When it comes to water temperature, there are various opinions on whether it’s better to drink hot, cold, or warm water. The reality is that each has its own benefit.

Some scientific evidence suggests that drinking cold water while exercising helps keep a lower body temperature, making your workouts more efficient, as well as making your body burn some additional calories to balance out its internal temperature.

On the other hand, drinking cold water can increase nasal congestion by thickening mucus, thus making it harder for oxygen to move through the respiratory system. Drinking cold water can also increase migraines or cause pain for people with sensitive teeth.

Drinking warm water has pros and cons as well. Warm water can help with nasal congestion and positively affect digestion and circulation. It also can serve to help your body eliminate toxins faster than cold water. But warm water can make you feel less thirsty, increasing the risk of you not drinking enough water and becoming dehydrated.

Ultimately, whether it’s hot, cold, or warm, your body needs its water and while each temperature has its benefits, drinking pure water that is free of contaminants of any temperature is the most important thing.

Is Hot or Cold Water Best For Your Hair?

Believe it or not, the water temperature you use to wash your hair makes a difference.

Very hot water generally isn’t good for your hair but warm water opens up pores and encourages blood flow to your hair follicles. This aids in the removal of grease, dirt, and excess oils as well as encourages hair growth.

Too much of a good thing isn’t always good though and overly hot water can leave your hair dry and prone to breakage and frizz. Washing your hair with only hot water will strip your hair of all it’s natural oils and even the conditioner you add after the shampoo, leading to a drying effect instead of the moisturizing effect you desire.

This is why it’s best to wash your hair with warm water and then apply conditioner and rinse your hair with cold water. The cold water closes the cuticles and locks in the moisture.

How Do Hot or Cold Showers Benefit Your Health?

Similar to the water you drink or use to wash your hair, there are health benefits to both hot and cold showers.

Hot showers can help in the remedy of respiratory issues by helping to loosen phlegm, clear out nasal passages, and open your airways. They can also aid in the clearing up of skin blemishes by opening up the pores and facilitating a deeper cleansing of the skin. Hot water helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and is beneficial in relieving stress. We all know how excellent a hot bath is for relaxing sore muscles and easing tension in the body.

Hot showers and baths have also proven beneficial to improve sleep and some studies show they benefit the health of our brains and nerve cells. On the other hand, similar to when washing your hair, hot water can dry out and irritate your skin. Some studies show that hot showers can even raise your blood pressure.

Cold showers have their own unique health effects as well.

The benefits of cold showers include increased circulation, soothing properties for irritated skin, boosting metabolism, and immune system activation. Cold water can also help decrease inflammation in the body. Cold showers are regenerative and are a great way to restore muscles after a difficult workout. However, if you are fighting a cold or common illness, it may be best to stay away from a cold shower. The cold temperature could be hard on your immune system and if you’re already experiencing the chills of a fever, the cold water will take your body longer to warm up post-shower.

Water is life. At the right temperature water can be used not only to keep us hydrated and benefit our internal body systems, but it’s proper use can also benefit our hair, skin, muscles, and stress levels.

Take care of your body by making sure the water you are using is pure and clean. Whether it’s hot, cold, or warm, Culligan Water is here to make sure that you and your family only get the best.