How to drink more water as expert shares top 5 tips

Drinking enough water is something we all know we should be doing more of but often forget or struggle to find the time to do. 

We need to drink water in order to prevent dehydration - a condition that can lead to mood changes, unclear thinking, kidney stones and more. 

How much should I drink a day? Here's what the NHS says

We should be drinking six to eight glasses of water every day. ( Getty Images) (Image: Getty Images)

The National Health Service (NHS) recommends that we drink between six to eight cups of water a day.

However, your daily intake will vary under the following conditions, if you are:

• pregnant
• in a hot environment
• physically active for long periods
• ill or recovering from illness

You'll know that you're drinking enough if your pee is a clear pale yellow colour, according to the health service website.

It's important to note that water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count towards your daily fluid intake.

For more information and guidance, visit the NHS website.

5 top tips to help you drink more water

Wellbeing expert from Wassen, Victoria Malcolm, has shared her five top tips to help you increase your daily water intake.

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Eating fruit and vegetables

Victoria has first suggested introducing more fruits and vegetables into your diet since this is a great way to make sure you are consuming more water.

"The high water content of fruit and vegetables means they are a fantastic way to introduce more water into your diet, whilst you are also getting all those essential vitamins and minerals," the wellbeing expert explained.

"Some fruit and vegetables have a particularly high water content, for example, cucumber and melon, so these are really great options."

Love your water bottle

The expert also recommended picking out a water bottle that you love and that you don't mind carrying with you wherever you go.

Victoria explains that this will encourage you to drink more water throughout the day.

She added: "There is so much choice these days from personalised options to bottles which help to countdown and monitor consumption. Love your bottle and drink more water!"

The wellbeing expert recommended eating more fruit and vegetables and scheduling water breaks among her top tips to consume more water. ( Getty Images) (Image: Getty Images)

Schedule water breaks

The most effective time to drink water is half an hour before and after eating, according to the expert.

"Drinking too much water with food can dilute the digestive enzymes, making it harder to get the goodness out of your food so try drinking water 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after food," Victoria advised.

"This also means you'll be well hydrated before you eat and not confuse thirst with hunger."

Add flavour

You can also make water more appealing by adding different delicious flavours by including fruits, such as raspberries.

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"Some healthy options include a slice of lemon, a sprig of mint or a few slices of cucumber," Victoria suggested.

Put in vitamins and minerals

Victoria also recommends trying out Wassen's new range of powdered nutrients to help make your water even more powerful.

She says the powered nutrients boost the water with essential vitamins and minerals.