Our bodies are made up of approximately 60 percent water. Which is why drinking water every day is so important. Drinking enough is crucial to the function of almost all the systems and organs in our bodies. Including, but not limited to:

• Keeping joints lubricated
• Cellular function
• Regulating body temperature
• Flushing of body waste
• Regulating moods
• Sleep quality
• Increases skin radiance

The Australian guidelines for water intake stipulate women drink roughly 8 cups (2.1lts) and men drink roughly 11 cups (2.6lts) per day. Keep in mind this is just an estimate. Depending on your body size, activity levels and climate, you may need to adjust your water intake levels. Also, you don’t purely have to achieve this with just drinking plain water, other beverages like tea and even coffee count towards your daily intake. Still not getting close to the mark? Here are seven expert tips to help you stay hydrated and feeling great.

1. Drink a glass as soon as you wake up.  After sleeping for 8 hours your body wakes up dehydrated. Having a glass of water as soon as you wake up will help rehydrate your body and help boost your alertness. Have your coffee after you’ve had a few glasses of water and see how you feel.
   
   
2.  Carry a reusable water bottle with you. Everyone should have a good quality reusable water bottle and if you don’t, Cactis can help you out! Having your water bottle with you means you can refill and reuse your bottle all day, saving you the cost and hassle of having to buy bottled water. Just seeing your bottle will remind you to keep drinking throughout the day, and a good quality bottle, like Cactis, is double-walled insulated stainless steel, meaning they will keep your drinks cold for 24 hours. The biggest winner of using a reusable drink bottle is the planet. Around 373 million plastic bottles end up as waste each year. Australia only recycles around 36% of PET plastic drink bottles and it takes at least 450 years for a plastic bottle to completely degrade. We need to do much better. 

3. Eat your water. Eating fruits and vegetables high in water content can help towards achieving your daily intake of water. Try watermelons, honeydew, rockmelons, strawberries, cucumbers, celery, lettuce, tomatoes and oranges. 

4. Just say yes. When you go to an appointment, a friend’s house or a meeting (in a post-COVID world), and are offered a glass of water, always say yes. It’s an easy one to sip and chat and will help with your daily intake. Plus, if you’ve been hustling to get there, you’re probably a bit parched anyway. 

5. Infuse your water. Flavouring your water with fruits and herbs helps add a bit of flavour to your drinks which will make you more inclined to drink more because, let’s be real, plain water can get really boring for our taste buds sometimes. Try these beautiful combinations: 

• Watermelon, kiwi and lime
• Cucumber and Citrus
• Strawberry, mint and lemon
• Or keep it simple with a slice of Lemon 

6. Set drinking goals throughout the day. Trying to drink 8+ glasses a day can feel quite overwhelming. So break it up. Having a schedule to keep you on track throughout the day really helps. Set a timer, or download a hydration app (they exist!) to get you in the habit of picking up your bottle and drinking some water. My personal go-to for getting back on track with my hydration is an old-fashioned schedule. 

First thing in the morning, I fill my Cactis Essential 600ml Bottle with water and aim to drink and refill it between these times. 

6am – 9am (600mls)

9am – 12pm (600mls)

12pm – 3pm (600mls)

3pm – 6pm (600mls) 

Doing this gives me 2.4 liters! And if you get a little distracted (we all do), you have a few hours before bed to make up the difference. Amend these times to suit your daily schedule. I find a 3-hour window is plenty of time for me to drink 600mls of water, but if you are finding this window too short just adjust it by an hour and see if that helps. 

7. Add a pinch of salt. Yep! Get yourself some good quality sea salt and add a pinch to your water, but only a pinch! The sodium in sea salt is an electrolyte which helps deliver water to your body’s cells. This is key for making sure all the water you are drinking is getting properly absorbed. When you add sea salt to your water it helps the body absorb the water you are putting in and will help keep you hydrated for longer. Another bonus, because your body is absorbing the water and not flushing through you, you won’t need to go to the bathroom as often to pee! 

Now what are you waiting for? Pick up your bottle, fill it with water, add a pinch of sea salt and have a drink.

Sustainability that moves with you.