BENGALURU: Meeting deadlines, working 12 to 14 hours a day or more, and work stress have brought millennials to a point where they even forget to drink water. Thankfully, there are apps coming to their rescue now. Kumar Shantanu, an IT professional, started suffering from aching joints and his face started to bloat due to dehydration. Doctors told him that he had excess amount of uric acid in his body because of inadequate intake of water.
“Doctors said the water flushes out the uric acid in the body, which is why I was experiencing several health issues. Three months ago, I downloaded an app that would set off an alarm at specific times, reminding me to drink water. I could customise it as per my needs. As I hit the gym as well, I set my target to 12 glasses of water a day, with smaller targets in the morning, afternoon and evening,” Kumar said.
“My office does not have a water dispenser near my desk, so it remained out of sight and out of mind. Even at night, when I used to watch something on my laptop and felt thirsty, I didn’t bother getting up to drink water immediately,” he added. The app forced him to change his habits. He lost four to five kg and faces no pain or bloating issues now.
Apps like Water Drink Reminder, Droi Health and HealthifyMe are getting increasingly popular among people.
Zuhair Fiyaz, a media professional, follows an almost 24/7 work schedule. “I would only drink water after meals. I downloaded an app that rings an alarm every two hours, without which I would forget to even fill my bottle. It rings even when the phone is on the silent mode,” Fiyaz said. He has been using it for eight months, with a daily target of 1.2 litres water. “My body feels good and the skin on my hands is no longer dry,” Fiyaz added.
Many others have made incorporating sufficient water intake a part of their overall fitness routine. Vikas Agarwal, who works at a software company, bought a smartwatch, which is connected to an app on his phone, to manage his fitness regimen.
“It gives me step count, water and sleep reminders and a heartbeat rate,” he said, explaining that based on his age, sex, height and weight, the app suggested that he drink eight glasses of water a day. He decided to set it at 12 glasses, with reminders every one hour.
“If I sit for over two hours at my desk, the app reminds me to walk around. It does not disturb me during my bedtime though,” said Agarwal, adding that he now feels more in control of his body and daily schedule. It has also helped him lose weight.
Similarly, for Class-12 student Aaradhana M, drinking water was essential to help her lose weight.“Since summer started, I have been relying on an app that reminds me to drink a glass of water every three hours.
I did some research online and found that water helped one stay slim, so I decided to stay hydrated regularly. After a while, the app helped me make it a habit, unless I am extremely busy. I no longer feel dehydrated and lethargic,” she added.