Warm Water in the Morning: Is It Healthier? Myths & Facts About Warm Water

Many people around the world begin their day with a glass of warm or hot water every morning. You see it in some social media feeds: people touting the benefits of drinking warm water, especially in the morning, as helping with everything from weight loss to removing toxins.

But are these claims true? First, let’s see why water is so crucial for your health. We spoke with Mary Lou Perry, MS, RDN, CDCES, a registered dietitian and nutrition expert at UVA Health, about water and your health.

How Much Water is in Your Body?

On average, water makes up about 60% of the human body, though the number ranges depending on age, sex, and other factors.

Your lungs are about 83% water. Even your bones are 31%.

Facts About Water & Your Health

Water is essential for how your body works. Perry says that it regulates your temperature and balances your body’s chemicals, such as electrolytes. It’s needed for digestion and getting rid of waste. It supports your joints and helps cushion your bones, allowing you to move.

If you don’t drink enough water, you can become dehydrated, which means you're taking in less fluid than your body is getting rid of. Usually, we think of eliminating fluid in terms of peeing (urinating) and sweating (perspiring), but diarrhea and vomiting are also major causes of dehydration.

We lose water all the time, through normal sweating, peeing, and even breathing. Exercise accelerates this process, as does living in a warm climate or at a high altitude.

Dehydration

While everyone should stay well hydrated, the consequences of dehydration are potentially worse for infants, kids, and older adults. "Regardless of temperature, water is always the best for hydration," notes Perry. Symptoms of mild dehydration include:

• Feeling thirsty
• Dry mouth,
• Feeling tired
• Headaches
• Darker urine than usual

Did You Know?
Eating foods with high-water content can help you stay hydrated and satisfy hunger at the same time. They include food like watermelon, spinach, strawberries, cucumbers, and zucchini.

Reversing mild dehydration is straightforward:

• Drink more water
• Eat fruits and vegetables
• Reduce physical activity in the heat

The Impact of Severe Dehydration

Severe dehydration is on a different level entirely. It can wreak major havoc on your health, including causing:

• Heatstroke
• Rapid heartbeat
• Confusion
• Fainting
• Shock

It can even lead to a coma or be definitely life-threatening you don't deal with it. If any of these symptoms appear, get medical attention immediately. One of the first treatments you’ll get are fluids to replenish your body.

But don’t let it get to that. Make sure you and family members drink enough water. There are different minimums based on age, sex, where you live. etc. Do your research online and follow recommendations from reputable sources. Perry suggests checking out USDA.gov.

The Myths & Facts About Warm Water

Now, let’s have a look some of the claims about hot and warm water, beginning with the least controversial.

Myth or Fact? Drinking Warm Water Is Better Than Cold Water in the Morning

For many folks, drinking warm or hot water when they wake up is a pleasant way to kick off the morning. There’s good reason for that. Most people, whether they sleep like a baby or toss and turn all night, wake up slightly dehydrated.

While hot or cold water would do the trick here, some people find that rehydrating with warm water is easier on an empty stomach.

Verdict: Depends on your body and preferences. "There is limited scientific evidence comparing warm water to cool water," says Perry. If you try it, warm water’s tummy-friendly quality might work better for you.

Myth or Fact? Warm Water Detoxes Your Body

Next up is the claim that drinking warm or hot water “flushes out toxins.” This is false on its face. That’s because water doesn’t flush out toxins. Your liver breaks down toxins and your kidneys filter out waste in the form of peeing.

Now, it’s true that being well hydrated helps these organs work their best (and that’s still very important), but that’s the extent of it. Water temperature has no influence here.

Verdict: Definitely a myth.

Myth or Fact? Warm Water Helps Digestion

Another popular belief is that warm or hot water helps you digest feed more effectively. This idea originated in certain Eastern traditional medicine practices. Today’s science doesn’t entirely confirm or reject these views.

Certainly, not drinking enough water can lead to constipation, but the temperature of the water doesn’t much matter. A few studies suggest that warm liquids, including water, may help relax the digestive tract, which may ease bowel movements for some people. But Perry would point out that it's different from suggesting that digestion is improved with warm water.

Verdict: Again, hydration is key, not temperature..

Myth or Fact? Warm Water Cures a Sore Throat

Does warm water cure sore throats? Actually, that's a trick question. Warm water helps with the symptoms of a sore throat, but it doesn’t do anything to fight the causes of the sore throat, such as viruses and bacteria.

It can temporarily tone down the raw, scratchy feeling and make swallowing easier, which is enormous if you’re suffering from major throat pain. Broth and hot tea, both of which include warm water, are also helpful.

But to deal with the root cause of your sore throat, time and/or antibiotics are what the doctor will order.

Verdict: Myth, if you’re hoping it will cure your sore throat. But, warm water can ease some of the pain from a sore throat.

Myth or Fact? Warm Water Helps You Lose Weight

The idea that hot water can promote weight loss is another common claim. There are several aspects to this claim. One deals with metabolism, or “burning fat.” The claim is that hot water “melts” the fat.

Verdict: Again, definitely a myth. Drinking hot water has no effect on metabolism. What does work? Metabolism is regulated by your hormones, level of physical activity, and the amount of calories you eat or drink. If you're looking to lose weight, exercise is your best bet.

Myth or Fact? Warm Water Reduces Appetite

A related claim is that hot water helps you feel less hungry. By itself, this is a myth. But drinking any water, hot or cold, before meals may help you feel fuller, meaning you’re likely to eat less. That includes unhealthy foods. "Avoiding overeating can steer you away from empty calories," says Perry.

Verdict: Water, whether warm or cold, doesn't really make you less hungry on its own. But it may help to fill your stomach when your eating, making you feel full quicker.

Myth or Fact? Warm Water Improves Circulation

Blood circulation is another area where warm water is sometimes talked about as if it imparted amazing benefits. The idea is that drinking warm water raises your internal temperature, which expands blood vessels and improves blood flow.

But that’s not how your body works, Perry notes.

By the time warm or hot water reaches your stomach, it's cooled down. So there's hardly any warmth left to widen your blood vessels.

Verdict: Myth. What actually does work? Exercise, a healthy diet, and avoiding smoking have much more of an effect on blood flow and heart health.

Staying Hydrated is What's Important

The idea that drinking warm or hot water in the morning, or at any time, is better or worse than cold water is much more myth than fact. While water itself is essential for life, the temperature matters very little from a scientific perspective. Perry reminds, "Follow the evidence."

But it's not like there aren't benefits to drinking warm or hot water. It can be comforting, relaxing, and if you have a sore throat, soothing. If you prefer it to cold water, opting for it may help you drink the right amount of water that you need every day.