For many people, meeting their daily water needs is a challenge. Maybe you don’t drink often because you’re busy with work or you just don’t like the bland taste of plain water. So, are there any tips to make you drink water more often?
Tips for drinking more water
If you are the type of individual who rarely drinks water, you are not alone. Below are some easy and fun tips that can help you drink more often.
1. Put a glass of water on the bedside table
Prepare a large glass of water before you go to sleep. Then, place the glass on the bedroom table or near the place to put the cellphone. The next morning, you can immediately drink water after turning off the alarm.
Don’t believe this trick works? Try doing this for four days. You’ll notice that your hand starts to automatically reach for the glass after turning off the alarm.
2. Make a drinking alarm
These tips can help you drink more water on a regular basis. Set your cellphone alarm to sound every two hours. Every time the alarm goes off, drink a glass of water.
Apart from setting alarms manually, you can also use smart apps to track your daily water intake. Some recommended applications that you can download include Daily Water Free, Water Alert, or Waterlogged.
3. Keep a water bottle near you
When you are busy with a pile of work, it may be more difficult for you to go back and forth to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Therefore, make sure you are close to a source of drinking water that is easily accessible.
When you get to work in the morning, fill a large water bottle full and place it near you. Complete these tips by using a 1 – 2 liter water bottle to ensure that you are drinking enough water throughout the day.
4. Drink water before eating
Drinking a glass of water before a meal helps cut your calorie intake by making you full faster. In addition, a study in India in 2013 also showed that drinking water can increase the metabolic rate.
With these two factors in mind, drinking water can help you eat less and lose weight. This can be a motivation for people who are losing weight and want to drink more water.
5. Drink water after brushing your teeth
Brushing your teeth does provide a refreshing sensation. However, not everyone is comfortable with the taste of toothpaste remaining in the mouth. To get around this, try drinking a glass of water every time you finish brushing your teeth.
Prepare a glass of water in the sink first, then gulp it down after brushing your teeth and gargling. By applying these tips, you can drink more water to meet fluid needs before bed and after waking up.
6. Eat spicy food and drink after eating
Without you knowing it, the habit of eating spicy food can be a trigger for you to drink more water. Indeed, there is nothing more comforting than a glass of water when the tongue is being burned by the spiciness of the dish.
Once you get used to drinking water after eating spicy food, try to make this behavior a daily habit. Whether spicy or not, make sure you drink a glass of water after eating any food.
7. Mix the sweet drink with water and ice
If you find it difficult to leave the habit of drinking sugary drinks such as soda and juice, try these tips for drinking water. When going to drink a sweet drink, mix the drink with water and lots of ice.
This way, you can still get the sweet and fresh taste of sweetened drinks. At the same time, you will also drink more water to meet the body’s fluid needs.
8. Add healthy flavors
These tips are suitable for people who rarely drink water because they don’t like the bland taste. The flavoring ingredients will make the water more delicious so that people who don’t like water can drink more.
Use healthy flavorings, such as fruit. Make infused water by adding sliced strawberries, kiwis, or any other fruit you like. In addition to increasing fluid intake, infused water also contributes additional nutrients.
9. Drink coffee or tea
As with infused water, drinking coffee or tea can help people who want to drink more, but don’t like the taste of plain water. The principle is similar, namely to make water into a drink with a more delicious taste.
Coffee and tea can also be healthy drinks as long as you don’t add a lot of sugar. Both are low in calories, rich in antioxidants, and can increase metabolism and fat burning.
There are still many people who rarely drink water even though they understand that fluid intake plays an important role for health. The reasons are various, including busywork, not being used to it, or simply not liking the taste of water.
The various tips above can be a starting point for wanting to drink more water. Do what works for you and don’t get tired of repeating it. Over time, the various tips you do will become a healthy habit.