What are the effects of drinking hot water daily? Hot water can soothe and activate your digestive tract. Drinking hot water can reduce the risk of constipation because it can break down food faster than cold or warm water. That’s why some people like to drink tea to soothe their upset stomach. Drinking water is one of the best favors you can do your body. It has surprising health benefits for your skin, muscles and joints. And hot water, in particular, has added benefits in some instances.
Meals in China or Japan are always accompanied by warm tea. This isn’t the masala tea that we may be used to. Instead, it is hot water with just a few leaves of green tea or some other leaf tea. My in-laws went on a month-long trip where they traveled across China, mostly by train. The one thing that they loved was that everyone carried an empty thermos and the trains had taps where one could refill hot drinking water from. Throw in a few tea leaves and sip it over time.
For centuries, people in Japan have been following the ritual of ‘Water Cure’. This entails drinking 4 glasses of water every morning right after you wake up, even before you brush your teeth. What is important is that this water must not be cold.
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Is there any advisable uptake limit?
As mentioned before, if had on an empty stomach in the morning, four glasses are what the Japanese Water Therapy recommends. If it sounds like a lot, start with one glass and increase it to four, over time.
The amount of water one should consume depends on various factors like age, activity levels, weather, diet, etc. However, there are some broad guidelines that may be followed. If consumed along with your meals, approximately one cup is good enough. Having said that, if the meal includes dishes like soup or yoghurt, this amount may be reduced. The ideal amount to consume is important to understand as too much water with your meals may also satiate your hunger before you have eaten enough, and thus rob you of the opportunity to consume nutrients.
List on effects of drinking hot water daily
- Improved digestion
- Relieves nasal congestion
- Prevent premature aging
- Prevent acne and pimples
- Improves central nervous system
- May aid in weight loss
- Hair health and vitality
- Promote hair growth
- Dental health
- Helps relieve constipation
- Keeps you hydrated
- Improves circulation
- Can decrease stress levels
- Can help reduce toxins
- Helps relieve symptoms of achalasia
Details on effects of drinking hot water daily
Improved digestion
Drinking water helps to keep the digestive system moving. As the water moves through your stomach and intestines, the body is better able to eliminate waste.
Some believe that drinking hot water is especially effective for activating the digestive system.
The theory is that hot water can also dissolve and dissipate the food you’ve eaten that your body might have had trouble digesting.
Though research has not proven this benefit, if you feel like drinking hot water helps aid your digestion, there is no harm in using this as a remedy.
Relieves nasal congestion
A cup of hot water creates steam. Holding a cup of hot water and taking a deep inhale of this gentle vapor can help loosen clogged sinuses and even relieve a sinus headache.
Since you have mucous membranes throughout your neck and upper torso, drinking hot water can help warm that area and soothe a sore throat caused by mucus buildup.
According to a 2008 studyTrusted Source, drinking a hot drink, such as tea, provided quick, lasting relief from a runny nose, coughing, sore throat, and tiredness. The hot drink was more effective than the same drink at room temperature.
Prevent premature aging
There’s a reason you should clear your body of toxins: they make you age faster. Drinking hot water helps to repair the skin cells that increase the elasticity of your skin and are affected by harmful free radicals. Subsequently, your damaged skin becomes smoother.
Prevent acne and pimples
The benefits for your skin just keep on coming. Hot water deep cleanses your body and eliminates the root causes of acne-related infections.
Improves central nervous system function
Not getting enough water, hot or cold, can have negative effects on your nervous system functioning, ultimately affecting mood and brain function.
Research from 2019Trusted Source has shown that drinking water can improve central nervous system activity, as well as mood.
This research showed that drinking water boosted participants’ brain activity during demanding activities and also reduced their self-reported anxiety.
May aid in weight loss
Drinking water can make people feel more full, reducing the amount of food they eat and aiding in weight loss.
Some people believe that drinking hot water can activate your body’s temperature control system.
As your body compensates for the warm temperature of the water, it brings your internal temperature down and activates your metabolism.
A small 2003 studyTrusted Source reported that switching from cold water to hot water could help people lose weight through this thermic effect.
Hair health and vitality
Drinking hot water is also good for obtaining soft and shiny hair. It energizes the nerve endings in your hair roots and makes them active. This is beneficial for getting back the natural vitality of your hair and keeping it healthy.
Promote hair growth
Activating the roots of your hair has another added benefit—growth! The hot water promotes the regular activity of the roots and subsequently accelerates the growth of your hair.
Dental health
Drinking hot water is better for your teeth. Cold water may cause filling materials to contract and break off, thus destroying dental work. Some experts recommend brushing with warm water, too.
Helps relieve constipation
Dehydration is a common cause of constipation. In many cases, drinking water is an effective way to relieve and prevent constipation.
Drinking hot water may help your intestines contract. When that happens, food waste in your intestines is able to pass out of your body.
Drinking hot water regularly may help keep your bowel movements regular.
Keeps you hydrated
Hot water is no different than room temperature or cool water when it comes to keeping you hydrated.
There are no official guidelinesTrusted Source for how much a person should drink each day. It varies based on their body weight and size, sex, activity levels, and the temperature or environment.
You also need much more water if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.
There’s an easy formula that tells you the amount of water you need at rest (no exercise or extra activity):
- Take your weight in pounds. You’ll need to drink half of that number in ounces daily. For example, a 180-pound person needs 90 ounces of water daily at rest, which is actually eleven 8-ounce servings.
Beverages are not the only source of water in your diet. Fruits, veggies, and anything that melts, such as Jello and popsicles, count too.
Try starting the day with a serving of hot water and ending it with another. Your body needs water to perform basically every essential function, so the value of that can’t be overstated.
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Staying hydrated can also help you lose water weight. The kidneys will respond to adequate hydration by allowing more water to be excreted as urine. The lighter the color of the urine, the better hydrated you are.
Improves circulation
Healthy blood flow affects everything from your blood pressure to your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Taking a warm bath helps your circulatory organs — your arteries and veins — expand and carry blood more effectively throughout your body.
Drinking hot water may have a similar effect. However, there is little research that this is effective.
As a bonus, warmth from drinking hot water or bathing at nighttime can help relax you and prepare you for restful sleep.
Can decrease stress levels
Since drinking hot water helps improve central nervous system functions, you might end up feeling less anxious if you drink it.
According to a 2014 studyTrusted Source, drinking less water resulted in reduced feelings of calmness, satisfaction, and positive emotions.
Staying hydrated could, therefore, improve your mood and relaxation levels.
Can help reduce toxins
Drinking hot water temporarily raises your internal body temperature.
When you drink hot water, or when you take a warm bath, your body’s endocrine system activates and you start to sweat.
While sweating might be uncomfortable, it’s an essential part of getting rid of toxins and irritants that you’re exposed to in your environment.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, drinking water is important for flushing toxins out of your body. It can help fight inflammation, keep the joints well lubricated, and prevent gout.
Helps relieve symptoms of achalasia
Achalasia is a condition during which your esophagus has trouble moving food down into your stomach.
People with achalasia, and with eosinophilic esophagitis, have trouble swallowing. They may feel as though foods get stuck in their esophagus instead of moving to the stomach. This is called dysphagia.
Researchers aren’t sure why, but drinking warm water can helpTrusted Source people with achalasia digest more comfortably.