Hydration · lesson 4 of 9
Read your own hydration
Simple, free signals that beat any rule of thumb.
3 min read · reviewed October 2026
You don't need a lab. Two free signals, thirst and the colour of your urine, tell you most of what you need, in real time.
Key concept
Urine color is your dashboard
Aim for pale straw / light yellow. Dark amber means drink more; completely clear all day can mean you're over-doing plain water (or just diluting — back off slightly and consider electrolytes). Note: B-vitamins can turn urine bright yellow and throw this off.
Your daily hydration habits
- Front-load a glass of water with each meal — three easy wins, automatically spaced.
- Keep a bottle in sight; visibility drives intake more than willpower.
- Add sodium/electrolytes around heavy sweat, heat, illness, or fasting.
- Check urine color once midday — adjust the rest of the day from there.
- Count coffee and tea — in moderation they hydrate too; the diuretic effect is mild.
Try it in the app
Log your water and track the trend
Logging hydration turns these habits into a streak you can actually see.