Is it better to drink hot or cold water in the morning?
The answer is likely to be both, depending on the situation, your body’s needs, and even the weather. In the winter months, drinking hot water will assist raise your body temperature and give your circulation a short boost – but in the summer, when you’re trying to stay cool, cold water may be a better thirst quencher.
According to scientific studies, the temperature of the water you drink might alter how much you sweat as well as your hydration levels. Warm water calms the digestive system and can help to decongest your sinuses and relieve uncomfortable cramps, but make sure you’re receiving enough if you’re transitioning from cold to hot. According to one study conducted by the United States Army, choosing warmer water with a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius will cause people to drink less water, which can lead to dehydration.
Some patients, such as those suffering from achalasia, a disorder that affects the food pipe and makes swallowing foods and fluids difficult, should deliberately avoid drinking cold water. According to a Chinese study that tested the esophageal reaction to both hot and cold liquids, if you have this very rare illness, you should avoid drinking cold water because it can increase symptoms. Drinking hot water helped study participants relax their food pipes, allowing them to swallow foods and fluids more easily.
Cold water can also be a migraine trigger, and it can produce headaches in other people, especially if it’s ice cold. Whilst cold water is great for decreasing your core body temperature in the summer, it can also inhibit digestion by contracting the digestive system and aggravating stomach pains and indigestion. Warm water can assist raise your metabolism, but cold water can as well, albeit in a different way, through a process known as cold-activated thermogenesis. When you drink cold water, it causes your body to heat it up by increasing your metabolism by up to 30%.
Finally, there are benefits to drinking both hot and cold water, so it’s up to you if you want to choose one or both – but the important message is that drinking enough water is essential, regardless of the temperature, especially if you’re exercising a lot.
