22 Easy Ways to Drink More Water Every Day

Water is essential to our well-being, yet we often struggle to meet the recommended daily fluid intake. But drinking enough water isn’t as hard as you might think. Check out these awesome foolproof ways to drink more water and stay hydrated throughout the day!

1. Replace Soda with Fizzy Water

Sometimes, the one thing keeping us from drinking the recommended daily water intake is the fact that plain water gets boring after a while. To spice things up and avoid the temptation of soda, try fizzy water instead. If you ever wondered how to drink more water daily, sparkling water is the easiest solution while avoiding the boredom of flat, plain water.

But is mineral water all that good for you?

Many myths stating that it is damaging to health exist, but they have been debunked by researchers. For example, the fizziness of the fluid isn’t that aggressive on the enamel of your teeth, especially when compared to its still counterpart, as detailed by a clinical investigation organized in 2001¹.

In addition to this, it is 100 times less harmful than carbonated soda and other soft drinks. And while mineral water is indeed slightly more acidic, it does not pose a threat to digestive health.

Research from 2002 emphasized the complete opposite². Patients suffering from digestive distress that consumed carbonated water regularly reported decreased constipation and indigestion symptoms, as well as more efficient gallbladder emptying. Thus, if you’ve been wondering how to increase water intake, you should consider it as an option.

2. Alternate Beverages

There are other beverages that are just as – or even more – hydrating than water. If you show symptoms of not drinking enough water, check out our list below for the best hydrating beverages you can consume:

• Coconut Water

The benefits of coconut water are a controversial subject. Still, research dating back to 2012 showed that it performed similarly well to bottled water in the process of rehydration when compared against the results of an electrolyte sports drink⁴. This claim is supported by an even older study from 2002⁵.

• Milk

A 2011 Canadian study on the efficiency of milk as a pre-game drink for children has uncovered that it’s a great source of hydration because it contains calcium, carbohydrates, protein, and electrolytes³. This means that it has a higher hydration index than plain water.

• Orange Juice

Fruit juice will always be a tasty alternative to plain water. Out of all the possible varieties, orange juice is by far the most refreshing. A British study cited by the New York Times has shown that its hydration index is even higher than that of water⁹. This means that the drink remains in the body for longer, as its contents aren’t excreted through urine as rapidly.

• Herbal Tea

Herbal tea consists of dried plants and fruit pieces infused into it, which makes it an ideal alternative to plain water. Depending on the type of plant the tea is made with, tea can provide various other health benefits.

For example, South African rooibos tea decreases blood pressure, thus preventing heart disease, as illustrated in a study from 2011⁶. Chamomile tea has a soothing effect⁷ that promotes restful slumber, and green tea contains catechins and other antioxidants⁸ whose consumption has a wide array of positive outcomes for the body.

• One great trick to drink more water in the shape of tea is to get one of the best insulated water bottles on the market and have it at the ready. Insulated water bottles keep your beverages hot in winter and cold in summer for hours, so you can have your fave drink anytime, anywhere.

3. Flavor your Water

The simplest and most delicious way to achieve sweetness and flavor is by infusing still or fizzy water with cut-up pieces of fruit and fresh herbs. Think of it as taking a pitcher of lemonade one step further and adding multiple taste layers to it. Any combination goes, as long as you let it infuse overnight to obtain maximum zest.

• Do you want to make your water fun, with more oomph? Crush some herbs (mint, lemongrass, basil, etc.) with a wooden spoon before you put them in your glass or water bottle to release flavor!
• Citrus water is not only for supermodels and superstars, you know? Unpeeled lemons or oranges leave a bitter taste in your water and you might not like it if you prepare a larger batch. One of the best tips to drink more water that we can give you is to peel lemons, slice them up, and then add them to the carafe.

4. Hydrate with Food

As previously mentioned, fluid water isn’t the only way to hydrate your body. There are plenty of foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, that achieve a similar purpose. Plus, their consumption is beneficial for bowel movement as well. Here are a few examples to consider the next time you want a quick and delicious H2O boost.

• Cantaloupe

Because cantaloupes are 90% water¹⁰, just one 6-ounce (177-gram) cup of the fruit delivers as much hydration as half a cup of water. This quantity also contains around 0.07 ounces (2 grams) of fiber, which promotes satiety together with the H2O. Thus, cantaloupe isn’t only a suitable alternative for fluids, but also a recommended snack for weight loss.

“Strawberries are composed of 91% water. This makes them an excellent source of moisture for the body.”

• Strawberries

You might not be able to tell from their strong aroma, but strawberries are actually composed of 91% water¹¹. This makes them an excellent source of hydration. In addition to this, they are rich in vitamin C, as well as folate, manganese, and antioxidants.

• Watermelon

Appropriately named, watermelon is 92% water¹², while the rest consists of carbs, fiber, and sugar in low doses. In addition to this, it also contains the antioxidant lycopene, which reduces oxidative stress in the body. Thus, you won’t only replenish your fluid stores, but also assist your body in creating a defensive barrier against cellular damage.

• Cucumber

As far as vegetables go, cucumber is by far one of the most hydrating options on the list thanks to its 95% water content¹³. It contains nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, and vitamin K, and it is low in calories too. This means that you can enjoy more than a couple of bites without feeling guilty about it.

• Lettuce

Keeping in tune with the green theme, lettuce is even more hydrating than cucumbers, having a water content of 96%. The best thing about this unpretentious veggie is that it is incredibly easy to incorporate into any meal. It is a great addition to salads, as well as burgers, tortillas, or wraps. Some people even substitute the bun for it for a healthier alternative.

• Soup

We’re just stating the obvious here, but soup consists mostly of water. It is thus the ideal cooked meal for complete hydration. The appeal behind it lies in the fact that you can add anything to the broth, from veggies and noodles to meat and seasoning.

5. Track Your Intake with an App

You already spend a considerable amount of time on your smartphone or tablet every day, be it for work or recreation. Why not make the most of it and track your water intake with the help of a mobile app? The most popular one out there is definitely Waterlogged, and it’s available on both Android and iOS devices. You can take a look at my experience with it. Probably the easiest answer to the “how to drink more water” question, an app is your best friend and companion when it comes to avoiding all those nasty signs of dehydration.

“We already spend a considerable amount of time on your smartphones, so why not make the most of it?”

6. Use Accessible Reminders

To up your daily fluid intake and reap the full benefits of drinking lots of water, set reminders. The simplest solution here would be to always keep a bottle of water in sight no matter where you are. Reminding yourself why drinking water is important can also be done by writing a few prompts on post-its.

• Place them around the house or on your desk, and include reasons and benefits. There are many ways to drink more water and post-its make the easiest and cheapest solution of them all.

• Browser notifications work just as well, especially if you spend most of your day at work in front of the computer. We are sure you already use a handful of add-ons for To-Do lists and tasks, why shouldn’t you set an alarm for that next glass of water you need?

7. Set Alarms on Your Phone

As far as mobile users are concerned, there are other ways to drink more water that do not involve installing a third-party app to remind yourself of drinking water out there. Your smartphone’s alarm clock function will work just as well. Set alerts throughout the day, and label them with incentives such as “it’s time for a sip” or “hydrate now”.

8. Sip Before and After Meals

What better way to remember that you have to drink water than to associate it with mealtime? Take a sip of H2O before and after breakfast, lunch, and dinner to maximize your dose. This is one of the best water drinking tips you can abide by, as it prolongs feelings of satiety and leads to weight loss in the long run¹⁴.

• If you want to mix water in a more complex diet plan in a comfortable way, remember to drink a glass of water before you eat lunch or dinner at a restaurant. It will curb your appetite, trick your brain into feeling less hungry and keep you hydrated.

9. Set Hourly Goals

Reaching your daily water intake target is a lot simpler when you take it one step of a time. Instead of gulping it all down at once, why not set hourly goals? Do this by marking your water bottle with lines that will indicate how much you should drink up to a certain point in the day.

• When you decide you want to drink more water, consider the environment as well. Buying even more plastic water bottles may help you, but it will certainly not help our planet.
• You can get yourself a cute and comfy water bottle with markings or pick a BPA-free reusable water bottle and use a marker to set your hydration goals.

10. Drink After a Bathroom Break

Do you want to know how to make yourself drink more water? Try behavioral conditioning. It does not involve bells or dogs, though, just a bit of self-discipline.

• The moments following a bathroom break are the perfect time to drink a healthy glass of water.
• In this way, you will replenish your organism with the hydration it lost, and it will be easier to remember to do it constantly as well.

11. Always Have a Glass Around

Keeping a glass of refreshing H2O around you at all times, be it on your desk at work or on the nightstand while you enjoy a good book, is the best way to remember the vital habit of hydration. To enhance the effect even further, choose a colorful jug that will stand out in any room.

12. Water Down Concentrated Beverages

The discussion on watering down orange juice and other concentrated beverages is not a new one¹⁵. The fact that these seemingly natural drinks could negatively impact the health of children sparked outrage among parents. Still, mixing them with H2O isn’t just for the kids.

You can also do this to preserve your wellbeing and hydrate better in the process. To drink more water does not mean to get more sugar in your system, albeit healthier. Therefore, if you are mindful about your daily sugar intake, water down your fruit juices as well.

“Mix concentrated beverages with water to preserve your wellbeing and hydrate better in the process.”

13. Invest in a Reusable Straw

Drinking water through a straw is the best way to drink water. Its suction allows you to consume liquids faster, and it looks cool as well. However, you should be mindful of Mother Earth when going down this road, and invest in a reusable straw made out of glass, metal, bamboo, or actual straw¹⁶.

14. Purchase a Refillable Bottle

Among the ways to drink more water and protect the environment at the same time, a reusable water bottle is the best of both worlds.

Purchasing a refillable bottle offers similar benefits to a reusable straw. It will determine you to drink more water, and it’s friendly toward the environment as well. You can have your choice of material, from BPA-free plastic and glass to metals such as copper or stainless steel.

15. Rotate Water and Alcohol

Drinking water while drinking alcoholic beverages at the same time is the best way to rehydrate the body¹⁷ and prevent hangovers. The next time you imbibe in a few cocktails or beers, follow the one-to-one rule. For each glass of alcohol, consume a corresponding glass of water. In this way, you won’t get as intoxicated, and your body won’t hate you the next day either.

16. Turn It into a Game

Speaking of alternating between alcohol and H2O, why not turn the whole thing into an entertaining drinking game¹⁸? Cosmopolitan Magazine recommends “Where’s the water?”, an activity where participants take turns taking shots of either water or clear liquors, without the others knowing which one is which. It’s basically a game of I-doubt-it, but with booze.

17. Challenge Your Friends

Looking for more creative ways to drink more water that don’t involve alcohol? Challenge your closest buddies to get their daily dose of H2O, and keep track of who is the most successful. It doesn’t have to become a full-blown contest either. Healthy competition among friends serves as a great incentive, and it will definitely motivate you to stay set on a goal.

18. Reward Yourself

Rewarding success is a great way to promote progress. Anyone who works out will tell you this, so why not apply the same concept on your water drinking goals? As soon as you start doing good by yourself and hydrating your body properly, buy yourself a fancy dessert, or maybe even a new item of clothing. This will give you the motivation you need to continue.

19. Sip, Don’t Chug

One thing that can turn you away from drinking water regularly is that unpleasant bloated feeling you get after chugging a glass or two. Thus, it’s better to sip it than to gulp it all down in one breath. It might not change the way in which your body absorbs it, but you will definitely enjoy the experience more.

20. Drink Water in the Morning

What better way to start the day than with a refreshing glass of water? Drink some H2O in the morning to energize your body for hours to come. This is one of the most beneficial strategies to drink more water to adopt, as it will remind you to mind your hydration more.

• Drinking 2 glasses of water each morning can change your life for the best. Many of us don’t actually like water. For them, the water flavoring tips above make the best ways to drink more water.
• Some of us, however, caught in the vortex of life, simply forget to hydrate. This is where the 2-morning cups of water come in. Don’t think about anything. Forget teeth brushing. Wake up, have 2 glasses of water, and then go about your day. You will feel the positive changes in about two weeks like Lidia did.

2 Drink More Water Ideas Requiring Some Investments

Many of us buy plastic water bottles to keep up with the hydration process because tap water tastes and smells bad. In fact, both municipal and well water comprise contaminants and all sorts of nasty impurities that discourage people from drinking more water.

• In an ideal world, you should go to the sink (at home or at the workplace), fill your glass with water, enjoy it, and return to your activities. But few of us can actually do this, as tap water is not that crisp, fresh, clean, and healthy beverage we all need.

For this reason, we also have here two more ideas on how to drink more water, but you need the commitment to your hydration plan, as they both require a bit of research and investing.

A. The Best Water Filter Pitcher You Can Find

If you ask us, the more water filter pitchers you have around your home and office, the more likely it is to increase your daily water intake. A water filter pitcher purifies your tap water, becoming a handy resource of clean, crisp, fresh water any time you want a glass.

• Keep it at home or on your office desk, it will make a helluva difference.
• The best water filter pitchers feature hi-tech specs, come in many makes and models, while some even re-mineralize your water with healthy calcium and magnesium. Others provide you with bonus replaceable filters to last you for months while looking slim, slick, and elegant, perfect to make you drink more water.

B. The Best Filtered Water Bottle You Can Find

In comparison to filtered water pitchers, the best filtered water bottles on the market not only purify tap water but are also outstandingly portable. They come in BPA-free plastic, stainless steel, and, of course, glass.

• One single filtered water bottle can make your tap water a sudden spring of mineral, clean, fresh water in minutes while saving hundreds of plastic water bottles a year.
• Some have a sporty/outdoor adventure flair to them while others look like something fashion designers dreamed of and created.

Just remember that once your great-tasting water becomes portable, you can apply any or all of the ways to drink more water we already explained.

The Bottom Line

Making sure you drink enough fluids throughout the day may seem like a daunting task, but actually knowing how to drink more water should get you started. Now that you know all the ways you can improve your daily water intake and the drinks and food that offer the greatest water content, there’s no excuse not to take care of your health.

Do you have any tips and tricks of your own on how to drink more water and improve your daily water intake? We’d love to hear all about them! Remember, in order to drink more water you do not need rocket science.

A bit of self-discipline, mindfulness, commitment, and some water-related gadgetry are enough to boost your health, looks, and eco-friendly endeavors!