The human body is about 70% water – I’m sure you’ve heard that before – and keeping hydrated is vital.  When it’s really hot, it is even more important than usual to drink more water and here’s a brief summary of why and a few tips for how to achieve that.

Drinking more water improves concentration, keeps your skin plump and stretchy, assists in digestion and keeping your blood flowing well.

Also, when I was studying Sports Massage we were told that it takes 1/2 litre (that’s almost a pint) of water simply to make the urine flow properly out of the body, so the first pint is simply used to pee.

I’m sure we all agree that drinking more water is good for you, but sometimes it is easier said than done, so here’s a few simple tips to help. First, head to the supermarket and get a glass bottles of water (plastic isn’t so good for water storage as chemicals can leach out of the container into the water). There is no need to drink expensive bottled water – tap water is fine. If you don’t like the taste or are concerned about the quality, get a jug filter.

1) Take a glass of water to bed at night and drink it all as soon as you wake.
2) Keep a bottle close by where you spend most of you time. So if you are at home during the day, put a bottle of water and a glass by your desk or chair. In your office, keep a bottle on your desk. Fill it first thing in the morning and aim to drink it all by lunchtime, then fill it again and try to drink it by the end of the day – no pressure on this one though.
3) If you have lots of tea and coffee, put another full bottle by the kettle and drink a glassful when you make your hot drink – again aim to empty it by the end of the day.
4) When you go out for coffee and cake, or to a restaurant, ask for a glass of tap water.
5) Finally, at the pub, order your drink and a glass of tap water too. I do this every time and a) it gets more water into me and b) means I drink slower, so good news all round.

Don’t expect immediate results. It seems to take a couple of days for the water to work through your system, just keep doing it.

Can you drink too much water? It’s possible from what I have read but you have to drink a LOT of water – 4 litres a day at least – for days to have a problem so this isn’t a real issue for most of us. The only real concern is for people on restricted fluid diets or who take diuretics. If in doubt, as always, seek medical advice before doing anything different.