Temperature Tenacity: The Health Benefits of Hot & Cold Water

A malfunctioning water heater can have a significant impact on your daily routine and health. It may seem like a minor issue, but being unable to regulate the temperature of your water can cause serious inconveniences. Without access to warm water, basic tasks like bathing and cooking become difficult, and you miss out on the health benefits of warm water.

Conversely, if your water is too hot due to a water heater issue, you also lose the benefits of using cold water. It’s important to address any water heater problems promptly by investing in water heater maintenance or other plumbing services. By doing so, you can continue to enjoy the benefits of properly heated and regulated water.

Hot Water Highlights

Deft Digestion

Hot water has been known to have a positive impact on digestion. By warming up the contents of the stomach, hot water can help break down food particles more efficiently, reducing the amount of energy required to absorb nutrients and digest food. In contrast, cold water can slow down digestion, making it more difficult for the body to process food. This is why many restaurants offer hot beverages after meals to aid in digestion.

Clearing Constipation

While drinking water can help alleviate constipation, warm water is particularly effective due to its stimulating properties. The warmth of the water can help to stimulate bowel movements and break up any food that may be present in the intestines, resulting in more efficient excretory function. Drinking warm water can thus help to reduce the likelihood of constipation, and if it does occur, it can ease discomfort and promote faster relief.

Savvy Sweating

Sweating provides numerous benefits for your body, including removing excess moisture, regulating internal temperatures, and eliminating toxins from your system. Hot water consumption is one of the most effective ways to induce sweating, particularly on colder days when sweat glands are less likely to activate. Therefore, it is essential to ensure your water heater is functioning properly by regularly repairing and replacing it to help your body eliminate toxins all year round.

Motivated Metabolism

Detoxification isn’t the only benefit of raising your body temperature and generating more sweat. Hot water also boosts your metabolism, causing your body to burn more calories throughout the day. This makes it easier to lose weight or to maintain the same level of weight while eating more. Combining your water with lemon will enhance the effect, as the pectin fiber in lemon helps you feel less hungry. Drinking a glass of hot water with lemon in the morning sets the stage for a healthy, active day.

Protection From Pain

Drinking hot water can have a calming effect on the muscles in your abdomen, providing relief from muscle spasms. Additionally, hot water can help increase blood flow to the skin, which can help relax any cramped muscles. Therefore, whether you are experiencing headaches, menstrual cramps, abdominal pain, or any other discomfort, drinking hot water can be an effective way to alleviate your symptoms.

Arresting Aging

Between relaxing the body, flushing out toxins, and increasing blood circulation, consuming warm water can help keep your skin young and elastic as you age. These effects are most potent if you drink water that is comfortably warm; excessively hot water can damage tissue and make aging worse. Thus, after boiling water, you should leave it for a few minutes to cool before drinking it. This will leave you looking young and healthy for years to come.

Cold Water Considerations

Maintaining Moisture

While drinking hot water keeps your skin healthy, when it comes to taking a shower, cold water is more beneficial. Unlike a hot shower, cold water does not dry out your skin, allowing it to maintain more elasticity and hold more nutrients. This makes cold showering an effective treatment for dry skin. Cold showers also help moisturize your hair, reducing the risk of split ends.

Mental Health Marvels

Recent research into hydrotherapy suggests that cold water may aid in the treatment of mental health disorders. According to Peter Bongiorno, taking a two- or three-minute shower in water that is 68 degrees Fahrenheit can relieve many of the symptoms of depression and anxiety. The occasional cold shower may thus be a powerful supplement to counseling and pharmaceuticals. Just make sure to consult your doctor before you begin, as taking such a cold shower does carry some risks.

Astute Awakening

Besides promoting skin, hair, and mental health, cold water also makes it easier to get up in the morning and start your day. Taking a cold shower for five minutes will raise your heart rate and direct fresh blood throughout the body. This reduces fatigue and improves concentration, helping you to complete your daily tasks more effectively.

Hot and cold water each do wonders for your health, but they are only available if you have effective affordable plumbing. Met Plumbing & Air Conditioning provides water heater installation, water heater leaking solutions, bathtub drain and shower faucet repair, and other plumbing services throughout the Houston area. For more information or to request a service call, visit our website today.