange and ginger for an energy boost, or cucumber and basil, for example.

2.4. Add ice cubes or food extracts

You can add flavored ice cubes or natural food extracts to make water easier to consume and more refreshing. To make your fruit ice cubes, freeze pieces of fruit, fresh herbs, or lemon juice in ice cube trays. You can also add food extracts; for this, add a few drops of vanilla extract, orange blossom extract, or coconut water to flavor your drink.

2.5. Establish hydration routines

Associating the act of drinking water with key moments of the day will help you make it a habit. For example, you could drink a glass every morning upon waking, before each meal, and before your workout. This routine will become established, and you'll do it subconsciously.

2.6. Use a connected application or gadgets

There are apps and smart gadgets that track your water consumption and send you reminders. Some offer personalized goals based on your weight and activity. There are also water bottles that send light reminders to remind you to drink throughout the day.

2.7. Consume foods rich in water

Hydration isn't just about drinks; many foods are naturally rich in water and help meet your fluid needs. Among fruits, watermelon contains 92% water, as do cantaloupe, strawberries, oranges, and grapefruit. Among vegetables, cucumbers are 96% water, as are lettuce, tomatoes, and zucchini. Eating these foods will help you stay properly hydrated.

2.8. Use hydration solutions like Hydratis

Hydratis helps you optimize your hydration . Our tablets, made up of electrolytes, trace elements, and a small amount of sugar, allow your body to assimilate the water you ingest more quickly and efficiently. In addition, electrolytes are there to compensate for mineral losses throughout the day. Finally, the different flavors offered will help you drink more easily and adapt to everyone's tastes.

3. Tips to boost your hydration

3.1 Set concrete and achievable goals

To improve your hydration, start by assessing your personal needs by completing the hydration assessment on our website https://www.hydratis.co/pages/diagnostic-hydratation-hydratis. This will give you an estimate of the amount of water needed to optimize your hydration each day.

3.2 Make hydration accessible

To improve your hydration, keep water handy by placing glasses or bottles in strategic locations, such as your desk or bag, this will remind you to drink regularly.

Investing in suitable solutions, such as water jugs or dispensers, can also make hydration more convenient.

4. Hydration FAQs

How can you manage to drink 1.6 to 2 liters of water per day?

To reach 1.6 to 2 liters of water per day, start by dividing this amount into small amounts throughout the day. Drink a glass of water with each meal and always keep a bottle handy to remind yourself to drink regularly.

How to easily increase your water consumption?

A simple way to increase your consumption is to use reminders on your phone or a dedicated app. You can also incorporate regular water breaks, especially at work or during leisure time.

How to make water more attractive?

Add fresh fruit, herbs, or spices to your water to enhance its flavor. You can also opt for infusions or homemade flavored waters for a change. Hydratis is a solution to improve the taste and quality of your hydration.

Remember that drinking enough water has many health benefits, including improving your digestion, boosting your energy, and keeping your skin healthy. Feel free to experiment with the tips and choose the ones that work best for you! Choose a tip to incorporate into your routine today and start improving your hydration.

Bibliography

Doctor, what is the baby? (2014). [JD]. Nefrologia, 34. https://doi.org/10.3265/Nefrologia.pre2014.Jul.12610 

Wong, JMW, Ebbeling, CB, Robinson, L., Feldman, HA, & Ludwig, DS (2017). Effects of Advice to Drink 8 Cups of Water per Day in Adolescents With Overweight or Obesity. In JAMA Pediatrics (Vol. 171, Issue 5, p. e170012). American Medical Association (AMA). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.0012 

Arnaud, MJ, & Noakes, TD (2011). Should humans be encouraged to drink water to excess? In European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 65, Issue 7, pp. 875–876). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2011.40