Water is an indispensable liquid, a lifesaver, and a frontrunner in building hydration habits.
The world is made up of a minimum of 70% water and our bodies are made up of 60%, ever wondered why? This just tells us how important water is. Even the popular phrase, “water is life” puts a stamp on it.
Hydration is the process of replacing body fluids that were lost through sweat and excretion of waste. Hydration is a continuous process that must occur in the life of any person.
Drinking water is not enough. Are you drinking the right amount of water? Staying hydrated can be a herculean task if not properly managed. Our focus here is to give you reasons why you need to build good hydration habits and ways to achieve this.
Why You Should Keep Your Body Hydrated
The importance of having enough water in your system is numerous, from improvement in general body health to an increase in concentration. Some of the benefits of hydration are listed below
1. Regulation of body temperature
2. Aids Digestion
3. Improves brain performance
4. Removes toxins from the body
5. Gives the body an energy boost
6. Helpful in treating headaches
7. Improved production of saliva and mucus
8. Aids in the transportation of oxygen
9. Improves the function of our immune system
How to Build Effective Hydration Habits
As a child, you fell countless times before you took those first steps. This is the same with trying to build any habit. The following tips will help you in your journey to building the best hydration habits.
1. Know yourself
Before you start your journey of building hydration habits, you must know yourself. Are you someone who feels the effect of dehydration immediately? Do you take water only during meals? Does your body refuse to give you telltale signs when you get dehydrated?
These are some of the questions you can ask yourself as the first step to building a good hydration habit.
2. Start your day with water
Your goal of staying hydrated will be incomplete without starting your day with a glass of water. The size of glass used is based on personal preference but this shouldn’t stop you from taking more.
Starting your day with water helps your body to remove toxins thereby paving the way for easy general body metabolism.
3. Minimize soft drinks
Reducing the amount of soda you consume is a must as you embark on this journey of hydration. Like pouring water on a rock, drinking a lot of soda while trying to improve your water intake is like scattering the efforts you are making in this journey.
4. Set Water Goals
Water goals must be set to build a good hydration habit. This can be as little as drinking a glass of water immediately after you wake up each day, refilling your bottle after each bathroom break, or drinking a specific amount of water each day.
These goals should be taken to heart the way you treat your financial and personal development goals.
5. Set alarms
Alarms are a lifesaver. Kudos to those who invented them, from our bedside alarm clocks, digital clocks, and the clock apps on our mobile phones. You can set reminders at different times in a day which will spur you to drink a glass of water.
This can include setting an alarm to drink water every one or two hours depending on your schedule, a reminder to refill your water can, or one to drink a glass of water after a bathroom break.
6. Get a reusable water can
Having a reusable water can is important in building lasting hydration habits. These water bottles come in different forms such as plastic, glass, stainless steel, or aluminium. They save you the stress of purchasing disposable water bottles frequently.
Furthermore, the more you carry and refill a reusable water bottle, the closer you get to increasing your water intake.
7. Eat fruits
Let’s be honest, drinking water alone can be boring. That’s why if you are a lover of fruits, you can use this opportunity to increase your water intake by consuming fruits that have a high water content.
You can keep fruits like watermelon, pineapples, oranges, and strawberries handy as you go about your daily activities.
8. Drink water when exercising
You lose water anytime you exercise or carry out strenuous activities and since the goal of exercising is to keep fit, drinking water at specific intervals is necessary. You don’t want your body to get dehydrated while doing so which will lead to more harm.
As you take in water while exercising, a new habit is formed which is a plus in staying hydrated.
9. Experiment
Just like some kids are picky eaters, some adults find it difficult to take water without any prior cue. You can make drinking water interesting by slicing fruits like strawberries, oranges, lime, grapes, and watermelon into your glass of water.
This makes drinking water more fascinating as you are greeted with new flavours.
Conclusion
Your body needs to stay hydrated to perform at its best. Building hydration habits is a necessity in our voyage on planet Earth because staying healthy is a must as we plan our lives and achieve our goals.
Drink a cup of water today.
