If you’re anything like the majority of Americans, drinking a glass of hot water is probably pretty low on your morning to-do list, especially when rival tasks like getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing your teeth, and commuting to work are all vying for your attention. But a viral social media trend claims that single glass should actually take priority. Supposedly, that dose of steamy H20 triggers an immediate bowel movement, leaving you lighter, less bloated, more energized, and more ready to tackle your responsibilities overall.
Recently, this tip has been all over my social feeds as part of a larger obsession with so-called “Chinese longevity hacks,” a catchall term for practices popular in East Asia as a means of boosting health, wellness, and overall lifespan. (Worth noting: While Western internet audiences may have just discovered these “hacks,” they’re well-known and established in their place of origin. People who have East Asian heritage or have lived in East Asia are likely already familiar with them, myself included.)
With gut health at the forefront of the health and wellness conversation today, I found myself intrigued by the hot water suggestion when I encountered it on X recently. Many Americans suffer from chronic constipation (around 20% of adults, according to Brown University Health), so this solution could be a game-changer for many—assuming, of course, that it actually works. To determine exactly that, I reached out to a few experts. Here’s everything they said.
Why people are drinking hot water in the morning
Like the other Chinese longevity hacks, drinking hot water for digestive health is based on the teachings of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Zoey Xinyi Gong, RD, a TCM educator and food therapist, tells SELF. Within TCM, “we don’t really like anything cold for the body because we think that disturbs our digestive fire,” she says. “It hurts our digestion long-term, can cause different types of stagnation, and it will actually make it easy [for you] to gain weight and have indigestion and bloating—all those symptoms that are very common nowadays.” (You can add gas and stomach cramps to that list.)
From that perspective, hot water is beneficial because it has the opposite effect: kicking digestion into high gear, preventing negative side effects, and even aiding in weight loss, according to Gong. Over time, this practice has become so ingrained in Chinese society that it’s nothing less than a “cultural habit,” Gong says. “Right now, if you go to China and you ask someone [about this], they won’t even think it’s a trend or something particularly healthy,” she explains. “It’s just something people do.”
How it works
Because the TCM explanation may not hold much water (no pun intended) with Western audiences, I also asked Gong for her thoughts as an RD. Scientifically speaking, how—and why—does the practice work?
