How much water should we drink?

Every time I mention to someone that one of my major personal to-do list goals is to be healthier, they always tell me that one of the easiest changes I can make to my routine is to drink more water. They will tell me to ditch the diet pop, put a cap back on the sugar-filled iced tea, and always opt for water throughout the day. According to the NHS website in the U.K. we should drink 6-8 glasses a day (approx. 1.2 Litres), in addition if exercising you should drink another larger glass of water to remain hydrated and replace lost fluids. Water has a lot of benefits, like helping your body ditch waste, lubricating your joints, and keeping your body temperature regulated.

So should the water we drink be cold or hot?

Jacqueline Schaffer, MD, a board-certified medical doctor and the author of Irresistible You, says that you should be drinking both hot and cold water at different times for different reasons.

“Hot water is known for decreasing stress levels and improving your central nervous system,” Dr. Schaffer says. “Hot water can also activate your apocrine glands (involved with sweating) to excrete toxins and irritants you’re exposed to throughout the day to do.”

Dr. Schaffer also adds that hot water is good for your stomach. “Hot water can help with constipation since it activates contractions in your GI tract.”

Cold water, on the other hand, has its own benefits. “A cold glass of water can help with glowing skin and muscle repair,” Dr. Schaffer says. “Cold water can increase blood circulation on the skin’s surface specifically. This is in comparison to hot water, which would draw circulation inward, stripping skin of its essential oils. Cold water also helps lower your body’s internal temperature after working out. This decreases inflammation and allows the body to recover faster.”