Hydration plays a huge role in performance, mental focus, physical stamina, and recovery. That's true whether you're an NBA star or a weekend warrior.

The pros have mastered the art of optimal hydration, according to Matt Jones, a sports nutritionist who advises the supplement brand Cadence and worked with the Boston Celtics during their 2024 NBA Championship-winning season.

"It's those routines that allow them to perform to the best of their ability, because ultimately the most important thing with any nutrition intervention is the consistency part," he told Business Insider.

After years of experience coaching elite athletes and military professionals, Jones has five key tips for getting enough water and electrolytes for better focus and energy throughout the day.

Use a three-part test for dehydration

Staying hydrated is crucial to keeping your brain and body performing well in the office or on the basketball court, Jones said.

"It can impact your mood, your decision-making; it can impact the way you just go about your normal life," he said.

A key part of his job is being able to tell whether athletes need to drink more water, which he does using a gold standard test. You can look out for three things to see whether you're dehydrated:

• Waking up thirsty. You can lose fluids overnight, so morning thirst is a good sign to start drinking water.
• Daily weight changes. Slight changes in your daily weight are normal, but if it decreases by 1% or more overnight, you could be low on fluids.
• Dark urine. Normal urine is pale or transparent yellow, so a color closer to amber can indicate dehydration.

Work out how much water you should drink in a day

Jones said the gold standard recommendation is 1 milliliter to 1.5 milliliters per calorie of energy expenditure.

For example, a person who burns through 2,000 calories a day would need about two liters or eight cups of water a day — the advice you probably heard as a kid.

If you have higher calorie needs because you're more active or weigh more, your hydration needs will be proportionally higher.

Drink most of your water by 4 p.m.

Being well-hydrated can backfire if you drink water too late, since frequent bathroom trips disrupt your sleep.

Jones said the solution for his athletes, including the Celtics, is to drink 80% of their fluids for the day before 4 p.m. so that their bodies have time to process all that liquid before bedtime.

Hydrate with fruit, coffee, and tea

Plain water is your first priority for hydration and a healthier choice than sugary juice or soda, but other drinks and even foods can count toward your daily total.

For instance, your daily morning coffee can help keep you hydrated. It's best in moderation to avoid the side effects of excess caffeine.

"Caffeine itself can be a diuretic, but when consumed in the form of coffee or tea, the net effect is a net gain in fluid," Jones said.

Hydrating foods such as fruits and veggies also provide electrolytes to regulate the fluids in your body.

We need sodium, or salt, but most of us probably get enough in our diets already. Jones said it's better to focus on getting the right amount of potassium for balance and to offset the side effects of too much sodium, such as high blood pressure.

Good sources of potassium include bananas, avocados, coconut water, pomegranate, and watermelon.

Start drinking before you're thirsty

It's OK to sip water when you feel like it during the workday, but if you wait until you're thirsty during a sweaty workout, you'll already be dehydrated.

"During intense exercise, particularly in warm environments, thirst is not a good indicator of hydration status," Jones said. "People are often chasing their tails a little bit."

You can calculate your sweat rate to estimate just how much water you need to replace during exercise, like Jones does with the pros.

Prevent a dip in performance by drinking water at regular intervals.

"The first priority as soon as your big toe hits planet earth in the morning is to rehydrate," Jones said.