Drinking hot water is good for health – here’s why.

I love seeing Chinese Medicine acknowledged for the powerful and time-tested healing system that it is! And recently, one of our foundational “Yang Sheng” practices has been having its moment in the limelight. This simple Chinese Medicine habit is being praised for boosting energy, easing insomnia, calming anxiety and supercharging hydration and metabolism. What a powerhouse!! So, what is this magic ritual that brings so many benefits, you ask? It’s simple.

Drinking hot water.

It’s such a powerful practice that even modern research has jumped on board. I recorded a podcast episode on the research findings here if you’d prefer to listen to why drinking hot water is good for health.

Really?! Simply drinking hot water is good for health?!

Yep, it really is! And this is why.

In Chinese Medicine, we understand that our Qi – our life force energy – is the basis of health and feeling great. Our Qi powers all of our body systems – metabolism, hormones, circulation, healing & repair, nervous system regulation, etc. And the more we add to it, the better we feel.

Drinking hot water (or any hot beverage) and eating warm foods is a powerful way to add to our Qi reserves. In contrast, cold liquids tax our Qi because when they hit our insides, they use up some of our precious life force energy reserves in the form of warmth, as they warm up to body temperature. They drain our battery rather than add to it, like hot drinks do! And so, drinking hot water is good for health because it boosts our reserves of energy – Qi.

Our oldest medical text tells us about how warmth can boost our Qi. Over 2,000 years old, the Huang Di Nei Jing, or Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine, states that:

• the source of our energy and health is the diet
• life (and health) depends on how much energy (Qi, warmth, function) we have
• our digestive system can be thought of as a cooking fire.

So we can see how drinking hot water is good for health! The more that we tend to our digestive system with warm / hot foods and drinks, the more efficiently it digests and absorbs nutrition. And this, in turn, means more energy, more nutrients for cell repair, and more vital health all around.

The Huang Di Nei Jing also tells us that::

• “a diet abundant in cold and raw foods is depleting to our Qi (our life force energy)”
• ”Cold can injure the physical body”

Yikes! That’s a pretty clear statement that drinking hot water is good for health! This is why choosing hot water (and teas, broths, etc). is one of the core practices of “Yang Sheng”.

What is “Yang Sheng”?

“Yang Sheng” literally means “nourishing life”, and it describes the body of Chinese Medicine practices that nourish health. The focus of these practices is on boosting our life force energy – our Qi. As we’ve touched on. having strong reserves of Qi is the basis for all optimal functioning of all our organs and systems. And one powerful Yang Sheng practice is choosing hot or warm water – and hot drinks and food in general.

This is because warmth adds to our Qi, while cold drinks tax it. How so? Well, when we choose cold liquids, we use some of our energy to warm them up to body temperature. This brings them into equilibrium with our system. The colder the drink, the more energy is required to warm it up. And this is energy that could be better spent elsewhere – on steady energy, metabolism, hormone balance or nervous system regulation. I think of it like a Qi savings account that gets topped up every time I choose something warm! So we can see how drinking hot water is good for health!

Modern research confirms: drinking hot water is good for health

Modern research is catching up with the ancient health wisdom that drinking hot water is good for health. The British Journal of Nutrition recently published a study showing the benefits of warm drinks for gut health, anxiety, depression and insomnia. Yet another study looked at the link between cold drinks and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), diarrhoea, cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s progression. That’s a lot of benefits from something as simple as the temperature of the drinks we choose! Let’s take a closer look at what we can gain from this Yang Sheng habit – and get some more details on why drinking hot water is good for health.

Hot drinks optimise metabolism, support digestion and boost nutrient absorption

Not only do hot drinks and meals add to our Qi reserves (which boosts digestion, metabolism and absorption), they also “warm up” the muscles and function of our digestive system. This is yet another way that drinking hot water is good for health.

Our digestive tract is lined with muscles that help to process our food. We know that warming up our muscles can help them to work more efficiently. Meanwhile, a cold, cramped and contracted muscle not only aches, but doesn’t deliver the same power. The stomach itself is a muscle, and when it’s warmed up, it can more effectively release digestive acid and enzymes to digest our food and power up our bodies! This speeds up metabolism, increases absorption of all the nourishment from our food, and eases bloating, gas, pain cramping and sluggish bowels.

Drinking hot water for better, more restorative sleep

The warmth of a hot drink before bed calms our whole system, softens any tension and prepares us for a deep, restful sleep. And this is yet another reason why drinking hot water is good for health. For those who toss and turn through the night, or find themselves waking frequently, opting for warm drinks can make all the difference in achieving a deeper, more restorative sleep.

Chinese Medicine considers that insomnia, restless mind and trouble winding down are often a sign of ungrounded “heat” or Yang energy. This refers to excessive and unanchored activity in the head and upper part of the body. Drinking hot water leads this heat down from the head and secures it in the abdomen, where it belongs. We call this area Ming Men or the “Gate of Life”. Collecting our energy here brings calm, rest and peace to the mind – another powerful example of how drinking hot water is good for health.

What’s he link between insomnia and the Stomach?

Another reason why hot water and hot drinks can support sleep is the connection between insomnia and the Stomach*. The Stomach meridian, which connects to the Stomach itself, begins just under the eyes. When the Stomach is unsettled – like after cold, icy drinks that cramp it up! – our eyes and our awareness are too. Soothing and calming the Stomach with a warm drink does the same to our eyes and mind – yet another way that drinking hot water is good for health.

And if you ever need proof of just how much the Stomach dislikes cold, icy things, just think back to what an “ice-cream” headache or “brain freeze” feels like. That’s a pretty clear message of discontent! And a very clear reminder that drinking hot water is good for health! Our wonderful and wise bodies always let us know very clearly what is beneficial – and what isn’t!

If drinking hot water is good for health, what are some of the immediate benefits you’ll notice?

There are just so many! Every one of us is unique, so we may experience different benefits more noticeably than others. You might notice more energy, and feeling clearer in the mind and more focused (less brain fog). Or perhaps you feel “lighter”, with digestion that feels more efficient. Many people report feeling more comfortable in their belly, less bloated, and easing of cramps ease and an improvement in bowel habits. Still others note that they feel more hydrated, while others notice first how much calmer and more “grounded” they feel. There are so many ways that our bodies let us know!

How much hot water do I need to be drinking throughout the day?

This is one situation where more is more! As drinking hot water is good for health, every warm mouthful adds to the total benefit! People following the Yang Sheng lifestyle will generally choose to take all their drinks warm, or at least warmer than body temperature. You can think of if like this: every warm mouthful adds to our energy – our Qi or life force. So with each drink, we can choose to add to our energy reserves! This is yet another way in which drinking hot water is good for health. A simple rule of thumb that I share with my patients is to aim for every mouthful – of food or drink – to be warmer than your mouth.

Is it just drinking hot water that brings benefits? Or do other hot beverages count too?

Absolutely – all hot beverages count, because with every mouthful, they are adding to our Qi reserves! For example, hot water with lemon or lime is amazing. You can also add a sprinkle of good quality salt to provide electrolytes and support hydration. Any type of tea will work too.

Drinking hot water is good for health – and adding herbs gives it even more of a boost

When choosing teas, I generally recommend a greater focus on non-caffeinated teas, like masala chai blends, ginger, cinnamon, citrus peel, fennel seed, cardamon, cloves, sage… The list is endless and limited only by our imagination. We can even add fresh ginger or turmeric slices and fresh herb leaves, like sage or thyme (these are great for sore throat and cough!). I share more DIY herbal healing magic in my self-paced program for vibrant energy, the Radiant Energy Reset

Additionally, hot liquids like miso soup, bone broths and soups count too!

What if I am hooked on drinking cold, icy water??

We humans are creatures of habit and so are our bodies. It can take a few weeks to become used to this new way of boosting our health, but when we stick with it, people find themselves actually preferring hot water over cold.

Some people have shared with me that they rely on the shock of a cold drink for an energy boost. But this is very short-term gain – at a long-term cost. The ice cold water works like a mega-shot of coffee – it prompts the release of stress hormones to give you a jolt, but leaves you more and more depleted each time. The only way to restore energy is to get off the loop and start to gently yet consistently rebuild energy. It won’t be a sudden jolt like the ice water, but done consistently. it will rebuild you over time, for lasting, steady energy.

Drinking hot water is good for health – DO try this at home!

Choosing hot beverages – and warm meals – is a simple way to begin your Yang Sheng journey of nourishing your life force energy. Swap out that smoothie for a warming soup, miso or broth, pack a thermos flask instead of your water bottle, and reap the rewards! You’ll soon experience for yourself how drinking hot water is good for health!

* in Chinese Medicine, the organs are much more than just the biomedical organ of modern understanding. They share connections to other systems, meridians / fascia pathways and emotions – this is why we capitalise the CM organs, to make clear we are talking about the totality of that organ.