Did you know that soaking your whole body in therapeutic hot tubs provides incredible health benefits?
After a long, tiring day, immersing your body in a hot tub with warm water may be all you need. Aside from helping you feel relaxed, it turns out that it’s also beneficial to your health. Studies reveal that water immersion or hydrotherapy can be applied to prevent diseases in healthy people, in addition to its treatment and rehabilitation abilities. As the heat widens your blood vessels, nutrient-rich blood travels throughout your whole body. Also, warm water helps reduce swelling and loosens tight muscles, and the buoyancy of the water takes the weight off painful joints. On top of these, a hot tub dip can also help in your mental state, promoting relaxation and stress.
If you don’t own a hot tub yet, the health benefits you can get may motivate you to purchase one for yourself, so you don’t need to drive to the spa. These days, some companies now provide indoor hot tub installation to customize it in any size you wish. Learn more about indoor hot tubs here.
Hot Tub Health Benefits
1.Relieves Stress
Occasionally, everybody experiences stress. Fortunately, a spa can help ease the tensions after a long day. The calming effect of the warm water and massaging action help relieve emotional, physical, and mental stress. You can even boost it by playing soft music, low lighting, and aromatherapy.
2. Helps with Insomnia
A study revealed that evaluated passive body heating might help improve insomnia in older adults. Though the study was subjective and small, it found that hot baths can promote deeper and more quality sleep.
In another study in 2012, it showed that people with fibromyalgia could experience restful sleep after hydrotherapy. The study was also small, involving women aged between 30 and 65. At the end of the research, the researchers concluded that hydrotherapy can, indeed, help promote quality sleep and improve other symptoms of fibromyalgia.
3. Muscle Relaxation
The massaging action of the hot tub’s jets and warm water can be an excellent method to help relax and soothe tense, tight muscles. As a result, aches and pains may be reduced. In addition, a soak in the hot tub before working out helps reduce injury risks.
4. Improved Cardiovascular Health
This may only apply to some hypertensive individuals. Aside from lowering your blood pressure, it was found out that it can also raise the heart rate.
One research showed that soaking in a hot tub for 10 minutes may reduce blood pressure and is most likely safe for most people with treated hypertension. Furthermore, 2016 research says that passive heat therapy can help lessen cardiovascular risk and mortality, especially among those individuals with limited abilities to exercise.
5. Pain Relief
When your tensed muscles, joints, and tendons are relaxed, soaking in a tub may help ease the pain. People with arthritis may also enjoy its benefits through its heat and massaging action, alleviating inflammation and stiffness that causes pain. Moreover, water can take the weight off your joints, improving flexibility and range of motion.
6. Calorie Burn
Good news for spa addicts who are also body-conscious!
A 2016 study asked participants to soak their bodies in a waist-high hot tub for an hour. Surprisingly, they burned about the same number of calories as a 30-minute walk. However, keep in mind that this should not be a substitute for exercise. Instead, use it to help with metabolism, especially for those who can’t find time to work out.
Who Should Avoid Hot Tubs
Despite these benefits, it’s always best to consult your doctor, especially if you have these conditions:
- Pregnancy
- Heart disease
- Skin injuries
- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
- Low blood pressure