To really swear by drinking water ?

I have quite a serious autoimmune disease (medically diagnosed and monitored) and the improvement in my symptoms when I drink 2-3l water a day compared with much less, is quite incredible. It's measurable, so not placebo.

I'm absolutely a science-led individual for pretty much everything but in this case no matter what advice is out there about only needing to drink when you're thirsty, I just can't justify applying it to myself and support others who feel the same for medical reasons or just general health. There are clearly more subtle benefits than currently available standard medical tests can pick up.

I also think there's a difference between "need" and "supports optimal performance". Sure, no one is going to die if only drinking when thirsty, but drinking more liquid absolutely in my experience helps a number of bodily systems run at their best.

If anyone has suggestions on how to drink more water I'd be very grateful

Tea?

This isn't wholly true either.
If you're not used to it, it can be (but isn't always) an irritant and a diuretic. If you drink it regularly it's usually neither.

If I drunk when I was thirsty I would never drink.

I'm never thirsty, I also don't sweat either. My middle kid drank so much water when he was younger I suspected he may even be diabetic, he'd even drink about 2 litres just before a meal. I reckon he (as a young adult) must drink at least 5 litres a day.

But he's a very fit and healthy young man!

Me, I must be permanently dehydrated my wee is like (tmi) treacle!

I go through phases of trying my best to drink water and my skin is definitely better. It's a constant battle to drink more fluid, so I drink copious amounts of tea, which I realise is a diuretic but is probably better than nothing.

I love coconut water but after drinking 2 litres one day, I spent the next 24 hours on the toilet.

If anyone has suggestions on how to drink more water I'd be very grateful. Not a fan of squash either.

Clear liquid is better for your bladder or some clear liquid through the day.

Not totally true, it's a bladder irritant

Well no, I wasn't being entirely serious, but guess my point is that if we can easily go 8-9 hours without a drink at night, why would it be an issue during the day as long as your total liquid consumption is within healthy limits?

Lots of people work in jobs where they can't just stop and have a drink, or where they can't carry water with them. Surely as long as you drink enough over your waking hours, it's not all that important when that happens?

I drink plenty over the course of a day - at least 2 litres of fluid - if not more - but it just happens to be before and after work, and in the evenings, rather than when I'm at work for practical reasons.

Okay so you asked....

during the night the production of urine slows down because the kidneys produce less overnight. It's normal not to drink during the night. I assume you're not being serious asking this?

As long as you drink enough during the day, then it's fine not to drink at night.

But generally, if someone went from 8am to 2pm without a drink (and they had a normal cup of something at breakfast- like 300mls) they would feel thirsty unless they are old because when you're old your sense of thirst declines.

Can't stand the stuff, only to be drunk in times of total desperation

My pee is a healthy straw colour and my kidneys are functioning perfectly - I had kidney function tests a couple of months ago as part of a general blood test for a different health condition.

If going six hours without a drink is too long, do you think people should be waking up in the night to drink?

I always take water for motorway journeys, except for my 25 minute commute to work, but I wouldn't take any for a trip to the supermarket.

The water in our taps here in Harrogate, North Yorkshire is brilliant! It's so good that it's bottled and sold worldwide! Harrogate Spring Water so you're wrong there!

@Unescorted If/when she does agree to drink something, try putting electrolytes in to help with rehydration

My DD (9) has only ever drunk plain water since she came off milk as a baby. She has Autism and I think it's a taste thing (she absolutely should be drinking milk but eats cheese every day so gets her calcium).

I highly, highly recommend getting a Virgin Pure machine installed! £17.49 per month and it connects to mains water and filters & chills/boils it on demand. You've never drunk a cup of tea/coffee like it, than using filtered water 🤤 So so nice. So DD goes up and helps herself from the machine. It's like that really nice chilled water you get from coolers at the doctors! 💧

I absolutely agree, I drink a lot of tap water...always at room temperature. I have water with me all the time. Even if I say so myself I have really great skin for my age (51) and I just use basic Nivea fave cream. I swear that drinking water is a million times better than expensive face creams (along with not smoking, and using sunscreen! )

That's a bit too long.
You may not feel thirsty but your kidneys need fluids to work properly or you can end up with kidney stones.

The way to see if you need more fluids is the colour of your pee.

You need a She-wee or potty as well for those situations.😁

Can speed up weight loss but ONLY as part of a calorie controlled diet and exercise plan - won’t make you lose weight on its own !

Sorry OP.
It can't speed up weight loss.

It can be a substitute for other drinks that contain sugar, or calories, but it won't help you lose weight in any other way. It can also fill your stomach up so you might feel full and not eat other stuff.

I assume that is what you meant?

It doesn't have to be just water. You can drink tea (no milk) or black coffee which have zero calories.

Can you try task stacking? (Or whatever its cslled) so if there is something you do multiple times a day, eg answer a call at work, arrive at work, arrive at home, go to the loo, put your shoes on. ANYTHING that you regularly do several times a day, take that and have a drink every time you do it.

Would be absolutely my worst nightmare to be stuck on a broken down train with no water, especially as I am always with the kids! If I’m thirsty my mood plummets and I get so panicky. That on a stranded train having to look after bored/claustro kids would be actual hell! Same with traffic jams - thread the other day where someone’s daughter was stuck on a motorway traffic jam for 12 hours or something. Hence I always have water, just on the off chance that unlikely situation occurs 😄

There are big signs at train stations in summer saying always carry a bottle of water.
I have a bottle of water on the way into work because I bring a 500ml bottle....but I've drunk it during the day and carry the empty one home, but I generally don't need a drink on either journey. If I'm going shopping etc I wouldn't consider taking a water bottle

This is how I feel about drinking more water.
I've tried increasing my water intake and found it made no difference except needing to wee a lot more often. I drink about 500ml water a day, but maybe in the new year I'll try to increase that

I work with a woman who is evangelical about drinking water. She went for bloods pre op and was told to reduce her intake and take more salt before the op

Me too. I think I might be a camel.

I am very rarely thirsty.

Exactly. I regularly go 5-6 hours without a drink at work. I've never had any issues with dehydration!