July 12, 2021

7 Ways to Drink More Water

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Brookdale Senior Living offers multiple care levels for seniors in more than 600 communities nationwide. Brookdale helps you find the right care plan for yourself or your loved one. With amenities such as transportation services, salons and private dining rooms and activities such as gardening, fitness classes and trivia nights Brookdale caters to a wide range of interests and needs.

Seniors can be at a greater risk for dehydration for several reasons, including thirst sensation changes and increased use of medications. The good news is that drinking plenty of water can be easy and affordable. With a few simple tips and tricks, you or your loved one can increase water intake to help reap the benefits of staying hydrated.

1. Set goals

The first step is determining what you’re hoping to achieve. Whether you’d like to drink eight glasses of water a day or add two glasses to your daily intake, it can help to be intentional by setting a goal. The results of a study conducted by Dr. Gail Matthews, a clinical psychologist, indicate that those who write down and share their goals, and also send weekly updates, are on average 33% more successful in accomplishing their goals.

2. Use motivational water bottles

How about some words of encouragement while you sip your way to better hydration? Many brands make water bottles with motivational words of encouragement and hourly goal lines to help keep you on track throughout the day, like this water bottle available on Amazon.

3. Nourish your body with foods high in water

You can find water in places besides your tap. You can help increase your H20 intake by strategically incorporating the right fruits and veggies into your diet. Foods high in water include:

Lettuce: 96% water
Celery: 95% water
Zucchini: 95% water
Cabbage: 92% water
Watermelon: 91% water
Cantaloupe: 90% water
Honeydew melon: 90% water

4. Get an app for that

Yes, there’s technology for almost everything these days, including smartphone apps designed to help you drink more water. Try out an app like Water Reminder, which is highly rated and free to download (with in-app purchases) for iPhone and Android users.

5. Flavor your water

H2O doesn’t have to be boring. Cut up your favorite fruits and add them to your water for a hint of flavor and a burst of fun, seasonal color. You can also purchase a fruit-infuser water bottle at an affordable price point, like this AquaFrut Fruit Infuser Water Bottle.

6. Begin and end your day with water

Improving hydration could be as simple as tweaking your daily routine. You could try drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning when you wake up. There’s an extra glass of water added to your intake a day, just like that.

7. Keep water on hand

If you keep a pitcher of water or a supply of bottled water in your refrigerator, you can grab a glass whenever you want. You can also keep a water bottle with you when you go for walks, errands or activities outside of your home. The convenience of being able to sip whenever you want could add up. You could keep this Brita Water Dispenser in your refrigerator for easy fill ups without having to lift a heavy pitcher.

Are you feeling ready to hydrate, but aren’t sure how much H₂0 you need? Talk with your doctor about how much water you should be drinking daily to meet your unique needs. Pretty soon you could be saying “sip, sip, hooray!”

For more tips on how to drink more water, read 5 Simple Ways for Seniors to Stay Hydrated.

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