That 3pm slump? Probably dehydration.

That headache? Dehydration.

That mid-morning hunger? Also dehydration.

You drink water. But probably not enough. And definitely not consistently.

Let’s fix that.

How Much Water Do You Actually Need?

The “8 glasses a day” thing? Made up. No scientific basis.

A better formula:

Your body weight (lbs) ÷ 2 = ounces of water per day

So if you weigh 160 lbs, aim for 80 oz (about 2.4 liters).

Adjust up for:

  • Exercise
  • Hot weather
  • Coffee/alcohol consumption
  • High protein diets

Signs You’re Dehydrated Right Now

Obvious ones:

  • Dark yellow urine
  • Dry mouth
  • Thirst

Less obvious ones:

  • Afternoon fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Hunger between meals
  • Bad breath
  • Dry skin

Here’s the kicker: by the time you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

Why You’re Always Behind

Coffee counts against you

Coffee is a diuretic. It makes you pee more. That morning coffee doesn’t hydrate you — it dehydrates you.

For every cup of coffee, drink an extra glass of water to break even.

You drink in bursts, not consistently

Chugging a liter at dinner doesn’t make up for 8 hours of nothing. Your body can only absorb so much at once. The rest just… leaves.

You’ve normalized dehydration

When you’re chronically underhydrated, your body stops sending strong thirst signals. You feel “fine” but you’re actually running at 70%.

Water is boring

Let’s be honest. Soda, coffee, juice — they all taste better. Water requires discipline.

The Fix

1. Front-load your morning

Drink 16-20oz as soon as you wake up. Before coffee. Before anything.

You’ve just gone 8 hours without water. Your body needs it.

2. Set dumb simple reminders

Not “drink 8 glasses.” Just “drink something every 2 hours.”

Small, consistent doses beat big irregular chugging.

3. Keep water visible

Bottle on desk. Glass by the couch. Water in every room you spend time in.

Out of sight = out of mind.

4. Track it (at least for a week)

You think you drink enough. You probably don’t.

Track it. See the actual number. Get the reality check.

5. Eat your water

Cucumbers, watermelon, oranges, lettuce — these are 90%+ water.

Hydration doesn’t only come from drinking.

The Habit Stack

Here’s what works:

  • Wake up: 16oz water immediately
  • Before each meal: 8oz water
  • Every 2 hours: 8oz water
  • Before bed: 8oz water

That’s 80+ oz without thinking hard. Adjust based on your needs.

Track Without Thinking

WaterDrop makes this stupid simple.

One tap to log. Gentle reminders that aren’t annoying. Progress you can see at a glance.

No gamification. No badges. No leaderboards.

Just water tracking that actually works.

— Dolce