We need to drink water every day. All of us know this, but if you are anything like I was, you often go through much of your day without drinking water. Until a few months ago there were days that I didn’t drink any! I drank many other beverages but never just water. 

A few months ago my doctor told me that my health problems were a result of not drinking enough water. He advised me to download the WaterMinder app to remind me to drink more water. Since then I make drinking water regularly a part of my day. 

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If you also struggle to drink enough water and are wondering what physical issues you could have that are simply due to not being hydrated, read on! I'll also tell you more about WaterMinder and how to use it to help you.

  • Why Staying Hydrated Is Important
  • How to Remember to Drink Water
  • How to Download the App
  • Features of the App
  • Reminders and Goals
The App that Reminds Users to Drink More Water - How to Download WaterMinder
Image Source: Quench Water

Why Staying Hydrated Is Important

Dehydration leads to serious health problems. Some of the problems I was suffering from included lack of focus, fatigue, and headaches. I also experienced mood swings. 

The App that Reminds Users to Drink More Water - How to Download WaterMinder
Image Source: Amazing Soak

With 75% of our muscles, 83% of our brains, 94% of our blood, and 22% of our bones consisting of water, it's easy to understand why hydration is so important.  

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When we are hydrated, the cartilage in our joints and our spinal disks are sufficiently lubricated. Our mouths, noses, and eyes are moist and we don’t suffer from itchy eyes or a dry mouth. Our skin is also hydrated and our hair is shiny.  

Our bowel systems work properly and heartburn is less frequent or infrequent. According to my doctor, the risk of developing stomach ulcers is much lower when we stay hydrated. The bottom line is that if we don’t keep ourselves hydrated many health risks are lurking. 

Why Plain Water Is Best

I’ve asked myself why must I drink water if I drink other drinks like soft drinks and tea during the day. Quick online research gave me the answer. If I drink the number of fluids needed to stay hydrated but use other beverages than water, there are many negative effects.

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Drinks other than water often contain too many calories, sugar, and caffeine. All these ingredients impact my health in other ways. They can contribute to weight gain, and are damaging my teeth. I’ve discovered that alcohol is the type of drink that often confuses people the most when it comes to hydration. 

As alcoholic drinks contain water they are hydrating, but drinks with high alcohol content increase diuretic effects. Their effect on hydration is limited. The conclusion I’ve come to is that although I still drink my other beloved beverages and soft drinks, I have to ensure that I drink enough pure water every day.

How to Remember to Drink Water

To consume enough water per day, I have to drink water often. But my main problem is that I forget to drink water. I’ve had to learn not to only reach for water because I’m thirsty, but also just to keep hydrated. When I’m not thirsty, it's hard to remember to drink a glass of water.

The App that Reminds Users to Drink More Water - How to Download WaterMinder
Image Source: The New York Times

So what I need is someone or something to remind me to drink water frequently. The WaterMinder app is just what I need. Since I’ve started to use this app I’m reminded at specified times during the day to drink water, either from a glass or from my stored bottled water. 

The WaterMinder app tracks my daily water intake and also reminds me to regularly drink water. I can set my goal of water intake and the app will ensure that I reach my goals. 

My WaterMinder reminds me from 8 am until 5 pm when to drink water. I can change the time frame if needed. I regularly edit the reminders, making them suitable for my day’s routine. The reminders are set at 1.5-hour intervals.

Background of the WaterMinder App

In 2015 at the Silicon Beach App Awards, the WaterMinder app won the best app in the fitness category. In 2015 an Apple Watch version was also released, and it was one of the first apps available for the Apple Watch on the Apple App Store. 

For iPhone, it costs $4.99. I use an Android phone and I’ve downloaded it for free.

The app is also available in 15 languages for iOS and Android devices.  

How to Download the App

WaterMinder was first released in 2013. Currently, it is available on the Apple App Store for iPhones and Apple Watch, and in the Google Play Store for Android devices. 

The App that Reminds Users to Drink More Water - How to Download WaterMinder
Image Source: WaterMinder

You need at least iOS 7.0 on Apple devices and If you have an Android device like me, at least Android 4.0 is required. As I have an Android phone I’ve downloaded the app from the Google Play Store directly on my phone. It was very easy and fast. 

I just tapped on the Google Play icon on my phone and searched “WaterMinder” in the search bar. On the drop-down list, I then tapped on the “WaterMinder – Water Tracker And Drink Reminder App” option. 

I then clicked ‘Install’ and the app downloaded onto my phone. I installed it by following the prompts that appeared on my phone’s screen.

For iOS Devices

To download for an iPhone, search for the app in the App Store. To download from the App Store, search “WaterMinder” in the search bar and select the correct option. Then follow the prompts to download and install the app.

You can also download the Apple Watch version from the App Store.

Features of the App

The WaterMinder app offers a clean visual view of my current water fill and hydration level. The water reminder interface is very simple, quick and easy to use. I just tap on one icon for a menu to open. I find all the options to log and track my water intake there.

The App that Reminds Users to Drink More Water - How to Download WaterMinder
Image Source: Visihow

It is also easy to work with as the app gives me a daily water intake calculator. For quick tracking, it uses pre-defined cups, but I can customize my cups if I want to. It furnishes me with my hydration history and a graph to keep track of my hydration progress. 

As the app is meant to be used globally and it uses U.S. ounces, UK ounces, and ML water units.  

Calculator and Statistics

My app’s water intake calculator feature calculates my ideal water intake goal. I just have to provide my weight to my WaterMinder to calculate my daily water intake goal, but it takes into account other factors too. As an example, it adjusts the calculation for the climate I’m in and my lifestyle. 

As I have an active lifestyle, the app is considering that. Women can tell the app when they're pregnant or breastfeeding for even more customization. The more detail the app has about my lifestyle the better and more accurate the calculations will be.

The hydration statistics of my app give me insights into my water intake progress. To keep me motivated to drink water when prompted by my app, I view my statistics on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. It is very satisfying to see how I’m progressing with my hydration process.  

Reminders and Goals

As I can adjust the time frame when my WaterMinder has to remind me to drink water, it makes it easy for me to keep to the schedule. Every morning I ensure that the time frame is suitable for the day. 

The App that Reminds Users to Drink More Water - How to Download WaterMinder
Image Source: igeeksblog

When I’m following the same schedule for a longer period than one day, I just leave the framework as is until my daily schedule changes again. Whatever the time frame, my app will remind me every 1.5 hours that it is time for my next glass of water.

The app is never wrong. If I don’t reach my daily goal of hydration on a day or over a period, it is my own fault – I’ve not listened to my WaterMinder!

How to Use the App

Once I’d downloaded WaterMinder onto my phone, I tapped on the icon on my home screen. I then tapped  “Continue” on the welcome message. The app requests personal data to be able to customize your daily intake. I had to tap “Grant Access” to activate the app. 

After the initial setup of the WaterMinder, I also had the option to set my water intake goal and set reminders every day for the WaterMinder to remind me to drink water. I just log every ounce I’ve had with just a tap. The app will do the calculations for me and provide me with the statistics.

I’ve become used to this little routine very quickly. It is now normal for me to drink water when reminded and log the ounces with a tap on my phone. And then check my achievements every evening.

Conclusion

If you want to stay healthy and allow your vital organs to do their job, download the WaterMinder app. 

You will quickly get used to it and I’ve discovered that it is actually fun to monitor my water intake. Get the WaterMinder app and stay healthy!