When it comes to overall human health, nothing matters more than hydration. The fact that we ourselves are made predominantly of water making this something of a no-brainer!
If you really want to keep tabs on your oral health and hygiene, you first need to take hydration seriously. The best electric toothbrush recommended by dentists will only get you so far if you fail to hydrate yourself adequately. Nevertheless, research would seem to suggest that the vast majority of people are still not drinking their recommended two litres of water on a daily basis.
Of course, busy lifestyles and thousands of things to remember every day often mean hydration takes a back seat. We remember to brush our teeth and floss on occasion, but actually monitoring how much we drink is something most fail to do.
On the plus side, there are various options available to make it that little bit easier to drink more water, day in and day out. So if you’d like to do your overall health and wellbeing a favour, be sure to try out as many of the following as necessary.
- Rehydrate in the morning
First up, the longest most people go without drinking is the period between going to sleep and getting up in the morning. As such, before reaching for your Bluetooth electric toothbrush and getting busy with the scrubbing, drink a glass or two of water. Try to get into the habit of hydrating first thing in the morning, before doing anything else. - Bring a little flavour into the equation
Attempting to stay hydrated can be a little uninspiring when dealing with tasteless liquids. However, bring a little flavour into the equation and the whole thing becomes considerably more pleasant. Fresh fruit, sugar-free cocktails – pretty much anything that can make the water you drink at least slightly more exciting. - Drink a glass after every bathroom break
Unusual yet surprisingly effective, you can also try getting yourself into the habit of drinking a glass of water with each bathroom break you take. Every time you get away from your desk and take a walk for any reason, be sure to pop by the cooler and throw back a cup of water. By the time the whole thing becomes second nature, you will have upped your daily water intake considerably. - Have a glass of water before every meal
Contrary to popular belief, dehydration has the potential to make you feel so much hungrier than you actually are. Precisely why drinking a glass of water before every meal can be beneficial in multiple ways. Along with ensuring you remain hydrated, you are statistically less likely to overeat. What’s more, drinking a glass of water each time you feel a craving for anything ‘naughty’ during the day can have a positive effect on your eating habits, too. - Download an app
Unsurprisingly, there are dozens of mobile applications on the market right now that have been designed for exactly this purpose. Some of which are more entertaining than others, but all are designed to do the same thing – remind you to drink more water. Along with tracking how much water you drink throughout the day, mobile applications can also provide you with gentle reminders on an on-going basis. Great if you’re the kind of person who has the best intentions, though perhaps not the best memory. - Get a high-tech water bottle
If gadgets are your thing, there are even advanced water bottles on the market today that connect directly to mobile apps. Rather than simply telling you when to drink and keeping you on the ball, these things actually measure and record exactly how much water you drink in real-time. All of which may sound a little excessive, but can nonetheless be surprisingly entertaining and effective. - Always carry water with you
For obvious reasons, having a bottle of water with you at all times is guaranteed to ensure you consume more of the stuff on a daily basis. Particularly if you can get into the habit of slowly sipping it every 15/30 minutes or so. Rather than simply guzzling gallons of water then failing to have a drink for the next 6 hours, it’s far more effective to drink slowly and gradually throughout the day. - Eat water-rich foods
Don’t forget that the 2 liters of water you need every day don’t necessarily have to come from what you choose to drink. Instead, quite a lot of the water you need can come directly from a variety of food sources. For example, watermelon is comprised of approximately 92% water, the average zucchini is about 95% water and the humble cucumber is a whopping 96% water. As such, if you can get into the habit of snacking on these water-rich foods on a regular basis, you’ll find it so much easier to remain hydrated and healthy throughout the day. - Watch your alcohol intake
If you are serious about remaining hydrated, you need to do as much as you can to limit your alcohol intake. By its very nature, alcohol forces the body to push out an unhealthy amount of moisture, resulting in the kind of dehydration that can really take a toll on your health. If you insist on drinking alcohol, do so in moderation and ensure you drink one glass of water for every one alcoholic drink you consume. Get into this habit and you may even find your hangovers are nowhere near as severe as they used to be. - Use a marked water bottle
Last but not least, something as simple as a marked water bottle can make it so much easier to keep track of how much water you drink throughout the day. Water bottles with clear measurements on the side can be picked up for no more than £5 or so these days, though there’s also nothing to stop you making one yourself. Simply measure a quantity of water before pouring it in the bottle and add the marks with a Sharpie respectively.
