TRIGGER ALERT: Woo-Woo Health Post
Here’s a sensory experiment for those of you who have a microwave. It is also a mindfullness experiment and a writing experiment.
Get a full pitcher of room temperature water ready. Have your journal, or laptop, or phone with a voice memo recording function handy.
Pour yourself 4-6 ounces of room temperature water, and drink it. Slowly, a few sips, or all at once, whatever is your usual M.O. but pay close attention.
How did it feel on your tongue? In your mouth? Against your teeth? Going down your gullet? Did it have a smell? Did it have a taste? Could you hear your own throat move? Jaw click? did you clench your teeth? Are your lips wet? Do you feel an impulse to lick them? To dry them off?
What are your emotions? Do you feel grateful for safe water? Annoyed that it tastes funny? Revolted by the room temperature? Is your belly fuller and do you have a rush of satiety and safety?
Write it all down.
Pour out another 4-6 ounces of water.
Put it in the microwave for 10 seconds.
What’s different? Did the smell change? The taste? The mouth-feel? The association from hearing the microwave beep? Did you expect it to be hotter–or cooler–and are you disappointed? curious? confused by this silliness? Exasperated and pissed at me for challenging you to do this experiment?
Capture what’s happening for you.
Pour out another 4-6 ounces of water.
Put it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
You can see where this is experiment is going. Take it as far as you like.
I re-warm beverages, with my microwave, for 1:30. That temperature feels good to me, but I have no idea what temperature that is. The USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D would call it “hot.”
If I want milk in my tea, I have to heat it a little bit more, to hit that perfect temperature-time sweet spot.
Water is more soothing to me at a cool room temperature. The temperature of a room where I prefer to be wearing fuzzy socks and a sweatshirt. If I’ve been working out, I want it cold from the fridge or over ice.
What I know from being helpful to many sick friends, watching two parents get sick and die, and from being an endurance athlete, is that most of us don’t drink enough water.
It is a simple, basic biological need, and we don’t always fulfill it.
More water could make us healthier and happier.
As could spending 10 minutes having a little science + thought + emotional experiment about our own habits.
If you do the experiment, let me know how you like your water.
What do you think?