It’s the latest so‑called wellness tip that everyone online seems to be trying.
Right now it feels like every man and his dog is starting the day with a mug of plain hot water. The trend is blowing up on social media, with many claiming it really gets things moving in the bathroom.
Instead of grabbing their usual morning coffee, people are flicking on the kettle and pouring themselves a cup of boiled water as their first drink of the day.
The idea is that drinking warm water on an empty stomach delivers a range of supposed health perks, including “aiding digestion”.
But because it sounds almost too simple, plenty of people are questioning whether this trick actually does anything at all.
So, what is the hot water “health hack”? As viral wellness trends go, this one couldn’t be more straightforward.
All you have to do, according to the trend, is drink plain hot water – cooled to a comfortable temperature – first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
Countless TikTok users have jumped on the bandwagon and shared their “results” online, which is why this incredibly basic drink is suddenly everywhere.
With the craze spreading, medical professionals have started weighing in too. One of them is Dr Kunal Sood, who has joined the debate over what this hot water habit might actually do for you.
What are the supposed health benefits?
Dr Sood says we should all consider starting the day with a glass of warm water.
In a TikTok video, he claimed it can:
- “Improve your digestion” by helping dissolve food your body may otherwise struggle to break down
- Ease constipation
- Temporarily boost your metabolism, as your body works to bring the warm water down to its own temperature – a small rise in metabolic rate he says “can help when you’re trying to burn calories”
- Improve circulation and blood flow because warm water “will dilate your blood vessels”
On social media, people also say it has a “detoxifying effect”, delivers strong hydration and is cheap and easy to make when you’ve just rolled out of bed.
Healthline additionally notes that drinking hot water may help relieve nasal congestion, support central nervous system function, reduce shivering and lower stress levels.
Does the hot water ‘hack’ actually work? It’s hard to say how effective this trend really is, as people online report very mixed results. What we *can* do is look at what the science says. Dietitian and nutrition expert Mary Lou Perry examined the myths and realities of the warm water craze in an article for the University of Virginia (UVA) Health System. For starters, she believes the *temperature* of the drink doesn’t really make much difference. There’s “limited scientific evidence comparing warm water to cool water,” she notes, so it mostly comes down to personal preference. As for the idea that hot water helps your body “flush out toxins”, Perry explains that the temperature isn’t what matters there either – your liver and kidneys do the real detoxing. That said, those organs *do* benefit from proper hydration, whether your water is hot or cold.
Perry added that while warm water *can* make digestion feel easier for some people, she wouldn’t go as far as to say it genuinely “improves” your digestive system overall. Yet again, the main benefit comes back to simple hydration. The nutrition expert also dismissed the idea that hot water can rev up your metabolism, pointing out that this is largely controlled by hormones, how many calories you eat and how active you are – not by the temperature of your morning drink. She even pushed back on claims that sipping hot water first thing boosts circulation. By the time the liquid hits your stomach, it’s cooled down so much there’s “hardly any warmth left to widen your blood vessels,” she explained. In short, the hot water hack is a pretty harmless habit and might help you *feel* a bit healthier – but you probably shouldn’t expect any dramatic, life‑changing results. Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images Topics: Food And Drink, Hacks, Health, TikTok
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