A Potentially Life-Changing Hack For Drinking More Water
by Audie Metcalf
We like treats. It’s science. The human brain has reward systems. When it gets a treat, it produces the neurotransmitter, dopamine. Dopamine feels great.
So, although water can be gloriously quenching and treat-like after an intense workout, or at 3am after a salt-riddled Indian feast, we’re supposed to drink a lot of it each day, because it’s the key to digestion, longevity, youth, life. It’s recommended that we use this exact formula to halve our body weight, convert that to ounces, and that should be our daily intake of water.
Drinking half a gallon of water, though, turns out to be a taxing, annoying, endless, non-treat chore.
So, I hacked it.
I noticed my extreme, giddy, childlike delight when drinking from a cup that is otherwise associated with a fun treat from the outside world, so after I finished my unsweetened green tea with a splash of lemonade, I brought that cup home. Like a talisman of outside-world treat-joy.
I filled it up with my own ice and water from the fridge and noticed by the end of that day, I had consumed almost 5 Venti-sized cups of water. I will say that I live in Southern California and the temp has been hovering around a balmy 105 most days so general thirst was driving a lot of my desire.
But regardless of heat, I’ve noticed that with this water hack, I effortlessly consume the recommended 2 liters. And then some.
The point is: the vessel is everything.
So, I looked past my 4, adorable but dusty Swell bottles with a considerable amount of guilt, and found the water hack that has unwaveringly gotten me to drink DOUBLE my recommended daily water allotment.
Here’s what I did:
So, I will say that the only downside to drinking an avalanche of water throughout the day is the copious bathroom trips you’ll need to take. But on the extreme plus side, water aids in healthy digestion AND helps you to feel fuller without any calories. Remember that if you feel thirsty, it means you’re already dehydrated.
Pro tip: The metal straw debate is still going strong, and after a woman died from brain injuries after impaling herself with one, along with the very thoughtful discussion around mobility challenged people as well as children, we are firmly in the camp of no metal straws.