SciShow Explores How a Hot Drink Can Actually Cool You Down

In some arid parts of the world, people cool off by drinking hot beverages and there is evidence to support this age-old tradition. A study published in 2012 had subjects exercise on a stationary bike and drink water from near freezing up to 50 degrees celsius.

After 75 minutes, researchers measured the participants' body temperatures. They found that heat storage was lowest when they drank the warmest water.

It must be noted that the researchers created conditions where sweat could fully evaporate from the participants' bodies. In these conditions, the bikers lost the largest amount of their body heat through evaporative cooling.

This is because hot beverages stimulate sweating. So even if your body feels warmer, your brain has been signalled to sweat more, reducing your overall body temperature.

Before you rush for that hot drink though, it is best to remember that this effect happens only if you are somewhere where sweating can occur such as an arid area. In a very humid area, for instance, a hot drink will just make you hotter.

Thanks SciShow! That is good information to have!