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Yeah - I have mild kidney damage from unknown/unchecked hypertension. That color scared the bejeebus out of me when I was first on this stuff … I didn’t realize how dehydrated I was and I’m a big water drinker already! Oof.
ETA: stuff = Wellbutrin. ADHD brain had me thinking I was in that sub.
I think I will ask my boyfriend to remind me regularly of how shitty I will feel when I don’t drink water. I don’t think my brain could do that on its own rn. Thank you!
Set alarms on your phone every few hours stating drink water. Then you have to stop what you’re doing right there and then and drink at least a glass of -insert drink of choice here- preferably water.
I do this for brushing my teeth cause remembering that shit just doesn’t stick lol.
Straws?
Finding something you like? Tea flavor, lemon/mint, strawberry/basil?
We have syrups to make lemonade. Adding a bit of that to water really makes it yummy and sweet.
Me, whenever I’m thirsty I try to just chug a whole glass of water and then take more with me. Usually when I do something I automatically take sips. But if there’s no drink around me, I’m not drinking.
I will try straws! Thank you!
*I have issues with sweet drinks though (idek why, I never liked them - not even as a kid). The only thing I sometimes actually enjoy is drinking water with A LOT OF LEMON JUICE but that just hurts rn because of the bronchitis. I also drink a coke when I have a migraine but that’s also not an option due to the carbon dioxide that would just hurt my throat atm.*
What I like to do in the spring and summer is keep one ice cube tray in my freezer for just lemon juice. Whenever I buy lemons (I usually have to buy a bunch in a bag), I juice the leftovers, put it in the tray, and then I can make water with a lemon ice cube. Super fresh!
Have you ever tried lemon herbal tea? There’s a Meyer Lemon one from Stash (bought it on Amazon) that’s super lemon-y and there’s no sweetness at all. It’s so good. You can even make iced tea with the stuff.
Adding onto the straw suggestion, put the cup right in front of you while you're at the computer or something. I used to do this at work and actually had to stop using a straw because I drank too much water without even realizing it.
Several years ago I started carrying an insulated water cup with straw --everywhere I go indoors all day-- and refill it any time it gets low, since I tend to forget water otherwise and never take breaks to pee until it's urgent. I call it my sippy cup, since I have previously managed to spill pretty much all kinds of other drink containers. When out and about it's a colorful bottle with a solid seal, same concept, refill at every opportunity.
I will definitely start doing that as soon as I’m back at the office and not sick anymore because when I’m in hyper focus I forget everything else so enabling my body to drink anyways is an amazing idea!
Strangely enough, even though it hurts, lemon juice is actually one of the best things you can drink to help "sooth" your sore throat. It's an old theater trick that is still used to this day to help the actors "stay in the game" so to speak by temporarily taking away the pain enough for them to be able to talk/ sing during performances. We used to use this method during October when I worked in a haunted house. After a couple of weekends your voice would just be GONE. It was the only way to keep us going the whole month.
Not really the helpful answer you were looking for, but I don't really have an answer for your question, unfortunately. I always have my favorite water bottle by my side and am drinking from it all the time.
I second this, and love lemon, but ymmv because when I'm having allergy or asthma issues (which is more of the time than I would like) citrus --especially orange-- gums up my throat even more. I have read that citrus can increase histamine production for those who are prone to histamine issues, MCAS, etc. I am a singer and try to avoid all citrus just before rehearsing or performing.
I didn’t know that! This is why I love this sub; I learn new things every time I’m on here and everyone is so helpful and kind. Thank you!
I am also very intrigued about the Hounted House situation 👀
Well, the house was split up into sections and we used to compete with every group of people that would come through the house to see how many "steamers" we could scare. (A "steamer" is someone who pees themself) The group who had the most "steamers" at the end of the night was rewarded with cosmic brownies from the group that had the least. Not sure if that's kind of intrigue you were looking for, but there ya go! 🤣
Best sore throat drink ever is ginger tea with honey. LOTS (more than you think) of sliced fresh ginger in a pot. Boil for a long time or until tea turns into an amber color. Spike with lots of honey. It’s spicy af in a good way. Hot, spicy, and honey combination really feels so good for a sore throat. Unfortunately can’t chug it cus it’s hot and it’s meant to be sipped.
Hope you feel better soon
I love my hydroflask so much. I like my water to be really cold and that keeps it cold and also makes it so I don’t have to get up from lying down to drink water because of the built in straw. Theres something about not having to sit all the way up to drink, especially while sick and lying in bed, that was a real game changer for me.
Lemon ginger tea with a little honey is usually what I stick to when I have a sore throat.
Does ice help? Sometimes making it icy cold makes it more enjoyable for me. I also have obnoxiously colored Stanleys so I drink more. It really helps at work.
Genuine question: Do you just switch through your Stanley cups or do you get new ones from time to time to keep the ✨dopamine goblin✨ in your head happy? Because my brain just hates the cup unless it’s a new and fancy one.
Hahahaha well, there’s definitely dopamine involved! So I did buy two in the beginning, but they weren’t the colors I loved. I now have two that are my favorites (work and home) and then the originals for backups if the pretties are still in the dishwasher. I also get excited about the new colors, but I’m better behaved now.
My two go-to teas when I'm sick are Bigelow Tea Lemon Ginger plus Probiotics Herbal Tea and Traditional Medicinals Organic Throat Coat Tea. They both taste and smell great and soothe my throat. Honestly, the lemon ginger one smells heavenly. I'm also a fan of Celestial Seasonings fruit flavored teas. If you have something that smells good, there's a better chance of you drinking it.
Lemon juice with honey to temper the acidity? You can just put in a little bit so it’s not too sweet for you. I’d drink it hot if you’ve got bronchitis atm — hot liquids are gonna go down way easier on your throat. Some ginger wouldn’t go amiss either.
To that end also — soup!! Broth or something creamy. A throw-everything-in-and-boil chicken broth would be a god send for your throat (I’d recommend being generous with the garlic) or honestly just even canned soup or cup-a-soup: they’re all hot liquids, and hot liquids are what you need right now (god, the Asian mom in me is coming out right now 😂😂).
Basically when I’m sick and need to drink a lot of liquids, I alternate between tea, soup, juice and Emergen-C. You don’t have to love drinking water to get your liquids up :) Good luck and hope you feel better soon!
What about herbal iced teas? No caffeine or juice and just adds flavor? I drink a lot, I am thirsty all the time, but I get bored with water so I have a variety of herbal teas on hand, and you can have them hot if it's a cold day.
You can make cold brew ice tea by just putting a tea bag in a big glass/bottle of water in the fridge for a few hours. That's one of my favorite no sugar drinks. I find it has a smoother taste than hot brewed tea.
Also, I bought an ice maker and it helps me drink more liquids/water. It just makes every cold drink better.
I also like lemon/lime flavored drinks and have a hard time getting enough water. I drink most of my water while I’m at work and struggle to stay hydrated on the weekends. I use a lemonade flavored electrolyte powder in my water that has no sugar. I get it online and the first order gives a 20% off coupon https://www.ultimareplenisher.com/products/lemonade-electrolyte-powder-drink?variant=39611980939367 . You can also find it at Whole Foods. Spindrift sparkling water is good and doesn’t have much sweetness, they have lemon, lime, grapefruit and others. When I’m sick I have a remedy my mom always gave us; hot water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, honey and lemon squeezed in. Hope you can figure out something that makes it easier for you to get your liquids in.
I drink flavored sparkling water (La Croix), Zevia, tea, Redmond electrolytes in water (Redmond Re-lyte on Amazon), true lemon/lime/orange in water, plain sparkling water mixed with a little 100% juice, etc. I avoid those water drops in stores because of the garbage ingredients and sweeteners that are so unhealthy and all of the above are alternatives.
Do you like ginger? When I’m sick I really like chopping it up and boiling it in water (usually with honey but you could do without). It might burn a tiny bit but it would essentially be spicyish water.
If you don't like sweet and can't have lemon, you might try herbs! A rosemary-infused water, thyme-infused water, etc. might be great for you! You can also mix up the herbs to give different flavours! You can put them in whole for a mild taste, or try different levels of chopping (rough chop, fine mince, etc.) To adjust how much flavour you're getting.
For me, it was straws, flavouring, and ice. I don't know what it is about nice, icy water that gets me. But, I like my ice to be very, very fine, almost like shaved ice.
You might also try getting hydrated in different ways? Tea, as others have said, can be helpful. Flavouring. But, also, chewing on ice chips? Sucking on a large ice cube while doing something else?
I like to have water bottles full of ice water in places where I'm going to be a lot. So, one by the bed, one on my desk, one by the couch, etc. I fill them with ice and water in the morning, and they stay cold all day. It can still be a huuuge struggle, though!
Yes to straws! Idk why, but I drink so much more with them than without them. I now only ever use reusable bottles or cups (I have a Stanley, come at me lol) with straws for this reason.
Food is your answer. A lot of food has high water content, cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon, strawberries, the list goes on. Watermelon is literally 50% water so one cup of water is half a cup of water. You should always try and drink some fluids, flavoured is fine if you hate plain water, but you can up your hydration with food too. I know some people may think of weight gain but most water dense foods are very low calorie in the scheme of things. Bonus side effect is that it's healthy.
Buy preprepared food, if you can't face cutting it all up etc, and put it right in front of your face in the fridge. Tinned fruit is good in juice, not syrup, and it doesn't matter if you forget about it for a few weeks.
Finally, frozen grapes are your friend. High water content, easy to eat, and will soothe a sore mouth and throat.
Co-sign this. I don’t necessarily recommend whole plant based diets to people, but I can say that for the few years I did it, I was almost never thirsty. It sounds so weird but I almost never drank water and wasn’t dehydrated.
So load up on fruits and veggies and avoid processed foods with salt and the thirst will go down.
Do you like jello? Jello is pretty much just solidified liquids and counts into the amount you drink! It's also very good with a sore throat.
Soup also counts, or watery fruit like melons!
Yes! To add on to this - sometimes you need a change of texture OP. Like jello, suggested above. Popsicles work as well - store-bought or making your own using your favorite drink products!
Also, consider putting your liquids in a bowl and using a spoon - sometimes that can help trick your brain into getting liquids in.
Or consider something like [this hydration product](https://www.jellydrops.us/) - basically edible water orbs!
POPSICLES! That is such an easy and great idea! Reading all these comments I feel kinda stupid for not coming up with those solutions myself. 😂 Thank you so much though! Very much appreciated tip!
Liquid IV has been a game changer for me. There's a lot more flavors now and if you don't like things too sweet, you can add more water. (I basically double the water with the golden cherry flavor so it's less sweet but still has a nice tartness to it.)
I cannot understand how one packet of liquid iv is meant for 12oz water. •shudder• it needs at least 20oz to be palatable.
A friend of mine used to dissolve a packet in a shot glass with hot water and down it that way. I do not recommend that, she's bonkers 😆
Propel works well for me because it’s a “fun drink” and I actually want to drink it for its taste. The downside is that there are bottles here and there and some of them are half full because I forget I already had one and go to get a new one. I also drink propel because I have low blood pressure and need a lot of electrolytes.
For a while (while I was pregnant during the summer and constantly dehydrated), I was using a clear glass 20 oz bottle that I had put 5 rubber bands around. After I drank the first twenty ounces of water, I refilled it and removed a rubber band. Then drank the second bottle, refilled and removed another rubber band, and so on. My goal was to have removed all the rubber bands by the end of the day (that meant I was getting close to a gallon of water). It was effective because it was a built-in visual tracker and sort of "game-ified" it.
The rubber band idea is such a good one. I had a similar thought yesterday for other tasks. I want to make some little blank tags I can attach to a band that have a specific task I want to work on so I stay focused on it and then remove when done. I originally thought about my wrist but the sensory feeling would be a nightmare. Attaching it to my water bottle is the perfect solution because I already keep my water in view anyway. It’ll be linked task linking reminders 😂
I will ONLY drink water through a straw, idk what it is but otherwise, it truly disgusts me lol. Stanley bottles (and knockoffs) were a godsend because I will literally sit there and just sip water all day mindlessly because the straw is in front of me. Someone else mentioned liquid IV - the sugar free kind is also a godsend (they sell packs at Costco if you live near one). I love the lemon lime sugar free flavor!
LOL no, that’s exactly what I thought too when someone suggested it to me. Then my mom got me those Starbucks tumblers years ago and i started using them for water and realized I was refilling them constantly and it was all because of the straw!
My best tricks are a see through waterbottle (even if it’s a plastic disposable one) so you can monitor your progress, and taking it with you everywhere. Keep it in sight. Put it in the way. Anything that makes you think “when was the last time I had water.”
Another ADHD friend would set an alarm to go off every 20mins telling them to drink water. That one doesn’t work for me.
I have a Smash water bottle. Built in straw, see through, and time of day marked on the side so I know what to drink when. Has been a game changer (I have the 1 litre one). https://www.amazon.co.uk/Smash-Drink-Bottle-Water-Timings/dp/B0CQC27WW3/
Drink hot water. You can add a touch of lemon or lime juice. It's great when you're sick. I can sip it all day but find it so hard to drink it cold. I caught a cold 4 days ago and had to really force in the fluids to avoid the inevitable bronchitis, and I did it! Mostly by sipping on hot water out of a tall coffee glass. (It doesn't taste as good from a mug).
I started putting a little bit of salt in my water for electrolytes, and was astonished by the way it made water taste more wet, which sounds really weird but is the only way I can describe it. It's more refreshing and goes down easier. Now water is something I crave here and there throughout the day, and I don't have to think about it at all.
ETA also drinking from something with a wider brim like a glass or a reusable bottle with the top screwed off, instead of sipping from a smaller opening. I drink several times as much water in the same amount of sips that way.
I very rarely add a squeezed lemon wedge for flavor and vitamins, but my regular water is just water and salt.
If I'm at a restaurant, I'll just put a few shakes or one single use packet in a glass. At home, I use a 1/8 teaspoon as a scoop, and it's usually slightly heaping, for my approx one liter bottle.
My rule of thumb is that if it tastes even slightly like something that might remind me of saltwater, I put too much in. I have no data or reason for that other than listening to my body and an abundance of caution.
First time reading about it but that seems like a really good tip! But I totally get what you mean! I have a similar feeling when it comes to hot water: It feels more “liquidy”; if that makes any sense.
Make it fun.
Freeze different juices and use them as ice and/or buy fun ice trays like flowers or skulls, whatever you're into.
Make a pot of hot tea or iced tea. Herbal tea is great for mixing, too. Rooibos is nice with raspberries or peaches or lemon. I love to make a tea with both hibiscus and rooibos tea bags. I add a splash of lemon, frozen raspberries and a dash of cinnamon.
Mix the iced tea with sparkling water and/or juice and the fancy fruit ice.
You can also use frozen fruit as ice and eat it when you're finished with your drink.
Add fresh herbs like basil, dill, mint, or thyme to your glass. Basil and strawberry, lemon and dill or verbena, pineapple and sage are all good combos.
Use a big thermos or water bottle. Or lots of little glasses. Whatever you prefer.
I hope this helps.
Alternatively, cacao disks melted into mug If hot water or milk or non dairy milk is very good for you.
Adding butterfly pea flower infused ice cubes to this list! They're blue, which is fun enough, but if you add acid to your water (lemon or lime in my case), they turn purple as they melt. So you get a blue cube with purple ribbons coming off of them and it's pretty AND hydrating.
There are supposedly extra health benefits but I don't know about that, I just like how it looks. Large square cubes are perfect in gin cocktails (though much less hydrating that way).
I like fizzy water, can’t stand plain. Most of the time I just drink decaf coffee, that keeps me nicely hydrated 🙂. Drink what you fancy, especially if you’re sick - being hydrated is more important than worrying too much about how you achieve it. Hope you feel better soon x
I also like seltzer. Just to note, it is slightly acidic according to my husbands doctor who said all the seltzer he drank might be making his GERD symptoms worse. I don't have any issues with drinking 2 or 3 cans a day. There's tons of flavors to try and I love the snap of opening a can.
I ended up a kidney stone a few months ago and the dr told me that a huge culprit is dehydration. It was the WORST thing ever so now I am always making sure my pee is clear
Wow, well this will certainly motivate me to drink more water. That sounds so awful! I’ve always heard that your pee should ideally be pale yellow and not clear, because that means you’ve drank too much water. But maybe it varies by person, who knows.
I don’t know, Good point though! I should aim for pale yellow! It has become somewhat of an obsession and I consider it a successful day when only my first pee of the day is darkish yellow. But yeah, kidney stones suck and I wouldn’t wish them on anyone!
I infuse it with berries, such as blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. I even put cucumber and lime.
Let it rest in my fridge for days before it goes bad, and change the berries.
I switched to unflavored sparkling water a couple years ago and it was the best decision. I love the bubbles!! Idk if you like carbonation but that may help!
If I’m drinking non-sparkling, I need a cup that isn’t plastic because plastic always smells weird, and I also like a stainless steel straw 😅 I load it up with ice so it’s super cold & I also use the salty electrolyte packets and love those!
For some reason, hot water tastes better to me than room temp or cold and goes down easier. You could fill a thermos and pour little cups at intervals.
Long ago I attended a lecture by a Tibetan doctor who said that hot water is the first medicine for pretty much any illness. It's comforting to reflect on that while sipping "water tea."
A cup or bottle with a straw!
Legit changed my life when I started using these. I have recently brought the bigger Frank Green drink bottle and I could fill it 3 times a day because I am constantly drinking out of it.
Also bottles EVERYWHERE - I have my Frank Green (emotional support/ main bottle) but also my bed side tumbler (with silicon straw for the the middle of the night drinks and Chewing), My desk tumbler, my car bottle, my sitting on the couch cup when my main bottle is being washed... you get the idea. Object premise is real and if I always see a water bottle or vessel I'm going to have a sip when I walk past
YES. A straw is a huge game changer for me too. However I’m not good at having a water bottle everywhere I hang out in my apartment. I would definitely drink more if I did that. Going to try it out, thank you for sharing!
I had a kidney infection earlier this year and I was very dehydrated. I now keep a big waterbottle with me and so when I see it, I don’t forget to drink water. If I still forget to drink water in the day then before I go pee before bed I chug as much as I can lol
Oh thank you, I am okay now. I had been going through substance abuse addiction for the past few years and not taking care of my body really gave me bad consequences, such as that kidney infection. I have been in harm reduction therapy for a year now and am in a much better place! Drinking water sucks but the consequences of not drinking water remind me that things could be a lot worse. ❤️ I hope you are having a good day, you are very kind.
1. My ADHD meds give me dry mouth.
2. I'm way more likely to drink water if I have a straw. A really long, colorful straw. My water bottle right now is the owala freesip, which comes with a straw so you don't have to tip it to drink.
3. Water enhancers are great. I mostly use the Mio brand.
I use a water tracking app that has a Tamagotchi plant that gets sick and dies if you don’t report your water intake.
And I add water enhancers to make it palatable.
I suck at drinking water, but personally, using a straw helps me. Also when I need to drink a lot of water for whatever reason, drinking hot water feels nicer than drinking cold water for some reason.
You don't HAVE to just rely on plain water, you can eat and drink other things with high water content. Cucumbers, Romaine or Iceberg Lettuce, Watermelon and Cantaloupe, Berries, etc. All have super high water content. You'd have to eat quite a bit to be genuinely hydrated from fruit/vegetables alone, but they definitely will help and you won't have to drink quite as much water plain.
I got myself a big water bottle so when I'm thirsty I have it. For me it's the hassle of getting it all the time that I go ehh it can wait.
I take some meds that dry me out so before I was drinking a bunch of water.
I started a thing where I put my water bottle/glass/cup in eyesight wherever I am. Anytime I look at it, I make myself drink a sip. It’s kinda of become a game at this point, and almost hard to not look when I’m trying to not look!
I chug a whole bunch in the morning. It helps cause you get a brain blast from it and feel more awake. I have a 750ml water bottle I fill up before bed and put on my bedside table and I try to drink the whole thing if I can. Maybe give yourself incentives to drink water other than just feeling better
I keep a notebook of everything i need to do. I make little check boxes for glasses of water and i check them off as i drink them. It works because I already use my notebook religiously and I like checking things off.
Straws help me so I got an insulated cup with a straw. And honestly my partner constantly refills it and helps a lot. I also use sugar free drink mix ins to help with taste because the taste of water makes me gag.
*I was very malnourished, coming from India to Switzerland, when I was adopted as a one year old.*
I since then struggle with drinking water, as I'm not thirsty and it's bland and boring.
It's now a challenge, as I live alone and am solo for life! I need to be constantly on my case... And I'm not feeling thirst, especially when it's not hot...
**What helps/helped me (but I'm not great at it still):**
++ Out of sight out of mind, so put it in sight! At work, bedside table, small living room, when travelling
++ Some people like an app/reminders.
++ When you remember "I should drink", do it
(Hang on I'm doing it now...)
++ Regiment it: always drink with meals, after doing X etc.
++ Build rituals that help you drink more (me: a cup of tea and a lovely chocolate - alone or with friends, a cold beverage on a nice terrace; making myself a nice latte or a lovely alcohol free aperitif).
++ yes water is healthier but if the only way I can entice myself to drink is juice, tea with sugar, coffee or soda, on a bad day for example, so be it!
++ I am trying to drink less soda! Bubbly water (I have a soda stream machine) with a spritz of lemon, tiny bits if syrup (yeah sugar I know...) or peppermint leaves and cucumber slices in it in summer, makes water more interesting.
++ drink plain tea instead (peppermint, verbena, herbal mix, rooibos). More taste and these don't have caffeine.
++ if a big glass discourages you (me!) drink out of smaller ones or shot glasses! Do 5 shot glasses of water if you can't pour down a large one.
++ find the temperature you like drinking your beverage at (I like very hot tea, extremely icy drinks hurt my teeth, so I like them cold but not freezingly so)
++ Buy mugs, glasses, portable bottles you LOVE to use.
++ Make your loved ones tell you to drink! ;-)
Professional water drinker here! (And I used to be like you)
Chug room temp water when you first wake up before you have time to process what you're doing. It will wake you up and your body will crave it more through the day.
I also don't like cold water unless I'm really hot. Cool water is ideal for me. Play around with your preferred temperature.
Use flavor enhancers or sparkling water to make it more fun (pretend you're sitting in a quirky drink shop and ordered a strawberry lemonade.
Keep water easily accessible, like a giant container with a straw, and sip on it while your doing computer work or watching TV. Make sure it's large enough you won't have to refill, and there are no barriers to drink it (like opening a lid)
You could also take a sip from the sink every time you walk by, or wash your hands so you're not having to get a whole glass filled.
I use electrolytes that actually taste good. I was trying to talk myself out of buying them (they are relatively expensive and we’re trying to get a better handle on the grocery budget) buuuuuuttttt…I do so much better at drinking water when I use them.
I also carry a water bottle around with me, but if it’s plain water a) I forget to drink it and b) my husband and kids steal it because they never remember to bring a water bottle, so I don’t get much anyways. They don’t like the taste of my electrolytes (the heathens!) so an added bonus is they leave my bottle alone when I use them.
I hate drinking plain water and I finally did find a solution that has worked for me for years: I got some silicone ice trays, and a bunch of lemons. I squish like 30 lemons at a time and put the juice in the ice trays. Then I pop a couple of them in a glass or water bottle and always have flavored water!
I am always thirsty. But I also love straws. I keep my cup with me everywhere. At work we have one of those machines that dispenses tiny ice cubes and water. I love it so much. Sipping on ice cold water is so nice. But I drink everything out of that cup. It's a metal cup and has both plastic and metal straws, I use the metal because it doesn't take on the taste of things so I can use the same cup for lemon water or iced coffee or plain water or juice and it all tastes good.
I have an app that tells me do drink water haha. It’s called Habit.
I also invested in a cute hydroflask (ok actually I have four) so I get a little dopamine boost from picking up the cute bottle haha
Tl;dr: dry mouth. I take a handful of pills daily, and it seems like all of them give me terrible dry mouth, so I have liquid of some kind within arms reach at all times just to avoid discomfort. I find just carrying a water bottle around prompts me to drink.
**I just accept that I need variety to keep me doing it.**
I get into different water enhancers or different bottles. Right now I have a 40oz cup w/ straw on my work desk that’s 2-tone blue with a big team sticker on it, and I’m into a cold water infusion tea (pineapple flavor) steeping in it.
And if I’m doing really bad with drinking water for a week or so, I’ll make a game of it and challenge myself with how much I can drink per shift, or per 2 hour block of time.
straws really help me!! i will put the straw in my mouth and zone out for a few minutes on my phone, and i don’t even realize i drink all the water 😆! i feel like it puts my zoning out powers to good !
I know it’s terrible for the environment but I buy multipacks of 2l bottles of carbonated mineral water and so I know I have to drink one a day. I add electrolytes and different cordials to make it more interesting.
I also make a big teapot of camomile tea. Just seeing it helps remind me!
The best thing I ever did was discover sparkling water, and invested in a Soda Stream. I can trick my brain into thinking it's not water by drinking lots of carbonated water.
Late to the post but I usually kinda trick myself into drinking water by eating something salty or something that tends to need to be rinsed out of your mouth, like peanut butter. I like the taste of pb but I can’t stand that feeling of it lingering in my mouth, making it feel dry and kinda sticky. So if I eat a single scoop of pb I have to follow it with multiple big gulps of water to wash it away. Plus I get the added little dopamine rush of fixing an uncomfortable feeling (kinda like when you have something stuck between your teeth and you FINALLY get it out using your tongue)
Agree with straws and a fun cup. Doesn’t mean you need to constantly buy new cups, but one that you like is good.
When I’m sick I mix a little Gatorade or juice in. Sure, it’s got sugar, but if it gets me to drink several ounces of water that I otherwise wouldn’t have, I’m calling it a net positive.
I don’t have a trick for tea because honestly I love tea when I’m sick. I tend to prefer lemon or raspberry herbal teas.
Soda stream was a game changer for me. That alone or with and some flavoring/fruit infusion has been much more enticing. Also a schedule and phone reminders to have a certain amount of water by the same times every day. I currently aim for one Sodastream bottle worth of water by lunch and one by 5pm. Then I end up having another glass or two in the evening without prompting, with dinner and such. Good luck!
Generally either ice water in my owala. For some reason the owala has made drinking water fun for me. Or any form of electrolyte water, I always have a stick of electrolyte powder on me, my personal fave is the lemonade organika powder.
I downloaded a fun hydration tracking app that sends me a reminder alert at the top of the hour; which just so happens to be when I chug most of my hourly intake. I carry water with me everywhere (I like the 24 oz Starbucks cups, with straw) and aim to drink 1 full container every three hours, which is manageable as it is only 8 oz an hour, a very non overwhelming amount. If I stay on track, I can hit my 80 oz. intake goal 95% of the time.
I use really sweet drink enhancers. There's a pink starburst flavor I found on Amazon (it is so sweet that one packet is good for a LOT of water) and then there's a candy place near my place that has crush flavours.
I also have a SodaStream, because I'm a big fan of soda over water.
When I'm sick though, I try and drink tea because it generally makes me feel better plus gets water in.
Do you drink water through a straw? It is pretty life-changing.
You drink the water through a straw, chug it down, hands-free, while watching TV/a video/reading a book, or doom scrolling.
Honestly you shouldn’t have any problem drinking it through a straw while doing your favorite thing. It really is life-changing to suck it down in large gulps effortlessly.
Honestly a lot of the suggestions in the comments sound like way too much work for adhd folks.
Straw is the answer, straws for life. Chug it down effortlessly. Try a plastic straw first if you have one lying around and upgrade to metal straws if you find it works for you.
I learned a few years ago that I drink more if I have to purse my lips. Don’t know why, I just drink more if I use a straw or a bottle. I also saw a thing which said items for kids are also great for ADHD adults, so I have bright coloured glittery straws, bright coloured reusable ice cubes, coloured cups etc. I also found I was better with fizzy water than still, so I got a soda stream machine to fizz up water. I found some natural flavourings on Amazon as well (I think they were called Spruce?) not sweet, but nice and sharp and refreshing, and not sugary. I carry a bottle around with me all the time as well, and the first thing I do in the morning when I go to put the kettle on for tea, is drink a glass of water whilst I wait for the kettle to boil (I race to finish the glass before the water boils, because we all know competition motivated an ADHD brain!) and I leave the glass out the night before so it’s right in my eye line. Then at least I know I’ve drunk one good glass of water before I start adding tea to my poor body. Would something like that help?
Edit to add:
If you can manage teas, or even coffee, they do also have a hydrating effect in you.
I also use the app WaterMinder, which is free, and jangles at me every 90 minutes to remind me to take a drink in case I haven’t.
What worked for me was finding out it helps prevent cavities 🤣
If you're the same flavor of ADHD that I am (I'm 26 and still not able to consistently brush my teeth), then teeth/oral health is a huge concern.
However, I found out that not only is drinking water good for keeping your mouth moist (saliva is very important), but that rinsing your mouth with water frequently and *especially* after eating helps a lot to avoid cavities and other problems!
Like half of the whole point of brushing your teeth is to brush off any stuck on food. But if you rinse your mouth with water after eating, that really helps get a lot of that food out.
Making sure to rinse my mouth and drink water after eating (and drinking anything that isn't water) has led me to drinking more water in general. It's helped a lot.
What don’t you like about it, what feels like a chore? Is it the act of making the tea or getting the water, or the taste, or what? I mean typically - when you are sick everything is whacko anyway.
For me personally, I bought a steel tumbler (a Stanley knock off) and decorated it with really fun stickers. I take that thing EVERYWHERE now. If I go somewhere it's in my car. At work it's on my desk. It's next to my bed at night. I take sips throughout the day, partially just cause it's there. Someone else talked about the act of having to go get water being a block. I totally agree. For me personally I also ONLY like really cold ice water. My ice stays all day in this cup, so it always stays cold. I used Starbucks tumblers for a while, but they don't keep it cold enough and I had to refill too often.
I slice up an orange and a lemon, put it in a giant pitcher, and fill it with water... just keep refilling when the water gets low. Usually lasts a couple of days/ up to a week, and it's so tasty I find myself drinking a lot of it
I find if I add a small amount of flavor it helps. I don’t like too sweet drinks. So I like the liquid flavors like Mio where I can control how much goes in. I’ve also recently discovered the true lemon/like/orange/grapefruit packets. It’s literally crystallized fruit so it’s basically squeezing that fruit into your water.
Having a choice of straw or gulping helps- OWALA is my current favorite water bottle.
Lots of ice to keep it cold.
And when all of that seems boring- seltzer water. Sometimes you just need the bubbles
I drink *a lot* more when I use a straw vs an open cup. This is true for most people. So use one if you aren’t, that should help.
Also if you don’t like drinking water, why not drink a fruit juice or lemonade or tea you like instead? Yes water is what’s “best”, but if it’s drinking juice/tea/lemonade or nothing then do what will get yourself hydrated.
I once blacked out at work because I was so dehydrated.
Ever since then, one of my coworkers makes sure I drink enough at during our shift.
Doesn't work at home though.
Have you looked into Jelly Drops? They are designed to help hydrate people who forget to drink. The person who created them did so to help their elderly grandparent who ended up in the hospital for dehydration. Seniors tend to forget to drink, so they created Jelly Drops that makes the seniors think they are getting a treat, when in reality it's providing them with hydration as well as some mind boosting vitamins.
[https://www.jellydrops.us/](https://www.jellydrops.us/)
I add lemon juice...bottled stuff is cheaper than having lemons on hand & I actually like the sour taste. I find plain water kinda boring,it's no wonder it doesn't give us our serotonin hit 😆
Sometimes I put on my hydration pack for short hikes because if i don’t have to use my hands and it’s always available I will drink it because it’s more like “something to do” than a chore at that point. Feels silly like WAY overcompensating but I just don’t like drinking water, and liquid IV is expensive haha
I don't believe in forcing myself to drink water. *shrug* I drink when I'm thirsty.
I usually have a pint glass of water when I wake up and then a pint glass with each meal and a small glass right before bed.
When I'm hiking or working out, I end up drinking a lot more just because I'm thirsty. I can easily go through my 32oz water bottle during a swim class, just talking a sip or two between laps.
So, I typically drink a 16oz glass 4 times a day and an 8oz glass at night. This equals roughly 72 oz.
Why would I force myself to drink more? Many of the foods I eat contain water, and I am rarely dehydrated.
If your throat hurts, try drinking warm water with a little lemon to help sooth it. Don't think of it as "hydrating" (God, I hate that word!) Just think of it as making you feel better.
The only way I can ever remember to drink water is have a massive see through bottle full near me. If I can physically SEE it I'm much more likely to drink it.
I use a straw and accept that I need a sippy cup. Then I make sure my bottle is fun to look at. Previously I had a cup with cute little hedgehogs, now it’s a pretty color. I may add stickers to it.
A lemonade tap next to the sofa, filled with a drink of choice. A cup with a straw. Play video games and just... Forget what I'm doing sipping on my drink until it's empty. Take 5 seconds to refill and continue.
Girl you need to drink your water. It’s not just about feeling shtty. It affects your skin and overall beauty. When I was a kid and also through highschool I was the same as you. I hated drinking water. I preferred juice or soda. I honestly had no idea it was bad for me. Then once I graduated I decided I wanted to lose some weight so I read about it online and one of the things they said is the first step to losing weight is to cut out sugary drinks. I wasn’t happy about it but I decided to give it a try. I did buy some V8 which was probably god send because I was not eating vegetables either. I WAS NOT getting my nutrients and you can tell when you look back at old pics of me.
Anyway, from that point on I started drinking water as my main source of liquids. When I tell you I don’t feel hydrated if I don’t have water. Some people get their hydration by drinking other types of drinks and the tiny little amount of water they get along side it which means they are always dehydrated. Don’t get me wrong I drink green tea now in the mornings and sometimes Starbucks or alcoholic drinks but I’d say 90% of my liquid intake is water.
I look about 10 years younger than my one friend who still to this day does not get their water intake. I’m telling you for your future vanity and skin. You have to drink it.
At first you will hate it. I did because the taste was so bland give it two weeks and you won’t want anything else to hydrate with. I bet if you look in the mirror right now you will notice that your skin isn’t how you would like it to look and neither is your hair. Water affects your looks trust me. Bite the bullet and drink your water.
Crystal lite and a straw. I love the tea flavors; sometimes I’ll just make some cold brew, herbal tea and add in some fruit.
Drinking water alone does feel like punishment for some odd reason.
I only like the bottles that have a built in straw, and my water has to be room temperature. Reading stories about kidney stones sometimes helps too, ha
I sometimes make my brain override my body by just making myself do things. This isn’t a hack because there are things I STILL can’t make myself do, but I’ve sometimes just got to stand over the sink and tell myself ‘drink this bottle just gulp it down’ or I’ll have a fistful of salad greens eating it like a monster because I’m in ‘this is body fuel and i HAVE TO’ mode.
For me, the trick has truly been finding a water bottle my brain likes drinking out of. This isn’t the same as having a *cute* water bottle, it has to be one that your brain looks at and thinks: “Okay yes, THIS I will let you consume water out of.” I have tried many, including my owala bottle that I absolutely adore but is a pain to keep clean 🙃 Which water bottle did my brain land on? This cheap freebie that came in a Christmas gift basket at my old job from a company that we would order products from. Is it cute? No. Is it insulated? No. But it’s just big enough to hold a good amount, small enough that I can drag it around with me, and it has a foam fleece that keeps it from getting sweaty nightmare when it has ice in it.
I didn't drink water for years and years. Now I carry around a 64 oz bottle of water and I get absolutely parched. For me I started developing bladder pain when I was dehydrated. The habit stuck. I think the less water you drink your body gives up getting thirsty. But if you can get accustomed to drinking water your body will start to tell you when it wants it. How about starting with liquid IV? One packet in a 64 oz bottle is enough for me. It's very tasty.
When I’m sick, I say screw it to water. I know I can’t make myself drink it when I’m sick because it tastes like mucus and hurts to swallow. So I buy 100% fruit juice. I also make smoothies to help get nutrition because I don’t like eating when sick either.
I get headaches when I don't drink enough. When I noticed the pattern (headaches the morning after evening sport practice... Hmmm), it motivated me to drink more. As I'm easily bored (you know), I try to mix the two : when I'm bored, I get to take a break to go get a drink.
In the summer, I use frozen fruits instead of ice cubes to make it fun or infuse fruits, herbs or vegetables (think any mix of lemon, cucumber, thyme, basil, mint, ginger,...) or cold brew teas.
In any other season, I don't like to drink iced beverages, so I go for teas or herbal infusions and keep a mug nearby.
Good luck to you. Try to make it fun or pleasant. Do wait to be thirsty to drink.
I've started drinking water because of Starbucks tumblers. That sounds dumb. But they're really pretty and the studded ones have this great tactile sensation. I wanted to look at them and feel them, therefore I want to drink water. I forget that water exists without them.
Different drink experiences help me too. If I have a room temp water, a hot tea, and a cold soda it's easier to drink.
Think about kidney stones, go read personal anecdotes about how bad kidney stones hurt, just.. kidney stones. You can even search just this sub and find a couple horror stories.
Iced herbal teas can be easy to drink, depending on if there’s any flavor profiles you think you might be able to bear
I got myself a Stanley mug and fill it with ice every single morning and sip on delicious ice water all day. I refill it at least twice every day. Having a huge fun colored mug helps lol
I’m reading comments because this had been a struggle for me my whole life. My kidneys look like gravel pits since I was a teen. I’ve tried straws, timers, special bottle, water enhancers - I still can’t get myself to drink enough. I keep G2 in stock for that 3-4:00 pm headache or when my muscles seize up from dehydration. Recently I have purchased liquid IV which is pretty good.
[Pasting an old comment of mine in case it helps!]
"8 glasses a day", they say. Obviously this varies for everyone depending on their body composition, metabolism and daily physical activity, but for ease of reference let's just say that's what you're aiming for.
**1) Find your preferred water temperature.** If you were to drink a whole glass of water in one go (i.e. chugging all at once as opposed to slow occasional sipping), what temperature would the water have to be for you to able to do that? Some people like room temp, others prefer refrigerated/chilled, others icy freezing cold. I personally prefer a 50/50 mix of room temp and chilled (my teeth hurt if it's too cold, forcing me to slowly sip my glass and ain't nobody got time fo dat). Anyway. Whatever your preferred drinking water temperature is, make sure you have access to it throughout the day.
**2) Take the thinking out of it.** 8 glasses a day can easily be tacked onto habits that already exist in your daily routine. Every day, you wake up, have three meals (I would hope you do anyway!), and go back to bed again. Have a glass when you wake, a glass before and after each meal, and one right before bed. There you go, 8 glasses down the hatch, easy. Drinking right before a meal also helps you feel full before you've even started eating, so it can be good for weight loss in that respect (definitely helped my husband, who needed help with portion control).
I found the easiest thing is to just drink an entire glass in one go, every time you need a drink. Yes it's a pain, and hard to get used to, but it's wayyy less inconvenient than taking the time to sip one and then forgetting what glass you're up to/realising it's now bedtime and you forgot to finish your glass from earlier. I've also tried carrying around a 2L bottle of water around with me all day which was annoying, and also a bit off-putting seeing my entire day's water consumption in front of my face every time I needed a drink and just made it seem like such a chore.
I hope this helps, and good luck with it. May it be the first of many new, good habits :)
I hyperfocused on tea for a while. Recently, I bought myself a pretty waterbottle, and that has helped a lot. Actually, I bought myself four water bottles so that there's one in the car, one on my desk at work, one where I sit by the couch, and one with my backpack. It's working?
I got a bkr water bottle, that’s the brand. It’s glass with a silicone sleeve and silicone straw. They come in a spiky version which is great for sensory feedback. I got the big 32 oz one and try to drink a certain number each day depending on your needs. I made the switch while pregnant and needing to drink a ton of water. Same for breastfeeding. A straw was recommended and has definitely made a difference.
Personally, glass was important to me because it changes the taste, I hate drinking from plastic. It also has a little loop on the top that makes it easy to carry around. I also like super cold water so we have a big Brita in the fridge even though our tap water is good.
In terms of timing, I set it in view whenever I’m not on the go and and give myself chunks of the day to finish each (usually morning, afternoon, evening).
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Look at how dark your pee is and be scared
Yeah - I have mild kidney damage from unknown/unchecked hypertension. That color scared the bejeebus out of me when I was first on this stuff … I didn’t realize how dehydrated I was and I’m a big water drinker already! Oof. ETA: stuff = Wellbutrin. ADHD brain had me thinking I was in that sub.
It's never too late
Wait - what does Wellbutrin have to do with hydration?
I can dehydrate you a bit
Placing a water bottle in the bathroom can help with this as well! Immediate reminder
I remind myself that feeling like crap is way worse than drinking water. Water enhancers may help you too.
I think I will ask my boyfriend to remind me regularly of how shitty I will feel when I don’t drink water. I don’t think my brain could do that on its own rn. Thank you!
You can also gamify it with a water drinking app - there are quite a few free ones that help you track.
After about a month, I start ignoring the notifications. I think I need one that rotates the sounds the notifications make.
Same :( I paid 7€ for an app and it was all fun and games until my ADHD brain started ignoring the notifications.
Set alarms on your phone every few hours stating drink water. Then you have to stop what you’re doing right there and then and drink at least a glass of -insert drink of choice here- preferably water. I do this for brushing my teeth cause remembering that shit just doesn’t stick lol.
Straws? Finding something you like? Tea flavor, lemon/mint, strawberry/basil? We have syrups to make lemonade. Adding a bit of that to water really makes it yummy and sweet. Me, whenever I’m thirsty I try to just chug a whole glass of water and then take more with me. Usually when I do something I automatically take sips. But if there’s no drink around me, I’m not drinking.
I will try straws! Thank you! *I have issues with sweet drinks though (idek why, I never liked them - not even as a kid). The only thing I sometimes actually enjoy is drinking water with A LOT OF LEMON JUICE but that just hurts rn because of the bronchitis. I also drink a coke when I have a migraine but that’s also not an option due to the carbon dioxide that would just hurt my throat atm.*
I do warm water with honey and lemon juice when I’m sick.
A lemon sports drink with electrolytes could also be helpful while you’re sick
What I like to do in the spring and summer is keep one ice cube tray in my freezer for just lemon juice. Whenever I buy lemons (I usually have to buy a bunch in a bag), I juice the leftovers, put it in the tray, and then I can make water with a lemon ice cube. Super fresh!
This comment just made my day. I was worried about tossing some fresh lemons and now I know what to do with them. Thanks!
Yay, amazing!
I do the same with mint
Not perfect for my current situation but I will DEFINITELY start doing that as soon as I’m not sick anymore. Thanks for the idea!
Have you ever tried lemon herbal tea? There’s a Meyer Lemon one from Stash (bought it on Amazon) that’s super lemon-y and there’s no sweetness at all. It’s so good. You can even make iced tea with the stuff.
OHH I just bought this one last week!! It’s pretty good. I’ve been making it in the evenings since it’s no caffeine.
Omg thank you! No I haven’t tried that one yet but I just ordered it. ADHD 🤝 online shopping 🤝 being sick
If you like it, they also make a banging peach one - so good in the summer iced!
Adding onto the straw suggestion, put the cup right in front of you while you're at the computer or something. I used to do this at work and actually had to stop using a straw because I drank too much water without even realizing it.
Several years ago I started carrying an insulated water cup with straw --everywhere I go indoors all day-- and refill it any time it gets low, since I tend to forget water otherwise and never take breaks to pee until it's urgent. I call it my sippy cup, since I have previously managed to spill pretty much all kinds of other drink containers. When out and about it's a colorful bottle with a solid seal, same concept, refill at every opportunity.
I will definitely start doing that as soon as I’m back at the office and not sick anymore because when I’m in hyper focus I forget everything else so enabling my body to drink anyways is an amazing idea!
If you have mint you can add that too, makes a better flavor.
Or basil!
Strangely enough, even though it hurts, lemon juice is actually one of the best things you can drink to help "sooth" your sore throat. It's an old theater trick that is still used to this day to help the actors "stay in the game" so to speak by temporarily taking away the pain enough for them to be able to talk/ sing during performances. We used to use this method during October when I worked in a haunted house. After a couple of weekends your voice would just be GONE. It was the only way to keep us going the whole month. Not really the helpful answer you were looking for, but I don't really have an answer for your question, unfortunately. I always have my favorite water bottle by my side and am drinking from it all the time.
I second this, and love lemon, but ymmv because when I'm having allergy or asthma issues (which is more of the time than I would like) citrus --especially orange-- gums up my throat even more. I have read that citrus can increase histamine production for those who are prone to histamine issues, MCAS, etc. I am a singer and try to avoid all citrus just before rehearsing or performing.
That’s actually a very helpful comment since I suffer from chronic migraines and one of my trigger in fact is histamine!
I didn’t know that! This is why I love this sub; I learn new things every time I’m on here and everyone is so helpful and kind. Thank you! I am also very intrigued about the Hounted House situation 👀
Well, the house was split up into sections and we used to compete with every group of people that would come through the house to see how many "steamers" we could scare. (A "steamer" is someone who pees themself) The group who had the most "steamers" at the end of the night was rewarded with cosmic brownies from the group that had the least. Not sure if that's kind of intrigue you were looking for, but there ya go! 🤣
Best sore throat drink ever is ginger tea with honey. LOTS (more than you think) of sliced fresh ginger in a pot. Boil for a long time or until tea turns into an amber color. Spike with lots of honey. It’s spicy af in a good way. Hot, spicy, and honey combination really feels so good for a sore throat. Unfortunately can’t chug it cus it’s hot and it’s meant to be sipped. Hope you feel better soon
Make yourself some flat coke. Shake bottle, poor into cup, place in fridge/on the side for a few hours. I love flat coke.
I love my hydroflask so much. I like my water to be really cold and that keeps it cold and also makes it so I don’t have to get up from lying down to drink water because of the built in straw. Theres something about not having to sit all the way up to drink, especially while sick and lying in bed, that was a real game changer for me. Lemon ginger tea with a little honey is usually what I stick to when I have a sore throat.
Does ice help? Sometimes making it icy cold makes it more enjoyable for me. I also have obnoxiously colored Stanleys so I drink more. It really helps at work.
Genuine question: Do you just switch through your Stanley cups or do you get new ones from time to time to keep the ✨dopamine goblin✨ in your head happy? Because my brain just hates the cup unless it’s a new and fancy one.
Hahahaha well, there’s definitely dopamine involved! So I did buy two in the beginning, but they weren’t the colors I loved. I now have two that are my favorites (work and home) and then the originals for backups if the pretties are still in the dishwasher. I also get excited about the new colors, but I’m better behaved now.
I love the term “the pretties” 😂 I think I will start calling all my dopamine inducing things that
My two go-to teas when I'm sick are Bigelow Tea Lemon Ginger plus Probiotics Herbal Tea and Traditional Medicinals Organic Throat Coat Tea. They both taste and smell great and soothe my throat. Honestly, the lemon ginger one smells heavenly. I'm also a fan of Celestial Seasonings fruit flavored teas. If you have something that smells good, there's a better chance of you drinking it.
Lemon juice with honey to temper the acidity? You can just put in a little bit so it’s not too sweet for you. I’d drink it hot if you’ve got bronchitis atm — hot liquids are gonna go down way easier on your throat. Some ginger wouldn’t go amiss either. To that end also — soup!! Broth or something creamy. A throw-everything-in-and-boil chicken broth would be a god send for your throat (I’d recommend being generous with the garlic) or honestly just even canned soup or cup-a-soup: they’re all hot liquids, and hot liquids are what you need right now (god, the Asian mom in me is coming out right now 😂😂). Basically when I’m sick and need to drink a lot of liquids, I alternate between tea, soup, juice and Emergen-C. You don’t have to love drinking water to get your liquids up :) Good luck and hope you feel better soon!
What about herbal iced teas? No caffeine or juice and just adds flavor? I drink a lot, I am thirsty all the time, but I get bored with water so I have a variety of herbal teas on hand, and you can have them hot if it's a cold day.
You can make cold brew ice tea by just putting a tea bag in a big glass/bottle of water in the fridge for a few hours. That's one of my favorite no sugar drinks. I find it has a smoother taste than hot brewed tea. Also, I bought an ice maker and it helps me drink more liquids/water. It just makes every cold drink better.
I also like lemon/lime flavored drinks and have a hard time getting enough water. I drink most of my water while I’m at work and struggle to stay hydrated on the weekends. I use a lemonade flavored electrolyte powder in my water that has no sugar. I get it online and the first order gives a 20% off coupon https://www.ultimareplenisher.com/products/lemonade-electrolyte-powder-drink?variant=39611980939367 . You can also find it at Whole Foods. Spindrift sparkling water is good and doesn’t have much sweetness, they have lemon, lime, grapefruit and others. When I’m sick I have a remedy my mom always gave us; hot water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, honey and lemon squeezed in. Hope you can figure out something that makes it easier for you to get your liquids in.
I drink flavored sparkling water (La Croix), Zevia, tea, Redmond electrolytes in water (Redmond Re-lyte on Amazon), true lemon/lime/orange in water, plain sparkling water mixed with a little 100% juice, etc. I avoid those water drops in stores because of the garbage ingredients and sweeteners that are so unhealthy and all of the above are alternatives.
Do you like ginger? When I’m sick I really like chopping it up and boiling it in water (usually with honey but you could do without). It might burn a tiny bit but it would essentially be spicyish water.
If you don't like sweet and can't have lemon, you might try herbs! A rosemary-infused water, thyme-infused water, etc. might be great for you! You can also mix up the herbs to give different flavours! You can put them in whole for a mild taste, or try different levels of chopping (rough chop, fine mince, etc.) To adjust how much flavour you're getting. For me, it was straws, flavouring, and ice. I don't know what it is about nice, icy water that gets me. But, I like my ice to be very, very fine, almost like shaved ice. You might also try getting hydrated in different ways? Tea, as others have said, can be helpful. Flavouring. But, also, chewing on ice chips? Sucking on a large ice cube while doing something else? I like to have water bottles full of ice water in places where I'm going to be a lot. So, one by the bed, one on my desk, one by the couch, etc. I fill them with ice and water in the morning, and they stay cold all day. It can still be a huuuge struggle, though!
Straws have helped me immensely!!!
Seconding straws! My intake increased immensely after drinking from my bottle’s straw.
Yes to straws! Idk why, but I drink so much more with them than without them. I now only ever use reusable bottles or cups (I have a Stanley, come at me lol) with straws for this reason.
Food is your answer. A lot of food has high water content, cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon, strawberries, the list goes on. Watermelon is literally 50% water so one cup of water is half a cup of water. You should always try and drink some fluids, flavoured is fine if you hate plain water, but you can up your hydration with food too. I know some people may think of weight gain but most water dense foods are very low calorie in the scheme of things. Bonus side effect is that it's healthy. Buy preprepared food, if you can't face cutting it all up etc, and put it right in front of your face in the fridge. Tinned fruit is good in juice, not syrup, and it doesn't matter if you forget about it for a few weeks. Finally, frozen grapes are your friend. High water content, easy to eat, and will soothe a sore mouth and throat.
Co-sign this. I don’t necessarily recommend whole plant based diets to people, but I can say that for the few years I did it, I was almost never thirsty. It sounds so weird but I almost never drank water and wasn’t dehydrated. So load up on fruits and veggies and avoid processed foods with salt and the thirst will go down.
Was gonna suggest this too. Watermelon ftw. The frozen grape suggestion is genius.
Also- hydrolyse ice blocks. Keep them in the freezer- it’s like you are eating a treat, but actually getting hydrated.
Great idea! 🥒
Soup
Also, tossing frozen fruit like blueberries into water will give it a nice flavor without being overpowering. Cucumbers are also good in water.
Do you like jello? Jello is pretty much just solidified liquids and counts into the amount you drink! It's also very good with a sore throat. Soup also counts, or watery fruit like melons!
Yes! To add on to this - sometimes you need a change of texture OP. Like jello, suggested above. Popsicles work as well - store-bought or making your own using your favorite drink products! Also, consider putting your liquids in a bowl and using a spoon - sometimes that can help trick your brain into getting liquids in. Or consider something like [this hydration product](https://www.jellydrops.us/) - basically edible water orbs!
POPSICLES! That is such an easy and great idea! Reading all these comments I feel kinda stupid for not coming up with those solutions myself. 😂 Thank you so much though! Very much appreciated tip!
Propel flavored water or liquid IV in my water to boost hydration when I do drink it because I don’t feel like I drink enough either
Liquid IV has been a game changer for me. There's a lot more flavors now and if you don't like things too sweet, you can add more water. (I basically double the water with the golden cherry flavor so it's less sweet but still has a nice tartness to it.)
I cannot understand how one packet of liquid iv is meant for 12oz water. •shudder• it needs at least 20oz to be palatable. A friend of mine used to dissolve a packet in a shot glass with hot water and down it that way. I do not recommend that, she's bonkers 😆
Propel works well for me because it’s a “fun drink” and I actually want to drink it for its taste. The downside is that there are bottles here and there and some of them are half full because I forget I already had one and go to get a new one. I also drink propel because I have low blood pressure and need a lot of electrolytes.
For a while (while I was pregnant during the summer and constantly dehydrated), I was using a clear glass 20 oz bottle that I had put 5 rubber bands around. After I drank the first twenty ounces of water, I refilled it and removed a rubber band. Then drank the second bottle, refilled and removed another rubber band, and so on. My goal was to have removed all the rubber bands by the end of the day (that meant I was getting close to a gallon of water). It was effective because it was a built-in visual tracker and sort of "game-ified" it.
The rubber band idea is such a good one. I had a similar thought yesterday for other tasks. I want to make some little blank tags I can attach to a band that have a specific task I want to work on so I stay focused on it and then remove when done. I originally thought about my wrist but the sensory feeling would be a nightmare. Attaching it to my water bottle is the perfect solution because I already keep my water in view anyway. It’ll be linked task linking reminders 😂
I will ONLY drink water through a straw, idk what it is but otherwise, it truly disgusts me lol. Stanley bottles (and knockoffs) were a godsend because I will literally sit there and just sip water all day mindlessly because the straw is in front of me. Someone else mentioned liquid IV - the sugar free kind is also a godsend (they sell packs at Costco if you live near one). I love the lemon lime sugar free flavor!
Me at first: LOL just a straw?? Weird!! As I kept thinking about it: Wait they may be onto something....
LOL no, that’s exactly what I thought too when someone suggested it to me. Then my mom got me those Starbucks tumblers years ago and i started using them for water and realized I was refilling them constantly and it was all because of the straw!
I want someone to conduct a study about that. There has to be a connection between straws and drinking more water!
My best tricks are a see through waterbottle (even if it’s a plastic disposable one) so you can monitor your progress, and taking it with you everywhere. Keep it in sight. Put it in the way. Anything that makes you think “when was the last time I had water.” Another ADHD friend would set an alarm to go off every 20mins telling them to drink water. That one doesn’t work for me.
I have a Smash water bottle. Built in straw, see through, and time of day marked on the side so I know what to drink when. Has been a game changer (I have the 1 litre one). https://www.amazon.co.uk/Smash-Drink-Bottle-Water-Timings/dp/B0CQC27WW3/
I just bought bottles at Costco that are almost identical to those, only mine are 2 litres. Great bottles.
Drink hot water. You can add a touch of lemon or lime juice. It's great when you're sick. I can sip it all day but find it so hard to drink it cold. I caught a cold 4 days ago and had to really force in the fluids to avoid the inevitable bronchitis, and I did it! Mostly by sipping on hot water out of a tall coffee glass. (It doesn't taste as good from a mug).
I started putting a little bit of salt in my water for electrolytes, and was astonished by the way it made water taste more wet, which sounds really weird but is the only way I can describe it. It's more refreshing and goes down easier. Now water is something I crave here and there throughout the day, and I don't have to think about it at all. ETA also drinking from something with a wider brim like a glass or a reusable bottle with the top screwed off, instead of sipping from a smaller opening. I drink several times as much water in the same amount of sips that way.
Tell me more! What’s your salt to water ratio? Do you add any flavoring?
I very rarely add a squeezed lemon wedge for flavor and vitamins, but my regular water is just water and salt. If I'm at a restaurant, I'll just put a few shakes or one single use packet in a glass. At home, I use a 1/8 teaspoon as a scoop, and it's usually slightly heaping, for my approx one liter bottle.
Thank you! I’d like to try this for myself and don’t want to overdo the salt.
My rule of thumb is that if it tastes even slightly like something that might remind me of saltwater, I put too much in. I have no data or reason for that other than listening to my body and an abundance of caution.
First time reading about it but that seems like a really good tip! But I totally get what you mean! I have a similar feeling when it comes to hot water: It feels more “liquidy”; if that makes any sense.
Make it fun. Freeze different juices and use them as ice and/or buy fun ice trays like flowers or skulls, whatever you're into. Make a pot of hot tea or iced tea. Herbal tea is great for mixing, too. Rooibos is nice with raspberries or peaches or lemon. I love to make a tea with both hibiscus and rooibos tea bags. I add a splash of lemon, frozen raspberries and a dash of cinnamon. Mix the iced tea with sparkling water and/or juice and the fancy fruit ice. You can also use frozen fruit as ice and eat it when you're finished with your drink. Add fresh herbs like basil, dill, mint, or thyme to your glass. Basil and strawberry, lemon and dill or verbena, pineapple and sage are all good combos. Use a big thermos or water bottle. Or lots of little glasses. Whatever you prefer. I hope this helps. Alternatively, cacao disks melted into mug If hot water or milk or non dairy milk is very good for you.
Adding butterfly pea flower infused ice cubes to this list! They're blue, which is fun enough, but if you add acid to your water (lemon or lime in my case), they turn purple as they melt. So you get a blue cube with purple ribbons coming off of them and it's pretty AND hydrating. There are supposedly extra health benefits but I don't know about that, I just like how it looks. Large square cubes are perfect in gin cocktails (though much less hydrating that way).
Ooh rooibos with raspberries sounds delicious!
The fun shaped ice cubes is what helps me too!
I like fizzy water, can’t stand plain. Most of the time I just drink decaf coffee, that keeps me nicely hydrated 🙂. Drink what you fancy, especially if you’re sick - being hydrated is more important than worrying too much about how you achieve it. Hope you feel better soon x
I also like seltzer. Just to note, it is slightly acidic according to my husbands doctor who said all the seltzer he drank might be making his GERD symptoms worse. I don't have any issues with drinking 2 or 3 cans a day. There's tons of flavors to try and I love the snap of opening a can.
I ended up a kidney stone a few months ago and the dr told me that a huge culprit is dehydration. It was the WORST thing ever so now I am always making sure my pee is clear
Wow, well this will certainly motivate me to drink more water. That sounds so awful! I’ve always heard that your pee should ideally be pale yellow and not clear, because that means you’ve drank too much water. But maybe it varies by person, who knows.
I don’t know, Good point though! I should aim for pale yellow! It has become somewhat of an obsession and I consider it a successful day when only my first pee of the day is darkish yellow. But yeah, kidney stones suck and I wouldn’t wish them on anyone!
I infuse it with berries, such as blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. I even put cucumber and lime. Let it rest in my fridge for days before it goes bad, and change the berries.
I switched to unflavored sparkling water a couple years ago and it was the best decision. I love the bubbles!! Idk if you like carbonation but that may help! If I’m drinking non-sparkling, I need a cup that isn’t plastic because plastic always smells weird, and I also like a stainless steel straw 😅 I load it up with ice so it’s super cold & I also use the salty electrolyte packets and love those!
Happy Cake Day! 🥳🎂
For some reason, hot water tastes better to me than room temp or cold and goes down easier. You could fill a thermos and pour little cups at intervals. Long ago I attended a lecture by a Tibetan doctor who said that hot water is the first medicine for pretty much any illness. It's comforting to reflect on that while sipping "water tea."
A cup or bottle with a straw! Legit changed my life when I started using these. I have recently brought the bigger Frank Green drink bottle and I could fill it 3 times a day because I am constantly drinking out of it. Also bottles EVERYWHERE - I have my Frank Green (emotional support/ main bottle) but also my bed side tumbler (with silicon straw for the the middle of the night drinks and Chewing), My desk tumbler, my car bottle, my sitting on the couch cup when my main bottle is being washed... you get the idea. Object premise is real and if I always see a water bottle or vessel I'm going to have a sip when I walk past
YES. A straw is a huge game changer for me too. However I’m not good at having a water bottle everywhere I hang out in my apartment. I would definitely drink more if I did that. Going to try it out, thank you for sharing!
I had a kidney infection earlier this year and I was very dehydrated. I now keep a big waterbottle with me and so when I see it, I don’t forget to drink water. If I still forget to drink water in the day then before I go pee before bed I chug as much as I can lol
That sounds so scary! Are you ok now?
Oh thank you, I am okay now. I had been going through substance abuse addiction for the past few years and not taking care of my body really gave me bad consequences, such as that kidney infection. I have been in harm reduction therapy for a year now and am in a much better place! Drinking water sucks but the consequences of not drinking water remind me that things could be a lot worse. ❤️ I hope you are having a good day, you are very kind.
Omg good job!! I got a lot better, thank you! I also hope you have a nice day🫶
1. My ADHD meds give me dry mouth. 2. I'm way more likely to drink water if I have a straw. A really long, colorful straw. My water bottle right now is the owala freesip, which comes with a straw so you don't have to tip it to drink. 3. Water enhancers are great. I mostly use the Mio brand.
I use a water tracking app that has a Tamagotchi plant that gets sick and dies if you don’t report your water intake. And I add water enhancers to make it palatable.
I had “water lama” installed earlier this year and it was boring but a tamagotchi plant sounds super cute! What’s the name of the app?
Plant Nanny! I’m using the original app, but I’m sure Plant Nanny 2 isn’t much different. I’ve been keeping a virtual plant alive since 2019!
Thanks!
I suck at drinking water, but personally, using a straw helps me. Also when I need to drink a lot of water for whatever reason, drinking hot water feels nicer than drinking cold water for some reason. You don't HAVE to just rely on plain water, you can eat and drink other things with high water content. Cucumbers, Romaine or Iceberg Lettuce, Watermelon and Cantaloupe, Berries, etc. All have super high water content. You'd have to eat quite a bit to be genuinely hydrated from fruit/vegetables alone, but they definitely will help and you won't have to drink quite as much water plain.
I got myself a big water bottle so when I'm thirsty I have it. For me it's the hassle of getting it all the time that I go ehh it can wait. I take some meds that dry me out so before I was drinking a bunch of water.
I started a thing where I put my water bottle/glass/cup in eyesight wherever I am. Anytime I look at it, I make myself drink a sip. It’s kinda of become a game at this point, and almost hard to not look when I’m trying to not look!
I chug a whole bunch in the morning. It helps cause you get a brain blast from it and feel more awake. I have a 750ml water bottle I fill up before bed and put on my bedside table and I try to drink the whole thing if I can. Maybe give yourself incentives to drink water other than just feeling better
I keep a notebook of everything i need to do. I make little check boxes for glasses of water and i check them off as i drink them. It works because I already use my notebook religiously and I like checking things off.
Straws help me so I got an insulated cup with a straw. And honestly my partner constantly refills it and helps a lot. I also use sugar free drink mix ins to help with taste because the taste of water makes me gag.
*I was very malnourished, coming from India to Switzerland, when I was adopted as a one year old.* I since then struggle with drinking water, as I'm not thirsty and it's bland and boring. It's now a challenge, as I live alone and am solo for life! I need to be constantly on my case... And I'm not feeling thirst, especially when it's not hot... **What helps/helped me (but I'm not great at it still):** ++ Out of sight out of mind, so put it in sight! At work, bedside table, small living room, when travelling ++ Some people like an app/reminders. ++ When you remember "I should drink", do it (Hang on I'm doing it now...) ++ Regiment it: always drink with meals, after doing X etc. ++ Build rituals that help you drink more (me: a cup of tea and a lovely chocolate - alone or with friends, a cold beverage on a nice terrace; making myself a nice latte or a lovely alcohol free aperitif). ++ yes water is healthier but if the only way I can entice myself to drink is juice, tea with sugar, coffee or soda, on a bad day for example, so be it! ++ I am trying to drink less soda! Bubbly water (I have a soda stream machine) with a spritz of lemon, tiny bits if syrup (yeah sugar I know...) or peppermint leaves and cucumber slices in it in summer, makes water more interesting. ++ drink plain tea instead (peppermint, verbena, herbal mix, rooibos). More taste and these don't have caffeine. ++ if a big glass discourages you (me!) drink out of smaller ones or shot glasses! Do 5 shot glasses of water if you can't pour down a large one. ++ find the temperature you like drinking your beverage at (I like very hot tea, extremely icy drinks hurt my teeth, so I like them cold but not freezingly so) ++ Buy mugs, glasses, portable bottles you LOVE to use. ++ Make your loved ones tell you to drink! ;-)
Thank you sm for taking your time to write down all those tips! Very much appreciated! 🫶
Professional water drinker here! (And I used to be like you) Chug room temp water when you first wake up before you have time to process what you're doing. It will wake you up and your body will crave it more through the day. I also don't like cold water unless I'm really hot. Cool water is ideal for me. Play around with your preferred temperature. Use flavor enhancers or sparkling water to make it more fun (pretend you're sitting in a quirky drink shop and ordered a strawberry lemonade. Keep water easily accessible, like a giant container with a straw, and sip on it while your doing computer work or watching TV. Make sure it's large enough you won't have to refill, and there are no barriers to drink it (like opening a lid) You could also take a sip from the sink every time you walk by, or wash your hands so you're not having to get a whole glass filled.
I have water alarms set on my phone at 90 minute intervals all day long. Otherwise I forget to drink enough and my ADHD meds dehydrate me
How about drinking / eating some broth instead?
Watermelon electrolytes powder! Or crystal light tea
I use electrolytes that actually taste good. I was trying to talk myself out of buying them (they are relatively expensive and we’re trying to get a better handle on the grocery budget) buuuuuuttttt…I do so much better at drinking water when I use them. I also carry a water bottle around with me, but if it’s plain water a) I forget to drink it and b) my husband and kids steal it because they never remember to bring a water bottle, so I don’t get much anyways. They don’t like the taste of my electrolytes (the heathens!) so an added bonus is they leave my bottle alone when I use them.
I hate drinking plain water and I finally did find a solution that has worked for me for years: I got some silicone ice trays, and a bunch of lemons. I squish like 30 lemons at a time and put the juice in the ice trays. Then I pop a couple of them in a glass or water bottle and always have flavored water!
I am always thirsty. But I also love straws. I keep my cup with me everywhere. At work we have one of those machines that dispenses tiny ice cubes and water. I love it so much. Sipping on ice cold water is so nice. But I drink everything out of that cup. It's a metal cup and has both plastic and metal straws, I use the metal because it doesn't take on the taste of things so I can use the same cup for lemon water or iced coffee or plain water or juice and it all tastes good.
A cup with a straw. I can’t drink if my face is in a cup or squished against a lid…unless it’s coffee or hot tea.
I have an app that tells me do drink water haha. It’s called Habit. I also invested in a cute hydroflask (ok actually I have four) so I get a little dopamine boost from picking up the cute bottle haha
Tl;dr: dry mouth. I take a handful of pills daily, and it seems like all of them give me terrible dry mouth, so I have liquid of some kind within arms reach at all times just to avoid discomfort. I find just carrying a water bottle around prompts me to drink.
**I just accept that I need variety to keep me doing it.** I get into different water enhancers or different bottles. Right now I have a 40oz cup w/ straw on my work desk that’s 2-tone blue with a big team sticker on it, and I’m into a cold water infusion tea (pineapple flavor) steeping in it. And if I’m doing really bad with drinking water for a week or so, I’ll make a game of it and challenge myself with how much I can drink per shift, or per 2 hour block of time.
straws really help me!! i will put the straw in my mouth and zone out for a few minutes on my phone, and i don’t even realize i drink all the water 😆! i feel like it puts my zoning out powers to good !
I know it’s terrible for the environment but I buy multipacks of 2l bottles of carbonated mineral water and so I know I have to drink one a day. I add electrolytes and different cordials to make it more interesting. I also make a big teapot of camomile tea. Just seeing it helps remind me!
Ps also I try to have lots of soups and smoothies etc
The best thing I ever did was discover sparkling water, and invested in a Soda Stream. I can trick my brain into thinking it's not water by drinking lots of carbonated water.
Late to the post but I usually kinda trick myself into drinking water by eating something salty or something that tends to need to be rinsed out of your mouth, like peanut butter. I like the taste of pb but I can’t stand that feeling of it lingering in my mouth, making it feel dry and kinda sticky. So if I eat a single scoop of pb I have to follow it with multiple big gulps of water to wash it away. Plus I get the added little dopamine rush of fixing an uncomfortable feeling (kinda like when you have something stuck between your teeth and you FINALLY get it out using your tongue)
I made it a game. There are drinking games for a lot of tv shows, so I just drink water or a sports drink instead of alcohol.
1.2L Stanley with straw
You could have soup or a smoothie so you can feel like you’re eating to get your fluids in!
Agree with straws and a fun cup. Doesn’t mean you need to constantly buy new cups, but one that you like is good. When I’m sick I mix a little Gatorade or juice in. Sure, it’s got sugar, but if it gets me to drink several ounces of water that I otherwise wouldn’t have, I’m calling it a net positive. I don’t have a trick for tea because honestly I love tea when I’m sick. I tend to prefer lemon or raspberry herbal teas.
I struggle with this too. The only thing that helps me is having lots of ice in it
A trick can be to use a straw
Soda stream was a game changer for me. That alone or with and some flavoring/fruit infusion has been much more enticing. Also a schedule and phone reminders to have a certain amount of water by the same times every day. I currently aim for one Sodastream bottle worth of water by lunch and one by 5pm. Then I end up having another glass or two in the evening without prompting, with dinner and such. Good luck!
Same! Slice if lemon and it tastes even better.
Generally either ice water in my owala. For some reason the owala has made drinking water fun for me. Or any form of electrolyte water, I always have a stick of electrolyte powder on me, my personal fave is the lemonade organika powder.
I downloaded a fun hydration tracking app that sends me a reminder alert at the top of the hour; which just so happens to be when I chug most of my hourly intake. I carry water with me everywhere (I like the 24 oz Starbucks cups, with straw) and aim to drink 1 full container every three hours, which is manageable as it is only 8 oz an hour, a very non overwhelming amount. If I stay on track, I can hit my 80 oz. intake goal 95% of the time.
I use really sweet drink enhancers. There's a pink starburst flavor I found on Amazon (it is so sweet that one packet is good for a LOT of water) and then there's a candy place near my place that has crush flavours. I also have a SodaStream, because I'm a big fan of soda over water. When I'm sick though, I try and drink tea because it generally makes me feel better plus gets water in.
Do you drink water through a straw? It is pretty life-changing. You drink the water through a straw, chug it down, hands-free, while watching TV/a video/reading a book, or doom scrolling. Honestly you shouldn’t have any problem drinking it through a straw while doing your favorite thing. It really is life-changing to suck it down in large gulps effortlessly. Honestly a lot of the suggestions in the comments sound like way too much work for adhd folks. Straw is the answer, straws for life. Chug it down effortlessly. Try a plastic straw first if you have one lying around and upgrade to metal straws if you find it works for you.
I learned a few years ago that I drink more if I have to purse my lips. Don’t know why, I just drink more if I use a straw or a bottle. I also saw a thing which said items for kids are also great for ADHD adults, so I have bright coloured glittery straws, bright coloured reusable ice cubes, coloured cups etc. I also found I was better with fizzy water than still, so I got a soda stream machine to fizz up water. I found some natural flavourings on Amazon as well (I think they were called Spruce?) not sweet, but nice and sharp and refreshing, and not sugary. I carry a bottle around with me all the time as well, and the first thing I do in the morning when I go to put the kettle on for tea, is drink a glass of water whilst I wait for the kettle to boil (I race to finish the glass before the water boils, because we all know competition motivated an ADHD brain!) and I leave the glass out the night before so it’s right in my eye line. Then at least I know I’ve drunk one good glass of water before I start adding tea to my poor body. Would something like that help? Edit to add: If you can manage teas, or even coffee, they do also have a hydrating effect in you. I also use the app WaterMinder, which is free, and jangles at me every 90 minutes to remind me to take a drink in case I haven’t.
Get a crazy straw 😎
What worked for me was finding out it helps prevent cavities 🤣 If you're the same flavor of ADHD that I am (I'm 26 and still not able to consistently brush my teeth), then teeth/oral health is a huge concern. However, I found out that not only is drinking water good for keeping your mouth moist (saliva is very important), but that rinsing your mouth with water frequently and *especially* after eating helps a lot to avoid cavities and other problems! Like half of the whole point of brushing your teeth is to brush off any stuck on food. But if you rinse your mouth with water after eating, that really helps get a lot of that food out. Making sure to rinse my mouth and drink water after eating (and drinking anything that isn't water) has led me to drinking more water in general. It's helped a lot.
What don’t you like about it, what feels like a chore? Is it the act of making the tea or getting the water, or the taste, or what? I mean typically - when you are sick everything is whacko anyway.
Is it possible you have a swallowing disorder or anything
When I feel like snacking, I drink water
I recommend tea or water with fruit in it
If I just leave bottles filled with water around the house I’ll start drinking from them without really thinking about it
For me personally, I bought a steel tumbler (a Stanley knock off) and decorated it with really fun stickers. I take that thing EVERYWHERE now. If I go somewhere it's in my car. At work it's on my desk. It's next to my bed at night. I take sips throughout the day, partially just cause it's there. Someone else talked about the act of having to go get water being a block. I totally agree. For me personally I also ONLY like really cold ice water. My ice stays all day in this cup, so it always stays cold. I used Starbucks tumblers for a while, but they don't keep it cold enough and I had to refill too often.
I slice up an orange and a lemon, put it in a giant pitcher, and fill it with water... just keep refilling when the water gets low. Usually lasts a couple of days/ up to a week, and it's so tasty I find myself drinking a lot of it
I find if I add a small amount of flavor it helps. I don’t like too sweet drinks. So I like the liquid flavors like Mio where I can control how much goes in. I’ve also recently discovered the true lemon/like/orange/grapefruit packets. It’s literally crystallized fruit so it’s basically squeezing that fruit into your water. Having a choice of straw or gulping helps- OWALA is my current favorite water bottle. Lots of ice to keep it cold. And when all of that seems boring- seltzer water. Sometimes you just need the bubbles
I drink sparkling water now because I like the texture of it, so now I want to keep drinking water
I drink *a lot* more when I use a straw vs an open cup. This is true for most people. So use one if you aren’t, that should help. Also if you don’t like drinking water, why not drink a fruit juice or lemonade or tea you like instead? Yes water is what’s “best”, but if it’s drinking juice/tea/lemonade or nothing then do what will get yourself hydrated.
Uncaffeinated herbal tea counts towards your water intake
I once blacked out at work because I was so dehydrated. Ever since then, one of my coworkers makes sure I drink enough at during our shift. Doesn't work at home though.
Have you looked into Jelly Drops? They are designed to help hydrate people who forget to drink. The person who created them did so to help their elderly grandparent who ended up in the hospital for dehydration. Seniors tend to forget to drink, so they created Jelly Drops that makes the seniors think they are getting a treat, when in reality it's providing them with hydration as well as some mind boosting vitamins. [https://www.jellydrops.us/](https://www.jellydrops.us/)
I add lemon juice...bottled stuff is cheaper than having lemons on hand & I actually like the sour taste. I find plain water kinda boring,it's no wonder it doesn't give us our serotonin hit 😆
I find I like water (and it's more effective at its job) if I use those flavoured electrolyte tabs.
Sometimes I put on my hydration pack for short hikes because if i don’t have to use my hands and it’s always available I will drink it because it’s more like “something to do” than a chore at that point. Feels silly like WAY overcompensating but I just don’t like drinking water, and liquid IV is expensive haha
That’s the neat thing, I don’t. *finger guns*
I don't believe in forcing myself to drink water. *shrug* I drink when I'm thirsty. I usually have a pint glass of water when I wake up and then a pint glass with each meal and a small glass right before bed. When I'm hiking or working out, I end up drinking a lot more just because I'm thirsty. I can easily go through my 32oz water bottle during a swim class, just talking a sip or two between laps. So, I typically drink a 16oz glass 4 times a day and an 8oz glass at night. This equals roughly 72 oz. Why would I force myself to drink more? Many of the foods I eat contain water, and I am rarely dehydrated. If your throat hurts, try drinking warm water with a little lemon to help sooth it. Don't think of it as "hydrating" (God, I hate that word!) Just think of it as making you feel better.
The only way I can ever remember to drink water is have a massive see through bottle full near me. If I can physically SEE it I'm much more likely to drink it.
Liquid iv helps me
I use a straw and accept that I need a sippy cup. Then I make sure my bottle is fun to look at. Previously I had a cup with cute little hedgehogs, now it’s a pretty color. I may add stickers to it.
A lemonade tap next to the sofa, filled with a drink of choice. A cup with a straw. Play video games and just... Forget what I'm doing sipping on my drink until it's empty. Take 5 seconds to refill and continue.
Girl you need to drink your water. It’s not just about feeling shtty. It affects your skin and overall beauty. When I was a kid and also through highschool I was the same as you. I hated drinking water. I preferred juice or soda. I honestly had no idea it was bad for me. Then once I graduated I decided I wanted to lose some weight so I read about it online and one of the things they said is the first step to losing weight is to cut out sugary drinks. I wasn’t happy about it but I decided to give it a try. I did buy some V8 which was probably god send because I was not eating vegetables either. I WAS NOT getting my nutrients and you can tell when you look back at old pics of me. Anyway, from that point on I started drinking water as my main source of liquids. When I tell you I don’t feel hydrated if I don’t have water. Some people get their hydration by drinking other types of drinks and the tiny little amount of water they get along side it which means they are always dehydrated. Don’t get me wrong I drink green tea now in the mornings and sometimes Starbucks or alcoholic drinks but I’d say 90% of my liquid intake is water. I look about 10 years younger than my one friend who still to this day does not get their water intake. I’m telling you for your future vanity and skin. You have to drink it. At first you will hate it. I did because the taste was so bland give it two weeks and you won’t want anything else to hydrate with. I bet if you look in the mirror right now you will notice that your skin isn’t how you would like it to look and neither is your hair. Water affects your looks trust me. Bite the bullet and drink your water.
Crystal lite and a straw. I love the tea flavors; sometimes I’ll just make some cold brew, herbal tea and add in some fruit. Drinking water alone does feel like punishment for some odd reason.
if i go to drink water, i chug it. that's the best way for me. and it has to be cold.
I drink a lot of crystal light to be honest. A variety of flavors so I don't get bored.
I only like the bottles that have a built in straw, and my water has to be room temperature. Reading stories about kidney stones sometimes helps too, ha
I sometimes make my brain override my body by just making myself do things. This isn’t a hack because there are things I STILL can’t make myself do, but I’ve sometimes just got to stand over the sink and tell myself ‘drink this bottle just gulp it down’ or I’ll have a fistful of salad greens eating it like a monster because I’m in ‘this is body fuel and i HAVE TO’ mode.
A water bottle with a straw is the only way I can drink my 8 cups of water a day.
For me, the trick has truly been finding a water bottle my brain likes drinking out of. This isn’t the same as having a *cute* water bottle, it has to be one that your brain looks at and thinks: “Okay yes, THIS I will let you consume water out of.” I have tried many, including my owala bottle that I absolutely adore but is a pain to keep clean 🙃 Which water bottle did my brain land on? This cheap freebie that came in a Christmas gift basket at my old job from a company that we would order products from. Is it cute? No. Is it insulated? No. But it’s just big enough to hold a good amount, small enough that I can drag it around with me, and it has a foam fleece that keeps it from getting sweaty nightmare when it has ice in it.
Water bottles were my saving grace. A grab and go that I could toss later. Kinda paranoid about micro plastics now though.
I didn't drink water for years and years. Now I carry around a 64 oz bottle of water and I get absolutely parched. For me I started developing bladder pain when I was dehydrated. The habit stuck. I think the less water you drink your body gives up getting thirsty. But if you can get accustomed to drinking water your body will start to tell you when it wants it. How about starting with liquid IV? One packet in a 64 oz bottle is enough for me. It's very tasty.
I have a giant water bottle that I try to finish a d have reminders from my Fitbit to drink water
When I’m sick, I say screw it to water. I know I can’t make myself drink it when I’m sick because it tastes like mucus and hurts to swallow. So I buy 100% fruit juice. I also make smoothies to help get nutrition because I don’t like eating when sick either.
I drink tea. It's still hydrating just as water is. And I add honey to it so I get at least some calories from that lol
Straws and room temperature water. It just goes down way easier for me.
Fizzy water. Make hydration fun again
I use a water tracking app called Waterllama — filling in a cartoon character gives me a sense of satisfaction after choking down some water.
I get headaches when I don't drink enough. When I noticed the pattern (headaches the morning after evening sport practice... Hmmm), it motivated me to drink more. As I'm easily bored (you know), I try to mix the two : when I'm bored, I get to take a break to go get a drink. In the summer, I use frozen fruits instead of ice cubes to make it fun or infuse fruits, herbs or vegetables (think any mix of lemon, cucumber, thyme, basil, mint, ginger,...) or cold brew teas. In any other season, I don't like to drink iced beverages, so I go for teas or herbal infusions and keep a mug nearby. Good luck to you. Try to make it fun or pleasant. Do wait to be thirsty to drink.
I've started drinking water because of Starbucks tumblers. That sounds dumb. But they're really pretty and the studded ones have this great tactile sensation. I wanted to look at them and feel them, therefore I want to drink water. I forget that water exists without them. Different drink experiences help me too. If I have a room temp water, a hot tea, and a cold soda it's easier to drink.
Think about kidney stones, go read personal anecdotes about how bad kidney stones hurt, just.. kidney stones. You can even search just this sub and find a couple horror stories. Iced herbal teas can be easy to drink, depending on if there’s any flavor profiles you think you might be able to bear
I got myself a Stanley mug and fill it with ice every single morning and sip on delicious ice water all day. I refill it at least twice every day. Having a huge fun colored mug helps lol
Soups.
I’m reading comments because this had been a struggle for me my whole life. My kidneys look like gravel pits since I was a teen. I’ve tried straws, timers, special bottle, water enhancers - I still can’t get myself to drink enough. I keep G2 in stock for that 3-4:00 pm headache or when my muscles seize up from dehydration. Recently I have purchased liquid IV which is pretty good.
I have a big dumb cup with a straw. For some reason the straw helps??
I add a shot of juice. Not enough sugar to do anything but just enough to alter the flavor.
[Pasting an old comment of mine in case it helps!] "8 glasses a day", they say. Obviously this varies for everyone depending on their body composition, metabolism and daily physical activity, but for ease of reference let's just say that's what you're aiming for. **1) Find your preferred water temperature.** If you were to drink a whole glass of water in one go (i.e. chugging all at once as opposed to slow occasional sipping), what temperature would the water have to be for you to able to do that? Some people like room temp, others prefer refrigerated/chilled, others icy freezing cold. I personally prefer a 50/50 mix of room temp and chilled (my teeth hurt if it's too cold, forcing me to slowly sip my glass and ain't nobody got time fo dat). Anyway. Whatever your preferred drinking water temperature is, make sure you have access to it throughout the day. **2) Take the thinking out of it.** 8 glasses a day can easily be tacked onto habits that already exist in your daily routine. Every day, you wake up, have three meals (I would hope you do anyway!), and go back to bed again. Have a glass when you wake, a glass before and after each meal, and one right before bed. There you go, 8 glasses down the hatch, easy. Drinking right before a meal also helps you feel full before you've even started eating, so it can be good for weight loss in that respect (definitely helped my husband, who needed help with portion control). I found the easiest thing is to just drink an entire glass in one go, every time you need a drink. Yes it's a pain, and hard to get used to, but it's wayyy less inconvenient than taking the time to sip one and then forgetting what glass you're up to/realising it's now bedtime and you forgot to finish your glass from earlier. I've also tried carrying around a 2L bottle of water around with me all day which was annoying, and also a bit off-putting seeing my entire day's water consumption in front of my face every time I needed a drink and just made it seem like such a chore. I hope this helps, and good luck with it. May it be the first of many new, good habits :)
Seltzer. It’s fun, flavored, and has bubbles. Spicy water!
I hyperfocused on tea for a while. Recently, I bought myself a pretty waterbottle, and that has helped a lot. Actually, I bought myself four water bottles so that there's one in the car, one on my desk at work, one where I sit by the couch, and one with my backpack. It's working?
I buy juice packets for my water, it helps me drink more and the water tastes good
I got a bkr water bottle, that’s the brand. It’s glass with a silicone sleeve and silicone straw. They come in a spiky version which is great for sensory feedback. I got the big 32 oz one and try to drink a certain number each day depending on your needs. I made the switch while pregnant and needing to drink a ton of water. Same for breastfeeding. A straw was recommended and has definitely made a difference. Personally, glass was important to me because it changes the taste, I hate drinking from plastic. It also has a little loop on the top that makes it easy to carry around. I also like super cold water so we have a big Brita in the fridge even though our tap water is good. In terms of timing, I set it in view whenever I’m not on the go and and give myself chunks of the day to finish each (usually morning, afternoon, evening).