We often rave about the benefits of drinking water. Whether your favourite is super trendy raw water or the old-fashioned filtered variety, water keeps you hydrated better than any other drink. It also provides energy and boosts brain power so you can be at your best every day.

Hitting or even exceeding that coveted target of eight glasses per day isn’t just great for your body. Dehydration negatively impacts your mood and reduces your cognitive and motor skills, two facts that make drinking water great for the mind too.

Having the odd day where you drink lots of water isn’t sufficient. Establishing a habit for good hydration is the way to go. Read on, to discover our top tips for making those eight glasses per day a pleasure – rather than a chore.

Start as you mean to go on

As soon as you wake up, staying hydrated should be on your mind. Most of us are in the habit of reaching for a morning cup of tea or coffee. Try drinking a glass of water before you get your caffeine fix. You could even down a glass of water while waiting for your coffee to brew! If you’re not a morning person, that initial drink of water could be just what you need to put your body into gear.

Looking to manage your weight for better health and well-being? Water will do the trick, as Chris Bailey from A Life of Productivity explains:

“You’ll eat less. One study showed that people who drink a glass of water before every meal lost 4.5 pounds over a three-month period, because ‘it fills up the stomach with a substance that has zero calories’, and people ‘feel full as a result’. Especially after I’ve eaten a big breakfast, drinking a lot of water in the morning has also helped me avoid the temptation of snacking before lunch.”

Invest in a water bottle

Having access to a refreshing drink of water everywhere you go will help you drink even more of the good stuff every day. There are many super stylish and hugely functional water bottles on the market. Check out the best water bottles of 2019 according to the people who use them right here.

Some bottles use technology to track intake too. These designs pair with apps to log what you drink, remind you when to take a sip and customise water intake based on your specific daily needs.

The majority of people don’t reach their water drinking targets due to lack of access. Having and carrying your own water bottle everywhere you go eliminates this problem and reduces the amount of money you spend on bottled water.

Link drinking water to another habit

There’s always time to have a sip of water to keep your body and mind well hydrated, but making it a habit isn’t easy. Linking drinking water with another habit during those early days will help you establish a great system to ensure you unlock the many benefits of drinking more water.

Drinking a glass of water after every bathroom break or sipping before each meal will get you one step closer to hitting or even exceeding your recommended daily intake target.

Add some flavour to the mix

Many people say they don’t drink enough water because they simply don’t like the taste. Adding some flavour to the mix courtesy of your favourite fresh fruit, vegetable, or herb will make each cup as tasty as the last. Grapefruit, strawberries, lemon, cucumber, ginger, basil, and mint are all excellent flavours to add a bit of excitement to a regular glass of water.

Want more fruity inspiration? Work your way through these DIY fruit-infused waters to stay hydrated this season.

Invest in a filter

Filtered water is becoming more and more of a necessity. As well as providing a better tasting experience, it also unlocks a number of other advantages. Buying and using your own filter helps cut costs.

In fact, you can enjoy filtered water for as little as 3p a litre. Having your own water filter also means no more carrying heavy loads of bottled water from the supermarket. Choose filtered and we can ban single-use plastic bottles for good!