How many glasses of water do you drink every day? Three, four, five? But do you know that an adult needs at least 10 glasses a day to stay hydrated?Â
Women should consume about 12 cups and men about 16 cups. Water helps the body perform its functions such as:
- to deliver nutrients to the cells,Â
- to maintain a normal salt balance,Â
- to normalize hormones work,Â
- to remove toxins.Â
Drinking enough water ensures that your cells stay hydrated and healthy. Water also serves as the so-called vehicle for the plasma in your blood, which is needed to deliver nutrients to your cells and remove toxins. Water also “lubricates” the joints, helps regulate blood pressure and body temperature, helps digestion and absorption of nutrients.
If there is not enough water in the body, the blood becomes viscous, which may be dangerous to health. That is why drinking enough water is not necessary, but mandatory. However, often people who are even aware of the need to consume a sufficient amount of water during the day face difficulties on the way to developing such a useful habit.
That is why in this article we will discuss how to get used to drinking more water.
- Use a checklist
One of the most effective ways to get yourself to drink more water throughout the day is to use a checklist. On the Internet, you can find many options for free checklist templates, which were created specifically for the topic of water consumption. Thus, a stylized checklist will become one of the best ways to drink more water.Â
First of all, if you hang the checklist on the wall or above your workplace, you will have a constant reminder to drink another glass. Secondly, if you try to mark the drunk glasses in the checklist, then you will become “addicted” (only in the good sense of the word) to mark, and accordingly drink, the required number of glasses. Third, you can find incredibly beautiful checklist templates that will motivate you to maintain such a healthy habit just by looking at them.
- Start early in the morning
Develop one useful habit for yourself that will help you get used to drinking water faster. Drink a glass of water as soon as you are awake. Many health specialists say that the best thing you can do in the morning is to drink a full glass of water as soon as you wake up. Plus, by starting your day with a glass of water, you’ll already have met part of your daily norm, so if your day gets too busy later on and you forget about water, you’ll have a head start.
- Add the flavor
You can add lemon, lime, orange, passion fruit, cucumber, watermelon, strawberry or other fragrant herbs. You can choose anything you like. So, by adding fruits or vegetables to your liking, you can really enjoy the taste, and not just force yourself to fulfill the daily norm. Another good option is aroma drops.
You may also consider electrolyte powders. It can make your water taste better as most of electrolyte powders are flavored. In addition, electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium will also improve fluid absorption.
- Establish a norm
Drinking water is one of the most essential habits to have for a healthy lifestyle. It’s essential for our bodies and minds to stay hydrated and functioning properly. However, it can be difficult to get enough water in one day, especially if you struggle to remember to drink it.Â
Speaking of the norm, don’t forget to set it right from the start. Have you ever noticed how much more motivated you are to follow a new habit when you set a real and specific goal? That is why you must set an objectively achievable and clear goal. The phrase “a lot of water” is too biased. Instead, use specific goals of “10 glasses” or “1.5 liters”.
Of course, it may be difficult for you at the beginning. You can start with 5 glasses and gradually increase the amount to 10 and beyond. The main thing is to be persistent and constant in your habit.
- Extra habits
In order not to forget to drink the necessary amount of water, connect drinking with other habits. For example, drink a glass of water every time you go outside, check social networks, read a book, prepare dinner, and so on.
- Find a substitute
If drinking water is very difficult for you, you can try to replace it with vegetables and fruits. Here are the best replacement options:
- Cucumber. Water content: 96.7%
- Iceberg salad. Water content: 95.6%
- Celery. Water content: 95.4%
- Radish. Water content: 95.3%
- Green pepper. Water content: 93.9%
- Cauliflower. Water content: 92.1%
- Watermelon. Water content: 91.5%Â
- Grapefruit and strawberries. Water content: about 90%
- Сompete
Nothing motivates like the spirit of competition! Make a bet with a friend, family member or colleague who will stick to the habit of drinking the required amount of water longer. You may use reusable bottles and track the number of liters you drink per day.
- Carry a Bottle
Buy yourself a reusable bottle that will fit in your backpack or bag. You can always carry it with you and replenish your water balance at any time of the day.
Also, don’t forget that a reusable bottle is a great way to be eco-friendly. After all, this topic is no less important in today’s world. Think for yourself. The main purpose of drinking enough water is to be healthy. But the environment affects our health just as much, right?
- Remember extra benefitsÂ
Many of us suffer from bad habits such as caffeine or alcohol. This is incredibly harmful to our health. Not all people have the willpower to break these habits. This is where water is especially important. It is water that helps us to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol and caffeine.Â
Of course, water is not a magic wand. But it can certainly help improve the situation. Water cannot completely eliminate negative aspects, but it can serve as a mitigating factor.
- Set reminders
It can be difficult to remember to drink enough water in our busy day-to-day lives. That is why it is worth considering the option of setting a reminder on the phone. For example, drink a glass of water every hour. Then you will definitely not forget to consume the required amount of water.
Drinking enough water is essential to health. Water helps our bodies function properly and is necessary for proper digestion and nutrient absorption. It also helps to maintain a healthy weight by keeping us full and suppressing hunger. Water can even assist in detoxifying the body, which is important due to the presence of chemicals and pollutants in our environment.
So, as you can see there are many useful pieces of advice on how to increase the amount of water you consume every day. Of course, you can use all of them at once, or only some of them. The main thing is to find the tips that will definitely work for you. Remember that your main motivation is health. Don’t forget all the benefits of drinking enough water.