A hot brew in the morning or a cold gulp of water after a run; these feel like life’s simple pleasures. However, new research has found that the temps of your thirst-quenching staples could have an effect on your stress, anxiety and gut health.
The study, which was published in the British Journal of Nutrition, looked at the dietary choices of more than 400 adults across the US. What they found was that the temps of their food and beverages alike had a noticeable (and measurable) link to discomfort, stress and even insomnia.
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The main culprit: sipping on ice-cold drinks during sweltering summers was associated with increased anxiety and sleep issues. Inversely, those who knocked back hot beverages in the colder months noted reduced levels of depression, fewer digestive problems and better sleep quality.
High Temps, High Stress
While this may be one of the first studies conducted in the US to make a direct link between beverage temps and mental health issues, we’ve long known that hot (and cold) has the ability to rattle or rally your well-being. For instance, it’s well documented that prolonged heat exposure can disrupt your sleeping patterns, having a knock-on effect on your energy and stress levels.
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One study used data gathered from sleep trackers in combination with local meteorological data to crack the temperature paradigm. The researchers found that raised temps were associated with worse sleep; for instance, those in warmer countries (or trying to steal shuteye during hotter months) did not fall asleep as quickly as those in other locales. Recent reports also suggest that extreme heat costs countries billions of dollars in productivity.
Temperature Control
So, what does this all mean for you? After all, you can’t control the weather. But an awareness of how extreme temps (even the cold can sap your cognitive abilities) can leave you feeling mentally drained, can help you make choices to improve your quality of life. For instance, if you’ve noticed your anxiety soar in recent months, maybe swapping out the ice-cold water for something closer to room temperature can help give you the edge.
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That said, there are countless factors that can affect your mental well-being, from dehydration and poor sleep to vitamin deficiencies and negative thought patterns. However, this new research does shed light on the role temperatures – from outside climes to inside brews – can impact your mental health. Something to consider next time you pour yourself a cold one.
