If you've ever taken part in a hot yoga class, you know how ridiculously humid that room can get. Perspiration clouds your vision, and you have to seriously focus to remain peaceful in your warrior pose. By the time you get out of there, all you want to do after your workout is chug an ice-cold, huge bottle of water.
I hate to burst your balmy bubble, but science actually says you should keep the ice out of your glass of water post-workout.
Apparently, that seemingly refreshing gulp of amazingly icy water can be a unpleasant shock to your internal organs.
This is because, especially a good sweat sesh, your body is at a much warmer temperature than your chilly beverage of choice, which makes for a particularly unpleasant clash when you savor that glorious chug.
Plus, it's been said that ice water prevents your body from being able to optimally absorb the fluid, and you're therefore not able to fully rehydrate.
Alright, alright, I'll drink some lukewarm water, just stop shoving so much science in my face.
But if you're still not convinced, and you're tempted to sneak in that wintry water in your moment of sweaty weakness (I feel you), here's some more #science to change your icy intentions.
Your body actually has to use more energy to warm up cold water so it can be properly utilized for hydration.
Since your body temperature is usually around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (which is obviously much hotter than your tall glass of ice-cold water), many other additional energy sources must be used for the rehydration process.
So, say you have a foot cramp after your workout that you just can't seem to shake (which I'm pretty sure is what dying feels like, but that's another article for another time).
That extra ice you snuck into your Swell bottle could be to blame, as it demanded extra energy from your already-hard-working bod in order to absorb the fluid, leaving your foot to cry out in agony.
Bottom line: I know it doesn't taste as good, but that room-temperature bottle of Dasani deserves a spot at the bottom of your gym bag (along with that overripe banana you promised yourself you'd eat after the gym).
As unappealing as it may seem in your profusely sweaty state, your body will be able to betterabsorb that sweet, sweet H2O and avoid any pesky, sluggish, and shock-infused side effects.
Read more: http://www.elitedaily.com