You’ve heard by now that it’s a good idea to drink water first thing in the morning.
In fact, you’ve probably also heard that drinking warm lemon water is even better.
But what about just plain water? Here are a few reasons why you need to start your day with a tall glass of warm or hot water.
Why Drink Warm Water
Regularly drinking warm water in the morning before breakfast helps to detox your body, jumpstart your digestive system and reduce metabolic waste that could have built up in your immune system.
This is one habit you’ll definitely want to pick up.
1. Stimulates Digestion
Water stimulates your stomach to start producing stomach acid to get your body ready to process your first meal of the day. (1)
Cold water, on the other hand, can constrict blood vessels in your digestive tract, with actually need a healthy blood supply to properly digest food.
Cold water also hardens fats if taken during or after a meal, making them significantly harder for your body to process.
2. Aids Constipation
Constipation and bloating is often caused by dehydration. Drinking warm water will help stimulate bowel movements and help breakdown food as it passes through the stomach and intestines.
It’s always better to drink warm water because it’s closer to the temperature of your organs, so your body can put its energy towards digestion rather than trying to heat itself back up.
3. Alleviates Pain
Warm water can help alleviate pain from menstruation, sore muscles, headaches and so much more.
According to Healthline, it’s usually best to drink hot or warm water to treat cramps and spams, as hot liquids increase blood flow, which helps relax the muscles.
4. Boosts Weight Loss
Water fills the stomach, which makes you feel more full before and after a meal, helping you restrict food intake.
Hot water also increases body temperature, which expands energy by making you sweat. This process also helps get rid of toxins.
For a stronger weight-loss effect, add a dash of lemon or try this recipe.
5. Improves Blood Circulation
When your body is cold, your blood begins to rush towards your inner organs to keep them warm and safe (2). This leaves your extremities with less blood, and therefore less oxygen.
That’s why frostbite always affects toes and fingers first. However, warm water dilates blood vessels, which ensures that each part of your body receives enough blood and nutrients.
Increasing blood circulation can be as simple as warming yourself up with a cup of hot water.
6. Prevents Skin Aging
Skin is made up of about 30% water and dehydration causes skin to turn dry and flaky. Wrinkles form easier on dry skin because it is less elastic and resilient than skin that is well hydrated.
For those who are regularly dehydrated, drinking more water can improve skin hydration and slow down early formation of wrinkles. (source)
Bottom Line
If you want to starting drinking hot water, make sure to let it cool down for a few minutes after boiling, so that you don’t burn your mouth or oesophagus.
You can also switch things up by adding a dash of lemon, apple cider vinegar or honey to your daily ritual.
sources:
[1]https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/Anatomy/your-digestive-system/Pages/anatomy.aspx
[2]https://www.healthline.com/health/chronic-pain/treating-pain-with-heat-and-cold#Heat2