Water makes up around 60% of your body and is needed to regulate temperature, remove waste, transport nutrients, and perform countless other vital processes. Hot water can be a warming and soothing way to meet your daily hydration needs.
The main benefit of drinking water at any temperature is that it can keep you hydrated.
Water needs vary depending on factors like body size, activity levels, and environment. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends that adult women consume 67-91 ounces (2–2.7 liters) of water per day and adult men consume 84-125 ounces (2.5–3.7 liters) per day.
Drinking fluids like water and consuming foods rich in water can meet your hydration needs. Hydration is essential for overall health and can help support brain function, prevent kidney stones and constipation, and maintain a healthy body weight.
Drinking more water is linked to several health benefits, including lower rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
Studies show that short-term increases in water intake can also boost your health. One study found that increasing daily water intake from 1.3 liters (43.9 ounces) to 2.0 liters (67.6 ounces) without changing calorie intake led to significant reductions in systolic blood pressure (the top number), increases in total body water concentration, and improvements in kidney function markers.
This means that increasing your water intake by sipping on hot water could improve and protect your health in the short and long term.
Though research is limited, some evidence suggests drinking warm and hot water may improve your appetite, which could benefit those trying to gain weight or those with low appetite.
A small study found that food consumption and appetite were lower among those who drank 500 milliliters (16.9 ounces) of water at 35.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) compared to 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius) and 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius).
The researchers found that the cold water slowed gastric contractions, reducing appetite, while the hot water sped up contractions, increasing appetite.
For this reason, drinking warm or hot water may benefit those with low appetite who need to increase their calorie intake. More research is needed to confirm this potential benefit.
There’s a reason most people crave hot beverages like tea or lemon water when feeling under the weather. Drinking hot water can temporarily soothe symptoms like a sore throat, headache, and congestion.
An older study found that drinking a hot beverage improved nasal airflow, runny nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat, chilliness, and tiredness in people with a common cold or flu. Room-temperature drinks only improved symptoms of runny nose, cough, and sneezing.
This suggests that reaching for a cup of hot water over room temperature water may be more effective for improving cold or flu symptoms.
Illnesses like the flu can also lead to dehydration, triggering headaches and other symptoms. Staying hydrated can help treat and prevent headaches and help your body recover from illnesses faster.
Drinking hot water can also support your overall digestive health.
Dehydration can lead to several digestive issues, from constipation to an imbalanced microbiome (the community of organisms in your digestive tract). Studies show that people who drink more water have lower rates of constipation compared to those who don’t drink enough water. Dehydration slows the movement of stool through the digestive tract and makes stool drier and harder to pass.
Dehydration also disrupts the balance of microbes in your gut, making it harder for your body to eliminate pathogens and fight infections.
Some evidence suggests that drinking water at hotter temperatures can impact your mood and cognitive health.
One study found that participants who drank tea heated to 149 degrees Fahrenheit (65 degrees Celsius) experienced more positive emotional responses, including happiness and satisfaction. Beverages at colder temperatures of 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) and 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius) were associated with more negative emotional responses.
These findings suggest that sipping hot beverages, like hot water, may produce more positive and calming feelings than drinking lukewarm or cold drinks.
Dehydration has also been shown to impact mood, energy levels, and mental performance in people of all ages. A recent study found that lower hydration status was associated with a greater decline in cognitive function in older adults over a two-year period.
While drinking hot water can benefit health in several ways, drinking water that’s too hot is associated with health risks.
Studies show that regularly drinking beverages above 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) is associated with an increased risk of oral and esophageal cancer. Research suggests that very hot beverages trigger an increased rate of cellular division, which increases the risk of cancer development.
Drinking very hot beverages can also burn your mouth and esophagus. Avoid regularly drinking beverages above 140 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent these risks.
If you like to consume hot water, there are a few ways to enjoy it:
- Drink hot water with a squeeze of fresh citrus juice for added vitamin C and antioxidant benefits
- Make a soothing tea with hot water and herbal tea, like hibiscus or chamomile
- Sip a cup of hot water when you’re feeling sick to soothe symptoms like sore throat and cough
- Drink hot water first thing in the morning and before bed to improve your overall hydration status
