How to Drink More Water Each Day and Stay Hydrated

Follow these tips for drinking more water to help you better hydrate throughout the day.

Fact checked by Emily PetersonMedically reviewed by Kristy Del Coro, MS, RDN, LDN

If you've been slacking on your water intake or can't tell if you're sipping enough, don’t fret. Aside from strapping a water bottle to your back, there are infinite ways to make drinking more water and staying properly hydrated easier to remember (even if the taste doesn't thrill you). Here, we share how to drink more water in your day and some of the best ways to make hydration a daily habit—plus, why it matters.

Meet the Expert

Marisa Moore, RDN is the author of The Plant Love Kitchen and former spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Why Drinking Water Is Important

If drinking more water is always at the top of your to-do list, it's for good reason. A lack of H20 in our systems can lead to fatigue, headaches, fogginess, and a whole host of other side effects. In warmer weather, you face a higher risk of heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and other health issues if you don't drink enough water. Meanwhile, research has linked good hydration to healthy aging, longevity, and a reduced risk for heart disease and failure.

Our bodies are made of 60 percent water, but when we sweat, talk, hit the bathroom, and even breathe, we lose water throughout the day. To retain and replenish the water we need in our bodies to function, experts recommend consuming nine to 13 cups of water a day. (Every person's individual hydration needs are unique, however, so this is more of a general guideline that's helpful to refer to, rather than a one-size-fits-all rule.)

“The key is to make drinking water a habit. Find a way to drink it that you enjoy so you’ll want to keep up the habit.”

Marisa Moore, RDN

Tips for Drinking More Water

Now that you know why staying hydrated is important for our health, you might wonder how to achieve this on a daily basis. Try these ideas for ways to add more water to your day and make it a habit.

Make It a Game

Motivate yourself by turning drinking water into a (friendly) competition. Team up with a loved one and challenge each other to drink more water. Pick a start date, then keep a digital journal you both can access for tracking your progress.

Start by drinking one more cup of water per day than you usually would until you meet the recommended cups per day. Once you’ve hit that goal, keep it up, and hold each other accountable until drinking more water becomes a habit. Check your progress in the journal after 30 days and adjust your intake accordingly.

Keep It Within Sight

Sometimes the easiest way to drink water is by having it on hand. “Filling and keeping your favorite bottle on your desk or in your work bag is helpful because the visible cue will remind you to drink,” Moore says. Whether it's the water bottle you scored at an office party or the bedazzled one you randomly picked up while shopping, keeping a refillable water bottle within sight is key to drinking more.

Try Different Types of Water

While H20 is H20, different bottled water brands and even tap water can offer different tastes. Depending on where it's sourced from—a natural spring, an artesian well, or your local lake or river—the taste can make all the difference on how likely you are to drink it consistently.

“If accessible, try a different water source,” suggests Moore. “Water straight from the tap versus filtered water can taste drastically different. Where you live can influence how water tastes so if you wrote water off many years ago, give your current water source a try.”

Add Flavor

Not only does infusing water with lemon, limes, and other fruits and veggies add nutritional value to your cup of H2O, but it also adds major flavor. If you want to step it up add herbs like mint, parsley, or ginger. Play around with various infused water flavors until you find a few you like best.

Eat Hydrating Foods

If the thought of drinking 11 cups of water a day leaves you feeling defeated, always remember that you can consume foods high in water content to eat your way toward that hydration goal. “The water in food counts,” Moore says. “Add plenty of high-water foods such as melons, salad greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers to stay both nourished and hydrated.”

Combine With a Habit

Another way to drink more water is to associate sipping with an existing activity or behavior you know happens regularly (a technique known as habit stacking). Tie drinking water to a workout, meal times, or when you first wake up. By associating the habit with drinking water, you "train" yourself to want water during those times.

Enjoy Other Hydrating Drinks

Increasing your water intake doesn't mean ditching other beverages altogether—or that you only have to sip plain water. Tons of healthy, hydrating beverages can help get you there. “I also drink tea, make smoothies, and sometimes enjoy a fruity sparkling water with a meal,” Moore says.

Avoid Added Sugars

When drinking beverages that are not water, look for those with minimal or no added sugars to help keep your daily sugar intake within limits.

Keep Water Cold

Add ice cubes to your refillable water bottle to encourage you to drink more water throughout the day. Or, put freezer-safe bottles in the freezer overnight so you can take them with you to work or a day out. The water will thaw throughout the day and you'll have refreshing, ice-cold water all day long.

Drink Water With Meals

Make a habit of drinking water with your meals. At home, serve water instead of juice, lemonade, or iced tea. Order water with your meal when dining out instead of a soda or beer—you'll avoid sugar and save some money, too.

Remind Yourself

An easy way to help you drink more water is to set periodic reminders with an alarm or water-tracking app. You can schedule reminders for drinking water every hour (or every 30 minutes) to help you stay on track with your daily water goal. This is a great technique if you get too busy or tend to forget.

Purchase a Water Filter

Though your local tap water is probably safe to drink, many people don't like the taste. Consider using a water filter to improve the quality and taste of your home's water.

Depending on your budget and needs, you can use an in-pitcher water filter system, a faucet-side filter, an under-sink filter, or invest in a whole-home water filtration system. This also helps you cut back on plastic water bottles, which saves you money and helps the planet, too.

Take a Sip When You Wake Up

Starting your day with a glass of water is a perfect way to get your water drinking going for the day. To help you, consider leaving a cup or bottle of water on your nightstand so you can reach for it when you wake up. Drinking water first thing in the morning can also help your alertness level.

Try a One-to-One Ratio

Set a rule for yourself when drinking alcohol, coffee, or sugary drinks: For every glass or cup of these drinks, drink a glass of water. Not only will this help increase how much water you drink for the day, but you'll also help yourself stay hydrated while enjoying a cocktail or caffeine. This is a great strategy for a night out with friends or when attending a party.

It doesn't have to be all or nothing. Making drinking more water a lifelong habit is a journey, and it's OK if there are days when you forget to drink your fill. The key is forming a habit you can jump back into if you fall off the wagon.

Related: Wait a Minute, Is Milk More Hydrating Than Water? Here's the Best Time to Swap Water for Milk

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