Neurodivergent Tips To Drink More Water

Staying hydrated is important for your physical and mental health. Learn how to trick yourself into drinking more.

Drinking water is important and can have a big impact on your health. And, until the spring of 2023, I would often go months without taking a sip. 

I rarely feel thirsty, so I never thought to drink water. Occasionally, I would be forced to drink some water, but that was it. Despite this, I knew it was important, and my lack of water was a health risk.

One day, a customer told me about his lasting cognitive damage due to a dehydration-caused stroke. This struck a chord with me, and I set out to figure out how to drink more water.

In this post, I will discuss some strategies I’ve found to keep myself hydrated as a neurodivergent person. 

The Connection Between Neurodivergence And Dehydration

As I started researching how to drink more water, I often came across the advice to drink whenever you’re thirsty. While this may be helpful for some, it does not always work for neurodivergent people.

Several conditions under the neurodivergent umbrella, such as sensory processing disorders, autism, and ADHD, cause sensory issues. One of these potential issues is difficulty with interoception. 

Interoception is the ability to sense what is happening in your body. These are the cues that tell you when you’re hungry, tired, or thirsty, among other things.

If you struggle with interoception, it may be hard to eat or drink enough. In this situation, staying hydrated requires a more proactive approach. 

Signs That You Need To Drink Water

If your internal sense of thirst isn’t reliable, there are a few physical cues of dehydration to watch for. 

Headaches

Dehydration can cause headaches. I have chronic headaches, and dehydration makes them worse, even if I don’t feel thirsty.

When you have a headache, take a few sips of water. It may make a dramatic difference in your pain. 

Muscle And Joint Pain

Along with headaches, dehydration can cause pain in your muscles and joints. For me, the telltale sign is when my whole body aches for no clear reason. This spread-out ache is almost always a sign that I need to drink water. 

If your entire body starts to feel achy without a clear reason, such as a recent workout, it may be a sign of dehydration. 

Pronounced Veins

One of the less painful symptoms of dehydration is bulging veins on your hands. Your veins become more visible if you are dehydrated, have recently completed strenuous exercise, are in high heat, or are in similar situations. In all of those cases, drinking water is probably a good idea. 

When I see that my hand veins are larger than normal, I drink some water. This can be a convenient sign, as it relies on a visual cue rather than interoception. 

Dark Yellow Urine

The color of your urine can be an important indicator of your health. It can be especially helpful in determining how hydrated you are. 

Dark yellow urine means you’re dehydrated. Clear urine indicated overhydration. Ideally, your urine should be a pale yellow. 

Tricks For Drinking More Water

Once you know when you need to drink more water, the next step is to do it. For many of us, this may be harder than it sounds. Here are some tips that have helped me make it a little bit easier. 

Emotional Support Water Bottle

By far, the most effective thing I have done to drink more water is to find the right water bottle. Choosing the bottle that I liked best and always having it on me has been a game-changer. Here’s how I did it.

Choosing The Right Bottle

Having the right bottle can make all the difference in the world. The best water bottle for you depends on your preferences and needs.

For example, I have contamination OCD, especially around food and drink. Often, even if I was thirsty, I would avoid water that I thought was ‘dirty’. Knowing this, I bought a Britta water bottle so that the water would always feel ‘clean’. 

I also purchased one with a straw. I struggle with coordination, and a straw is the only way I can drink while walking. It also lets me drink without thinking, which dramatically increases my intake.

When you are choosing a water bottle, think about what stops you from drinking water. For example, if you only like cold water, prioritize a water bottle that keeps things cold. If you need flavored water, find one that allows you to infuse the water with flavor. And if you struggle with object permanence, you may consider a clear water bottle that allows you to see what is inside. 

There are a ton of available water bottle options. Take the time to find one that works for you– it can make all the difference. 

Emotionally Bonding With Your Water Bottle

When I got my water bottle, I went through a process of emotionally bonding with it. This step felt ridiculous, but it was incredibly helpful. To do this, I focused on carrying my bottle with me everywhere I went. 

This was not a habit, and I had to make sure I did it intentionally. I brought it everywhere, even when it was almost certain that I wouldn’t use it. However, after a few weeks, I accidentally left it at home. I felt off the entire time I didn’t have it.

That’s when I knew my plan had worked.

By carrying the bottle with me everywhere I went, I had made it a comfort item and part of my routine. A large part of my struggle with drinking water was not remembering to do it. Now, I always have a reminder and an opportunity with me. 

As silly as it may seem, this process can be very helpful. As extra motivation, decorate your bottle with stickers of things you are interested in. Carry it with you until it becomes a habit.

Track Your Consumption

If you enjoy tracking things and collecting data, consider tracking how much water you drink each day. It helps you see if you’re drinking enough–and might motivate you to drink more.

This trick will work well for some, but it may not be a good long-term strategy if you struggle to fill out trackers or get overwhelmed by the extra steps.

Add Flavor and Texture

One of my main complaints about water was that it was boring. It just couldn’t compete with the sensory experience of other drinks, each with its own texture and flavor. Additionally, not all water tastes the same, depending on where you get it. This meant water was both boring and often felt wrong because it was different than what I expected.

If you also find the taste or texture of water boring, change it!

There are a few options for changing the flavor. At most grocery stores, you can get liquid or powdered flavor mix-ins relatively cheaply. I prefer to get ones designed specifically for hydration. This isn’t the most natural option, but it’s better than not drinking water at all.

You could also add fruits to your water to give it some taste. This won’t provide the same level of flavor as artificial mix-ins, but it is a slightly healthier choice. Common fruits to add include cucumbers, lemons, and berries.

You also have a few options when it comes to texture. My favorite is seltzer water, or water that is carbonated the way soda is. This gives you a satisfying bubbly feeling while still being water. Flavored seltzer waters can also be a good way to combine flavor and texture, 

If you don’t love carbonated drinks, you can also buy a water-thickening agent. This will make your water thicker, changing the texture, which may make it more enjoyable for you.

Use Your Water To Think

Being autistic means I often need extra processing time during conversations. Even if your neurodivergence doesn’t require this, we could all use a pause to think before we respond. Drinking water is the perfect way to get this time.

When someone says something to you, take a sip of water before you respond. This will create a natural space to think about your answer before you respond, and the small sips throughout the day add up.

Make It A Routine

Another trick I’ve used to drink more water is to make it a rule: I must drink one glass of water before I drink anything else. 

If you also greatly prefer other beverages to water, this can be a great choice. Then, regardless of what you drink the rest of the day, you will always know you’ve had some water. 

Find The Right Temperature

I’ve always preferred my food and drinks to be as close to room temperature as possible. I don’t like the sensation of consuming things that are too hot or too cold.

My partner, on the other hand, only likes water if it is freezing. They enjoy the sensory experience and the jolt of awakeness it gives them. 

If you are struggling to drink water, experiment with keeping your water at different temperatures. The experience of drinking water can change a lot depending on what temperature it is. Once you find the sensation you like the most, drinking water may become much easier for you.

Don’t Drink Water

It may seem counterintuitive, but if you struggle to drink water, then don’t. Hydration comes in many forms, and drinking water is just one of them.

Fruits, vegetables, soups, teas, and even popsicles can all be good sources of hydration. If water just doesn’t work for you, incorporate more hydrating foods into your diet. 

Conclusion

Staying hydrated is important for your mental and physical health, but it’s not always as easy as it seems. Using these tricks and a bit of experimentation, you can sustainably increase your water consumption.