Is it better to consume your morning water hot or cold?
The answer is likely both depending on the situation, your body’s requirements and even the weather. In the colder months, it’s probably better to drink your water hot, as it will help raise your body temperature and give your circulation a temporary boost – but in the summer, when you’re looking to stay cool, cold water might be a more thirst quenching option.
Scientific studies have indicated that the temperature of the water you drink can affect the amount you sweat, as well as your hydration levels. Warm water relaxes the digestive system and can help to decongest your sinuses and lessen painful cramps but if you are switching from cold to hot, make sure you’re getting enough. One study conducted by the United States Army found that opting for warmer water, with a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius, can make people want to consume less water and this can lead to you becoming dehydrated.
Some people should actively avoid drinking cold water – such as those that suffer from achalasia, a condition that affects the food pipe and makes swallowing foods and drinks difficult. If you have this relatively rare condition, you shouldn’t drink cold water, as it can worsen symptoms, according to a Chinese study that assessed the esophageal response to both hot and cold beverages. When study participants drank hot water, they found it helped to relax their food pipe, allowing them to swallow foods and drinks with greater ease.
Drinking cold water can also be a trigger for migraine sufferers and it can cause headaches in other people too, especially if it’s ice-cold. Though it’s excellent for lowering your core body temperature in the warmer months, cold water can slow down digestion, as it contracts the digestive system and it can also worsen stomach cramps and indigestion. It’s true that warm water can help to boost your metabolism, but so can cold, albeit in a different way, through a process known as cold-activated thermogenesis. When you consume water cold, it causes your body to heat up the water you’ve drunk by raising your metabolism by as much as 30%.
Ultimately, there are definitely benefits to drinking both hot and cold water, so it’s up to you whether you want to opt for either or even both – but the crucial takeaway is that drinking enough water is vital, no matter the temperature, particularly, if you’re exercising a lot.
