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Water is essential for healthy, daily functioning. Our bodies are mostly water, and even the slightest stray from drinking enough can lead to dehydration.
While we've all heard that we should drink about six to eight glasses of water daily, we haven't necessarily been told at what temperature we should drink it. Could drinking water at certain temperatures be hazardous to our health?
As it turns out, what temperature we drink water at is mostly situational. Drinking cold water or water that's room temperature can affect the body in various ways.
What are the general benefits of drinking water?
Water all bodily systems working properly. It ensures:
- Proper digestion
- Organ system health
- Elimination of bacteria from the body
- Padding of the joints
- Oxygen and nutrient transport
- Regulation of body temperature
- Maintaining a steady heartbeat
- Blood pressure normalization and more
How cold or warm water is when we drink it can support our bodies under different circumstances.
What are the health benefits of drinking cold water?
Drinking cold water replenishes the body when it's overheated as well as under other circumstances. Here's a closer look at what those circumstances are.
Sweating in high temperatures. Your body cools down when exposed to hot temperatures by sweating. While sweating, your body loses a lot of fluids that need to be replaced. Drinking cold water can encourage your body to avoid dehydration by drinking more of it.
Studies have found that sweating is typically influenced by water temperature. Cold water produces a major difference in body response and is the best temperature for rehydration.
Remaining or increasing alertness. When you're low on energy, cold water can provide similar effects as those of caffeine by helping to naturally produce adrenaline in the body. Adrenaline keeps you alert and when it's produced by drinking cold water, it doesn't have the same side effects as caffeine.
During exercise. While working out, you can quickly become tired. This is due to an increase in body temperature and heart rate. Drinking cold water helps you keep your energy levels up by ensuring your core temperature's low, which enables you to work out longer.
What are the health benefits of drinking water that’s room temperature?
Just like cold water, room temperature or warm water has its benefits, too. We often find that there are even more health advantages to drinking room temperature water.
Metabolism boost. Drinking room temperature water every morning can help boost your metabolism. It quenches your first thirst upon waking and is effective at keeping you from constantly feeling thirsty. It can also aid in weight loss if it's combined with honey.
Bowel emptying and constipation. Drinking room temperature water in the morning helps to stimulate the digestive system. It encourages gut movement and bowel emptying by breaking up fats in the foods you've consumed. Not drinking enough water often leads to constipation. Having a glass of warm water before bed or in the morning can ease that by improving bowel movements.
Nasal and sinus congestion relief. Drinking room temperature water is a good way to treat sinus and nasal problems. It breaks up mucous and removes it from the respiratory tract. This helps with breathing and throat irritation.
If you have allergies, cold, or flu, warm water can help with that “clogged up” feeling. At warmer temperatures, water thins and moves mucous to get rid of congestion symptoms.
Sleep cycle improvement. Drinking warm water at bedtime and properly hydrating can enhance sleep quality and cognition.
Women experiencing menstrual cramps also benefit from drinking room temperature water, especially before bed. Doing so can have a soothing effect on the muscles of the abdomen, ease the pain of cramps, and lead to a more restful night.
The effects of drinking both room temperature and cold water vary by person, specifically by health, age, and the amount being consumed.
