Most of us know that staying hydrated is essential to our health, but many of us are still failing to drink enough water. Our bodies need water to complete vital functions such as regulating temperature and flushing out harmful toxins.
A YouGov survey of 2,000 British adults found that 17% didn’t drink any water during an average day.
If you would like to increase your daily intake of water, take a look at the 5 ideas we have highlighted below.
Getting the habit
Plant Nanny is an app designed to help users develop the healthy habit of drinking water throughout the day, by combining water tracking with a game. Users are given a plant seedling to care for and are only able to access the app and water their plant after drinking water.
Go too long without drinking water – and the plant will die!
There are many other water tracking apps out there, but this one stands out because of its fun interface. The app is free to download and is available via the iOS App Store and Google Play.
High Tech Water Bottles
As the environmental damage of single-use plastics has become clear so reusable water bottles have become more common.
A number of water bottles are now ‘smart’. Smart water bottles feature integrated technology which tracks water intake and encourages better hydration.
Hidrate Spark is a popular smart water bottle. The bottle features a light which flashes to remind the user to drink more water. An internal sensor inside the bottle measures the amount of water consumed via an app – which can sync with other smart gadgets such as Fitbits and Apple Watches.
Reusable Straws
If you have sesnitive teeth and have access to cold water from a fridge dispenser or water cooler – consider using reusable metal or plastic straws. They can provide relief to those who have sensitive teeth or find it difficult to sip cold water.
As with single-use plastic bottles, single-use straws are damaging to the environment. There are many types of reusable straws to choose from – and most are easy to store, travel with and clean.
Flavoured Water
If you struggle to drink water because you prefer flavoured drinks – consider adding natural flavourings. Many water bottles feature internal chambers – for fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs. Adding natural flavours can help make drinking water more enjoyable.
Alternatively, try making and adding fruit flavoured ice cubes to your water - take a look at our recipe and guide.
Improving the taste of tap water
Here in the UK, we’re lucky enough to have one of the safest and purest water supplies in the world. Even so, some people do not like the taste of water straight from the tap, and this can lead to not drinking as much as they should.
Tap water in the UK comes to us from a range of sources, including water treatment plants and reservoirs. The source of water and the pipes it travels through can affect how it tastes. Also, areas of the UK have different levels of water hardness (calcium magnesium carbonate) which can also affect how it tastes.
If the taste of your tap water is affecting your hydration, consider investing in a water filter. Water filters can be fitted to water jugs, fridges, water coolers and countertop taps. Countertop taps can provide filtered, chilled and even sparkling water.
