Staying hydrated is vital to your daily functionality and long-term health. Health professionals advise that you drink roughly two liters of water a day (varying depending on your weight and activity level), and this helps to regulate your body’s internal environment, increase your brain cognitive function, and transport nutrients throughout your system. Your overall health and wellness is heavily impacted by how much water you consume, and though drinking more water can seem like a simple task, it can be difficult to remember to do so. There are several tasks that require our attention throughout the day and that make it harder to prioritize the ones that are necessary for our health, but there are 5 things you can start doing to begin improving your water intake and start sticking to a habit that is essential to your personal wellness:

1. Use a water tracking bottle 

Inside Then Out’s Water Tracking Bottle has daily time trackers that allows you to meet your water targets throughout the day.  It can easily fit in the cup holder in your car or in your bag so that you can use it on the go, and it serves as a tool to both motivate and remind you to drink more water.

2. Flavor your water

If you are someone who likes variety in what you consume or if plain water is just not exciting enough, play around with adding fruit to your drink. Some water infused with lemon, blueberry, or cucumbers can enhance the taste and add extra nutrients into your system.  

3. Tie it to a routine 

Stacking a new habit onto an existing habit makes adopting it a more seamless process. You can decide to drink water first thing when you wake up, each time you open your laptop, or before you leave your home each day. Look for points in your day that you can attach your water drinking habit to, and you can even write into your daily planner next to the associated task. 

4. Eat hydrating foods 

If drinking your water is difficult, you can also eat it. There are many foods with high water content such as watermelon, bell peppers, and cabbage that you can snack on or add to your meals. Though this should not replace drinking water entirely, it is an effective way to improve your hydration levels. 

5. Get an accountability partner

Sometimes it can be difficult to keep track of or sustain a habit on your own. Engaging with another individual or joining a community that cares about personal wellness can help hold you to your water intake goals. You don’t need to only rely on yourself on the journey to create new habits! 

Start following these tips to improve your hydration and take ownership of your health in the ways that you can!