Even though staying hydrated can reduce your ADHD symptoms, for many of us, this can feel like an impossible task.
Whether it’s forgetting to drink, getting distracted on the way to the kitchen, or just…not feeling like doing the task of lifting a cup to your mouth, staying hydrated is difficult for a lot of us with ADHD.
Here are five ADHD-friendly ways to get more water into your body—without guilt or forcing it.
What is Your Barrier?
Before we dive into solutions, let’s look at some common reasons you’re not getting enough fluid (approximately 2L per day for most adults). Once you figure out your barrier, jump to the solution that fits it best:
- Barrier 1: The taste (or lack thereof!)
- Barrier 2: The need to refill
- Barrier 3: Remembering to drink
- Barrier 4: Having to open the water bottle or bring the water bottle/cup up to your mouth
1. Make Water More Interesting
Some people love water, but it is incredibly common to think plain water feels boring (or even slightly repulsive). The ADHD brain loves novelty and sensory input, and water just doesn’t hit those buttons. Try:
- Squeeze flavors (yes, even the ones with Red 40)
- Herbal iced teas
- A pitcher with citrus slices or cucumber
- Seltzers or low-sugar electrolyte drinks
- Water-filled fruits (like watermelon, cucumber, or oranges)
Make it sensory, make it fun! Your brain will thank you. Another note: If water is a sensory issue, consider getting your zinc levels tested. Our zinc levels can affect how we process the sensory aspect of food.
2. Quick Refills
Refilling water constantly can be a big barrier, especially if your sink is far away or you’re hyper-focused and don’t want to get up. If this is your barrier, the solution would be to figure out how to make this go faster and reduce the frequency of the need. Try:
- A giant water bottle (like a half-gallon or 40oz)
- Drinking bottled or canned water
- Simply refilling from the tap because that’s really fast (and no, most tap water isn’t ‘toxic’)
3. Reduce the Cognitive Load
If you know you need to drink water but completely forget it until dinner (and then you chug a few glasses at once), this section is for you. It’s better for our body to have water throughout our day instead of all at once. To get better at that, you can:
- Set a random timer to drink some water
- Timers don’t always work, so you can tie it to an event too, like drinking whenever you are in a work meeting
- Make drinking enjoyable so your brain decides it’s important to remember—perhaps try a fruity drink or seltzer water
- Choose right now to always to have a glass of water with your meals
4. Reduce the Friction
ADHD brains are extremely sensitive to micro-barriers—things that don’t seem like a big deal, but definitely are. This includes:
- Needing to open a twist cap
- Walking to the sink to refill
- Bringing the cup to your mouth
For me, the largest barrier is bringing the cup up to my mouth. It might seem silly or odd to say out loud, but once we recognize and accept our very real limitations, we can give ourselves accommodations without guilt. Here are a few ways you can accommodate yourself:
- Water bottles with a built-in straw
- Slide-cap thermoses instead of screw-on lids
- Big, easy-to-clean cups with handles
- Straws that bend to reduce the need to move your head
Remember: The easier it is to drink, the more likely you are to do it.
5. Anchor It to Something You Already Do
Relying on memory or willpower usually doesn’t work with ADHD. Instead, take the Atomic Habits approach and try adding drinking to a habit you already have in place:
- A few sips every time you check your email
- Drinking during a meeting or while scrolling your phone in your bed (water bottles with straws are a great option here)
- Always having water with a meal or snack
- A “refill and drink” ritual after brushing your teeth
By linking hydration to something that’s already a routine (or dopamine-rewarding), you reduce the mental effort of remembering. The key, though, is to choose it preemptively. By choosing now which habit you’re going to pair drinking water with, your brain will work less, and you will find it easier to drink water.
Is it possible to be over-hydrated?
There is a point where you could be drinking too much water. Our urine goal is a light yellow color. If you consistently have lighter urine than this, maybe consider laying off the liquid a little. Here are some symptoms of overhydration:
- nausea and vomiting
- headache due to pressure on the brain
- changes in mental state, such as confusion or disorientation
- drowsiness
- muscle cramps
Hydration is incredibly important for ADHD and general mental health. As you continue to work on your hydration, you’ll start to experience some improvements, especially with brain fog. Take note of how you feel; that insight can provide additional motivation to regularly consume water.
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