Enjoying a soak in a hot tub is a pleasurable experience but did you know how many health benefits hot tubs have? Read on to find out more.
1. It potentially improves your cardiovascular health
Bruce Becker, M.D. states that submerging your whole body up to the neck presents you with a cardiac workout.
With your body immersed, water exerts more pressure on the body, in turn increasing your cardiac volume. Put differently, whenever you immerse your body in water, your heart works harder helping it stay healthy.
2. It can help with your sleep
Hot water is known to promote relaxation, which promotes sleep. This may not be as difficult to explain.
By immersing your tense body in a hot water tub, the heat increases your body temperature and causes your muscles to relax. This results in a tired but relaxed body, which promotes better sleep. However, that doesn’t mean you should fall asleep in a spa bath. In fact, that is a pretty bad idea.
3. It potentially alleviates pains and aches
As we already highlighted earlier, hot water is generally great for relaxing your body. Besides body relaxation, hot water is also believed to have the power to ease pain and aches, especially those associated with sports injuries, like muscle pulls and strains, and even arthritis.
If you are experiencing some pain that is not a result of a broken bone, a long dip in a hot tub can alleviate your pain and help you feel better.
4. It potentially lowers blood pressure
Thomas Allison, M.P.H., PhD, a researcher at Mayo Clinic, conducted a study that revealed that sitting for some time in a spa bath can significantly lower your blood pressure. This is particularly a great thing for individuals who are at risk of suffering hypertension or even heart disease.
However, this doesn’t mean a spa bath is a potent medical alternative to these ailments – you should still consult a medical doctor for treatment. The research by Dr. Allison however showed that a hot-water bath or spa bath generally increases your heart rate, lowering your blood pressure in the process. This further strengthens the earlier fact stating that it can be of benefit to your cardiovascular health.
5. It can aid in weight loss and help with diabetes
A small study was conducted to find out the connection between diabetes and spa baths. The conclusion drawn from this study is that people who have diabetes and take regular spa baths often experience reduced blood sugar and glucose levels.
The study also indicated that taking a spa bath for about 30 minutes, six days a week can help one lose about four pounds in a month without making any changes to their diet or exercise routine. This doesn’t make it the next big diet, but such results are significant and can help!
6. It can lower stress levels
Besides the warmth and relaxation derived from hot water, a spa bath can also help you figuratively. Sitting for some minutes in hot water has been known to reduce your stress significantly. In turn, lower stress levels have a positive effect on your mental and physical health, which generally results in a feeling of general well-being.
7. It can help clean your body
Skin pores open up whenever they are subjected to heat, which could be a good thing when you are in a fresh environment like a spa bath. With the opening of the pores, hot water can get its way in and get rid of the various toxins and dirt deposited there. The result of this is a reinvigorated feeling and potentially clearer skin. The detoxification process can deliver better results too!
8. It potentially reduces headaches
The effects of spa baths, including warmth, dilated blood vessels and relaxation can further help reduce headaches.
With dilated blood vessels, the pressure in your head is significantly reduced, and this can help in eliminating headaches while warmth and relaxation promote the process.
If you experience frequent headaches, then a spa bath can help fix it.
9. It can boost self-esteem and confidence
A generally good feeling promotes good and positive thoughts. Spa baths are known to deliver all these amazing things, and the mental benefit is quite achievable.
A spa bath not only gives you a good feeling but also makes you feel better about yourself by boosting your confidence. A good, long soak prior to a big event can help relax, make you feel more confident, and prepare you mentally.
Author Bio
Jess Sullivan has written on the subject of hot tubs and spa baths for a number of years. She is a big proponent of the benefits. In her spare time she enjoys eating well, reading and spending time with her dog Milo.
