Among the findings of a new California study is that hot drinks can improve sleep, mental health, and even flatulence.
Physician researcher Dr. Eugene Lipov recommends thermo-behavioral habits, such as sipping a hot tea before bed as well as taking a warm shower.
He describes thermo-behavior as the practice of controlling comfort by adjusting body temperature.
“When you have consistent temperature-related routines, you help your body enter a state of relaxation, making it easier to sleep, regulate emotions, and support healthy digestion,” Lipov told NTD.
As defined by the study, cold drinks consist of water or drinks with approximate temperatures of 4°C or 39.2°F from a refrigerator or served iced while hot drinks consist of water or other beverages served above 40°C or 104°F room temperature, such as hot coffee or tea.
The study’s researchers, from San Diego State University, Wake Forest University and the University of California of San Diego, further determined that drinking hot liquid reduced the severity of depression and linked cold drinks with increased depression.
“The associations between hot drinks and depression were consistent across both winter and summer, with stronger effects observed in summer,” researchers wrote in the study. “The composite score suggests that higher cold consumption and lower hot consumption were associated with increased depression scores.”
“Seeing that a small, accessible habit can help your body calm down when it’s stressed or wake up when it needs energy highlights just how powerful and underappreciated everyday actions can be for overall well-being,” Lipov told NTD.
Health expert and nutritionist Michelle Losh recommends drinking hot liquids that contain ginger, lavender, chamomile, cinnamon, cloves, tea and cocoa.
“The thing about hot drinks that lower flatulence and improve sleep, while also lowering anxiety is not the temperature of the drink alone, but also the ingredients they are made from,” Losh told NTD.
A total of 212 Asians and 203 whites were included in the study and the ages of participants varied from 18 to 65 years old.
"Black, Hispanic and other ethnic groups were not included due to small sample sizes, which were unlikely to yield meaningful statistical results," the report stated.