How to Stay Hydrated (Without Trying)

Easy Ways to Stay Hydrated

FACT: most of us are chronically dehydrated. In fact, anytime you feel thirsty, it’s already too late. Symptoms like brain fog, headaches, and reduced physical performance could already be affecting you without even knowing it. So the question is, how do you stay hydrated? The key is to get plenty of fluids and electrolytes, and if you can do it without changing your entire routine, all the better. This article is the lazy-person’s guide for how to stay hydrated (without trying): 

• What Helps With Dehydration Besides Water?
• What Is Hydration? What is Dehydration?
• The (Massive) Importance of Hydration
• Water Without Electrolytes vs Water With Electrolytes
• How Much Water Should You Drink Every Day?
• Symptoms of Dehydration
• How to Stay Hydrated (Like a Boss)
• If You Cannot Drink Or Swallow Enough Fluids

What Helps With Dehydration Besides Water?

Water is the starting point for hydration, but it is not the only tool you have. Other drinks, water-rich foods, and electrolytes can all help your body maintain fluid balance. In fact, many people meet a portion of their daily fluid needs from foods and non water beverages without realizing it (1)(5). This is useful if you do not enjoy plain water or struggle to drink enough. Broths, milk, herbal tea, fruits, and vegetables all contribute to hydration, and adding electrolytes to what you already drink can make each sip work harder for you.

What Is Hydration? What is Dehydration?

Your body is 60 percent water, give or take. Hydration is the process of keeping it that way.

Dehydration occurs when you lose too much water, too many electrolytes or both.

You can be dehydrated even if you drink some water, especially if you are losing a lot of fluid through sweat, hot weather, illness, or caffeine and alcohol intake (3)(5)(7). On the other hand, it is possible to drink large amounts of plain water without much sodium or potassium and still feel off, because your body also needs electrolytes to keep that water in the right places. Hydration is really about the balance between water and electrolytes, not just one or the other

The (Massive) Importance of Hydration

According to The Harvard Medicine School of Public Health, drinking enough water and replenishing your electrolytes is crucial for several reasons (1)... Proper hydration:

• Lubricates the joints
• Reduces inflammation
• Delivers nutrients to cells
• Regulates body temperature
• Supports organ function
• Improves sleep
• Boosts cognition
• Stabilizes mood

Water Without Electrolytes vs Water With Electrolytes

Plain water will always count toward your daily fluid needs. For many low to moderate activity days, it is enough on its own. Electrolytes become more important when you are sweating a lot, spending time in the heat, working long shifts, or recovering from illness. In those situations, relying only on water can dilute sodium and other minerals, which may leave you feeling tired, weak, or lightheaded (1)(3)(5). Adding a small amount of sodium and potassium to some of your drinks helps your body hold on to fluid and use it more effectively, rather than sending it straight through.

How Much Water Should You Drink Every Day?

One of the most common questions people ask is, “How much water should I drink each day?” Unfortunately, there isn’t a super straightforward answer to this. One way to look at it is to drink between 25 and 50 percent of your body weight in ounces of water each day. That means if you weigh 180 pounds, you should shoot for between 45 to 90 ounces. Other experts recommend roughly 11 cups a day for women and 18 cups a day for men (2).  

Sound complicated? It doesn’t have to be...

The truth is, asking “how much water should I be drinking a day” is not always the best way to figure out what your body needs. After all, hydration is just as much about electrolytes as it is about water. Plus, there are other factors to consider, like exercise and climate, that influence how quickly you need to replenish fluids and nutrients. According to recent research, “Under normal circumstances of diet, exercise and climate the minimal urine output for healthy subjects is about 500 ml/day.” (3) This helps the body detox, prevents kidney stones and supports healthy digestion. Losing too much water in too short a time can lead to electrolyte imbalances and symptoms of dehydration.

Symptoms of Dehydration

Thirsty much? Believe it or not, thirst is the most well-known sign of dehydration. If you thought the body would have an earlier warning sign, it doesn’t. That means it’s up to you to stay ahead of the game.  

Other early signs of dehydration

• Dry mouth
• Dry eyes
• Dry skin

Are you seeing a pattern here? At the same time, over-sweating is your body’s way of telling you that you’re expending energy and losing electrolytes. On the flipside, under-sweating in hot conditions is a sign of heat exhaustion, so is getting the chills when you should actually feel hot AF. Headaches and nausea are common symptoms of dehydration too. Other lesser known indications include low motivation and increased heart rate.

Long-term side effects of dehydration

• Chronic fatigue
• Weight gain
• Lack of detoxification
• Weakened immunity
• Brain fog

That’s why it’s so important to stay hydrated. It doesn’t take long before dehydration starts chipping away at your productivity. Not long ago, scientists thought that only serious dehydration affected brain performance. However, researchers at The Virginia Polytechnic Institute studied the effects of hydration on brain health (4). They found that even mild dehydration—losing as little as 1 to 2 percent of your body’s fluid—can decrease cognitive performance. Keep in mind that dehydration looks different for everyone. You might have some, all, or none of these symptoms and still be low on fluids and electrolytes.  

Some people ask how to hydrate without drinking much water. The reality is that you still need fluid coming into the body for hydration to improve. If you do not enjoy water, you can rely more on herbal tea, broth, diluted juice, milk, and water rich foods such as fruits and vegetables to help you meet your needs (1)(5). If you cannot keep fluids down or cannot drink at all, that is a medical issue that needs professional care.

How to Stay Hydrated (Like a Boss)

The fact is, most people have a hard time drinking enough plain water every day. If that was the only way to stay hydrated, you’d be in trouble. Fortunately, it's not. There are plenty of other ways to stock up on fluids and electrolytes. Here’s how to stay hydrated (without trying):

1. Hydration Without Plain Water

You do not have to drink glass after glass of plain water to stay hydrated. Many people find it easier to stay on track when their fluids come from a mix of sources. Herbal teas, sparkling water, milk alternatives, broth, and diluted juice all count toward your daily fluid intake (1)(5). Water rich foods, like fruit, vegetables, yogurt, and soup, also support hydration. When you add electrolytes to some of these choices, you help your body absorb and use that fluid more efficiently.

2. The Many Sources of “Water”

Although the main goal of staying hydrated is to get more fluids into your body, drinking plain water is not the only way to do it. Other beverages contain water too, and many people already get part of their daily fluid needs from what they eat and drink without thinking about it (1)(5). Broth based soups, herbal tea, milk, and diluted fruit juice all count toward hydration. This is especially helpful if you do not love the taste of plain water. Other healthy beverages include:

• Herbal tea
• Juice
• Milk

If you are looking for ways to hydrate without a lot of straight water, focus on mostly unsweetened options and water rich foods. Think about adding a side of fruit, a salad, or soup to your meals. These small shifts add up over the course of the day.

Keep in mind that at least half of your fluid intake should still come from plain or lightly-flavored water. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, try flavoring it up with a little lemon juice. Still struggling to drink enough fluids? You can always try eating them instead...

3. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Step #2 of how to stay hydrated (without trying) is to get more fruits and veggies into your diet. Fruits and vegetables solve two problems at once: They (A) contain a ton of water and (B) are loaded with electrolytes. Whether you’re on a vegan, keto, or Paleo diet, there’s always a type of produce that fits into your diet. Cucumbers and celery, for example, are so low in sugar that they even work great with high-fat diets. Of course, if you're on a 100 percent carnivore diet, then fruits and veggies won’t work. In that case, an electrolyte supplement is the best way to go, but more on that in a sec… Eating a combo of fruits and vegetables is especially effective for keeping children hydrated.

For example, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition analyzed the diet and urine samples of 442 schoolchildren (5). Researchers found that diets high in fruits and veggies led to relatively improved hydration. Some of the most hydrating foods include: 

• Cucumber
• Celery
• Watermelon
• Carrots
• Kiwi
• Citrus fruits
• Pineapple
• Tomatoes
• Berries
• Spinach
• Broccoli

These fruits and vegetables contain a balanced profile of electrolytes like potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium along with plenty of water.

If you are wondering how to stay hydrated without drinking much, fruits and vegetables are one of the easiest answers. They provide water, electrolytes, and fiber in one package, which is especially useful for kids, older adults, or anyone who forgets to sip fluids regularly (5). You can rely more on produce on days when you are not in the mood for a lot of drinks and then add more fluids on hotter or more active days.

4. Take Electrolytes

ELECTROLYTES + WATER = HYDRATION

It’s a simple formula with a lot of research behind it. The easiest way to stay hydrated is to squeeze a tasteless electrolyte solution into the beverages you’re already drinking. Poof! Instant hydration.  

If you already drink a decent amount of water but still feel tired, get headaches, or struggle with muscle cramps, you might be dealing with water without enough electrolytes. In that case, the best way to hydrate is often to keep your normal drinks and simply make some of them work harder by adding sodium and potassium. That way you are not forcing yourself to drink more volume. You are just improving the quality of what you already sip.

In a recent study, the University of Montana compared the effects of plain water vs. an electrolyte-enhanced solution on 16 firefighters. Wildland firefighters face some of the most extreme dehydrating conditions around, so if it works for them, it should work for you. Researchers found that adding electrolytes to plain water greatly decreased fluid consumption. They concluded that “Supplementing water with electrolytes can reduce the amount of fluid necessary to consume and transport during activity. This can minimize carrying excessive weight, possibly reducing fatigue during extended exercise” (6). 

Electrolyte supplements can also speed exercise recovery and prevent symptoms of dehydration like diarrhea and vomiting. The only potential downside is that many electrolyte brands contain some sort of sweetener, like dextrose or sucralose, which are generally bad for health. However, other solutions, like Buoy, are sweetener-free and gut-friendly. In addition to alkalizing the body, research shows that the sodium and potassium in non-processed salt (like that found in Buoy) can enhance hydration (7).

For most everyday situations, you do not need to choose between water and electrolytes. You need both. Plain water helps cover your fluid needs, while electrolyte solutions like Buoy turn regular drinks into more efficient hydration support. This mix is often easier to maintain than trying to drink huge amounts of water alone, especially if you are active or live in a hot climate (1)(3)(5).

5. Avoid Dehydrating Foods

Why do Americans hate to drink water and love to eat dehydrating foods? Because we’re used to adding sweetness and sodium to everything. But high levels of sugar has led to a lot of dietary problems beyond just an aversion to water. Sugar has negative metabolic effects, increases inflammation and weakens the gut lining. Most sodas and sports drinks, even ones advertised to support hydration, may actually be unhealthy. Even “vitamin waters” are overloaded with sugar and should be avoided.   

At the same time, processed foods contain massive amounts of sodium. In balanced amounts, sodium is an essential mineral that’s necessary for hydration. However, excess sodium can cause electrolyte imbalances and elevate blood pressure. Sugar, processed table salt and sodium-heavy foods may seriously be messing with your hydration. According to nutritionists, the following foods are dehydrating you the most:

• Alcohol: is a diuretic that increases fluid output. In fact, your hangover headaches often have more to do with basic dehydration than they do with any other effects of alcohol.
• Cured meats: are high in protein, but they’re also way too high on sodium. This can throw your electrolytes entirely out of whack.
• Sugary drinks: like soda and most sports drinks create an acidic environment. This triggers the body to expel fluids and dehydrates you.
• Coffee and caffeinated tea: act as a diuretic similar to alcohol and can speed up dehydration.
• Bread, pancakes and other baked goods: tend to be high in sodium because it is needed to prevent fermentation in the dough.
• Canned foods: contain large amounts of high-sodium salt to prevent bacteria from growing. Always look for a “low-sodium” label when you’re buying canned goods. 
• Soy sauce and other condiments: are usually high in sugar and sodium. Cutting back on the condiments can help you stay hydrated.  

6. Exercise

The fifth thing you need in order to stay hydrated is exercise. But doesn’t exercise make you sweat and lose water? Well, yes, but it also increases circulation, supports electrolyte production and gets more nutrients into the cells (8). The best forms of exercise to support hydration include:

• Cardiovascular training
• Weight training
• Burst training
• Running
• Walking
• Swimming

If You Cannot Drink Or Swallow Enough Fluids

Some people search for ways to hydrate without drinking or eating, often because they are nauseated, have trouble swallowing, or are recovering from a procedure. In those situations, you should always follow medical advice. In clinical settings, hydration is usually supported with intravenous fluids or feeding tubes, not home remedies (2)(3). If you cannot keep fluids down, are vomiting often, or feel signs of severe dehydration like confusion, dizziness when standing, or a very fast heartbeat, seek medical care right away.

Ultimately, if you exercise, drink more fluids, eat hydrating foods, avoid dehydrating foods, and take electrolyte supplements, you should be able to stay on top of the hydration game.