After a hard workout or a day of fun in the sun, nothing tastes quite as refreshing as a glass of ice cold water. It awakens our system and leaves us feeling immediately refreshed.
Many people know the general importance of drinking a glass of ice water. Our bodies need plenty of water each day to function properly which is why it is suggested we drink eight, 8 oz. glasses of water every day. By doing this we refill our bodies with around a half gallon of water each day.
Claims have been made about the benefits of drinking hot water at certain times and hot water has a time and place. However, icy water certainly has benefits outside of simple refreshments.
Benefits of Ice Water
Ice water has a lot of health benefits that are not really highlighted. Let’s take a look at how drinking a glass of ice water each day can give us a boost.
Ice Cold Water Keeps Us Alert
If you have reached your coffee limit for the day, ice water is a great option for staying alert throughout the workday.
When you drink ice-cold water instead of room temperature water, your nervous system gets a bit of a shock from the change in temperature. In response to the crisp snap of ice water, your body begins to create adrenaline. This adrenaline boost improves alertness and leaves drowsiness behind.
Another perk of a glass of ice water is that it can help keep you alert and awake. You won’t have to experience coffee breath, stained teeth, or a caffeine crash.
Fast Rehydration
When your mouth and body is truly parched for water, you want to rehydrate and feel better fast. Studies have shown that drinking cool water instead of warm water (around 40 degrees Fahrenheit) leads to much faster water absorption by the stomach.
Quick rehydration during a workout or other sweat-producing activity means that we can continue activity sooner and feel fewer side effects of full system dehydration.
Peak Workout Performance
While the fast rehydration brought on by ice water is certain to strengthen any workout routine, the benefits of drinking ice cold water during the physical performance doesn’t stop there.
When we are working out through weightlifting or running our body’s core temperature begins to rise. A sudden rise in core body temperature can sap energy, cause muscle fatigue, and in extreme heat and humidity be quite dangerous.
To slow down or reverse the process of a person’s core temperature rise, it is suggested to drink a glass of ice water during workouts. By simply packing a bit of ice into your water bottle before filling, you are doing your body quite the favor.
Athletes who drink ice water during their workout have been studied and proven to be able to workout longer without the effects of exhaustion from an overheated body.
Increasing Metabolism and Fat Burning
Human bodies work hard to maintain an internal temperature of around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. When we drink ice cold water, it gives our system a sudden cool down and our body naturally begins to work at rewarming our system.
In an attempt to warm up, the body begins to burn carbohydrates and fat and increases the overall metabolism of the body.
By drinking around six glasses of chilled water a day, our bodies resting metabolism can raise by around 50 calories a day, and you can enjoy the benefits of drinking cold water.
Six glasses may seem like much, but considering it would take 15 minutes of walking to burn those calories, drinking a refreshing glass of ice water seems like a win!
Full Body Pain Relief
Some athletes have done cold therapy to recover from a training session or a recent performance. Cold therapy methods such as cold water immersion, ice bath and ice massages are known to relieve the body from muscle soreness and pain.
Just as the use of ice bath soaks and local use of ice packs can reduce outward pain and swelling to our body’s tissues, drinking ice water can relieve internal pain and inflammation such as sore muscles and aching joints.
Ice cold water causes our blood vessels to constrict and lowers painful inflammation throughout our body systems.
As mentioned above, drinking ice water also promotes adrenaline production. Adrenaline doesn’t just make us alert, it also increases our tolerance to pain. That is why giving someone who is experiencing a stressful or painful situation a large gas of ice water is a great idea.
Detoxing Our Bodies
Drinking water that is ice cold quickly and effectively flushes toxins from our bodies. All of our body systems rely on water to help remove naturally built-up waste. The water moves rapidly through our bodies and helps to flush away impurities.
When our bodies have a less toxic build up they can feel great and perform their best.
Tips For Drinking More Ice Cold Water
Many people struggle to drink enough water. We wanted to give you a few tips for increasing your ice cold water intake in order to experience all the benefits of drinking cold water.
1. Try Naturally Flavoring Your Water
If you get tired of the taste of plain water, there are a lot of great ways to naturally add some fresh flavors to your water. Try adding a slice of orange, lime, or lemon which all contain plenty of vitamin C to give your immune system a boost.
For a crisp and refreshing flavor toss in a sprig of mint or slice of cucumber. Both of these flavors give water a fresh taste while having other benefits for our bodies. Mint soothes belly aches and cucumber contains extra electrolytes for ultimate hydration.
If you prefer a sweet drink and want to add some fiber to your drink, a handful of fresh berries is sure to do the trick.
2. Purchase A Countertop Ice Maker For Your Home
Sometimes the biggest barrier to drinking ice water is simply not having great clear ice on hand. Making ice in the freezer takes up space and constantly buying bagged ice can get costly.
The market for countertop ice makers is growing and there are a wide variety of options available for every space and budget. Having an ice maker at home makes preparing ice water as easy as scoop-and-go which is sure to have you enjoy the benefits of drinking cold water.
3. Get A Water Bottle You Love
Sometimes drinking more water is as simple as loving the container you keep it in. When you buy a water bottle that suits your style, is easy to take from place-to-place, and holds a decent amount of water, you will definitely drink more.
Consider water bottles with straws for sipping, or extra thermal layers for keeping your icy beverage cold even longer!
Different temperatures of water serve different purposes but if you aren’t drinking ice cold water as part of your daily routine, you are missing out on some of water’s greatest benefits. Try adding in a glass or two each day and enjoy the results!