How much do you actually need?
A practical target is around 35 ml per kilogram of body weight, plus more for exercise and hot weather — for many adults that's roughly 2–3 litres a day. Use our water intake calculator for your personal number, then let thirst and urine colour fine-tune it. Pale-straw urine means you're on track.
9 habits that make it easy
- Drink a glass first thing. Before coffee, have water — you wake up mildly dehydrated.
- Keep a bottle visible. Out of sight, out of mind. A bottle on your desk gets sipped; one in a cupboard doesn't.
- Get a bottle you like. The right size and a straw or marked times genuinely increase how much you drink.
- Tie it to other habits. A glass with every meal and every coffee adds up fast.
- Flavour it. Lemon, cucumber, mint, or berries make water more appealing without sugar.
- Drink around exercise. Before, during, and after — you lose fluid through sweat.
- Eat your water. Fruit, vegetables, and soups all count toward your fluids.
- Set gentle reminders. A nudge every couple of hours rebuilds the habit until it's automatic.
- Track it. Logging each glass turns hydration into a satisfying daily streak.
Signs you're not drinking enough
Dark urine, thirst, dry lips, headaches, fatigue, and trouble concentrating are common early signs. If you notice them often, build a couple of the habits above into your day.
Can you overdo it?
For healthy people it's rare, but drinking very large amounts very quickly can dilute blood sodium. Spread your intake across the day rather than forcing it all at once.