People everywhere are recognizing the advantages of incorporating a daily hot tub soak into their routines, supported by numerous studies highlighting the health benefits of hot tubs. From stress relief to improved cardiovascular health, a heated spa tub can offer a myriad of benefits for both your physical and mental well-being.
A Personal 30-Day Hot Tub Challenge
One individual embarked on a 30-day hot tub challenge to experience these benefits firsthand, starting each day with a soak in their above-ground tub. This personal experiment revealed significant improvements in various aspects of health and well-being, demonstrating the potential of hot tub therapy.
Relief from Back Pain and Muscle Stiffness
Chronic back pain and stiffness can significantly impact daily life. The 30-day hot tub challenge brought noticeable relief to someone with a degenerative disc in their lower back. The warm water and massaging jets of the hot tub effectively eliminated morning stiffness. Gentle stretches in the warm water combined with the hot tub jets on the back had an immediate effect. This experience aligns with studies on hydrotherapy, which demonstrate the effectiveness of hot tubs in alleviating pain from osteoarthritis, over-stretched muscles, sports injuries, and joint pain. The hot water and jet massage work synergistically to relax surrounding muscles, reduce muscle spasms, dilate blood vessels, increase blood flow, and promote the healing of injured tissue.
Increased Energy Levels
While it may seem counterintuitive, a relaxing hot tub soak can actually boost energy levels. Studies have shown that hydrotherapy can reduce cortisol levels in the body by up to 50 percent. Stress can increase cortisol, which can zap energy and leave you drained. By lowering cortisol levels, a hot tub soak can effectively double your energy level. A 15 to 20 minute soak can set you up for the day relaxed and with the right mindset to take on life’s challenges.
Stress Reduction and Improved Mood
Stress can manifest in various physical symptoms, including muscle tension, headaches, irritability, fatigue, and soreness. A daily hot tub practice can significantly reduce stress levels, leading to a calmer and more patient demeanor. Maybe it’s the time alone in the morning to regroup yourself before you take on the day. Maybe it’s the jets. Maybe it’s the hot water. Maybe it’s the quiet time to pause for a moment before the day begins or being outside and connecting more with nature. The healing heat stimulates the release of endorphins, which are natural mood boosters that reduce anxiety. Regular sauna use has also been linked to a reduced risk for dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. The kids are also getting the benefit.
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Enhanced Body Temperature Regulation
For individuals who are frequently cold, a hot tub can provide a rapid and enjoyable way to optimize body temperature. Dipping the body into hot water to the neck is like an exercise for your blood vessels, creating physical pressure on the body, which increases the capacity of our heart and improves circulation. When immersed in water, the heart works faster and stronger to warm you up.
Improved Sleep Quality
The combined effects of reduced body pain, decreased stress, and increased relaxation can lead to improved sleep quality. A more productive day, waking up early, handling stress better and decreased body pain all attribute to a better nights sleep. A bedtime routine that includes a 20-minute soak in the hot tub can significantly enhance sleep quality. Both saunas and hot tubs contribute to better sleep quality by facilitating the release of endorphins.
Potential Weight Loss
Some studies suggest that regular hot tub use may contribute to weight loss. A study by the New England Journal of Medicine found that hot tub therapy simulates the beneficial effects of exercise. In one clinical study, patients who used hot tubs lost an average of 3.5 pounds in weight without any new diet or physical exercise programs as compared to the control group. Soaking in a hot tub may not be equivalent to exercise, but the increase in body temperature and energy levels may indicate an increased metabolism, potentially leading to weight loss.
Joint Pain Relief and Weightlessness
A hot tub provides a unique environment of weightlessness, relieving the compression on joints. The hot water raises body temperature and increases circulation, alleviating morning joint pain and stiffness. For 30 minutes every day, you are weightless, floating without gravity compressing your joints, allowing the hot water to raise your body temperature and increase circulation.
Establishing a Healthier Morning Routine
Incorporating a hot tub soak into a daily routine can be a catalyst for establishing other healthy habits. Waking up early became easier by associating the hot tub with a positive cue, such as the aroma of brewing coffee. Every night before going to bed, set the coffee pot to brew automatically and put a towel on the end of the bed. When the coffee pot beeps, get out of bed, grab the towel and a cup of coffee and head to the hot tub. This is the new “routine”. The reward? Sipping morning coffee in the hot tub, essentially resetting the morning routine with a new, healthier habit.
Connection with Nature
Being outside in the morning when the air is crisp, and the birds are all busy and chirping is a reward unto itself. Immersed in warm water while enjoying the garden makes it more likely to spend more time appreciating the outdoors.
Additional Health Benefits of Hot Tubs and Saunas
Hot tubs and saunas share numerous health benefits, making them valuable additions to a wellness routine.
Stress Relief
Stress can lead to a multitude of physical and mental health issues. Hot tubs and saunas stimulate the release of endorphins, providing a natural high that improves mood and reduces anxiety.
Improved Lung Function
Saunas have been linked to the improvement of lung function.
Enhanced Circulation
The heat from hot tubs and saunas causes blood vessels to dilate, resulting in improved circulation. Regular sauna sessions help improve skin health by promoting sweating. Sweating opens pores and helps rinse out bacteria, which, along with the removal of dead skin cells, leaves the skin clearer and more rejuvenated.
Muscle Recovery
Heat therapy can play an important role in the healing process and can be a great complement to a hard workout. For sore or tense muscles, daily heat therapy can provide significant relief. The heat provided by your spa or sauna promotes quicker recovery of muscles and enhances cardiorespiratory fitness, making it easier for the body to recover from physical exertion.
Headache Relief
A hot tub can be a perfect remedy for tension headaches. Simply position the jets so they are pointed at sore parts of your shoulders and neck.
Detoxification
Sweating is great for your health. The detoxification provided by spas and saunas leads to improved skin tone. The heavy sweating produced by your spa can help decrease the levels of contaminants and chemicals in the body.
Family Time
Spas provide a great place to spend quality time with loved ones. An outdoor hot tub allows your family to enjoy time together out in the fresh air.
Hydrotherapy and its Benefits
Hydrotherapy, the use of water to maintain health, is a natural way to treat a wide array of physical and mental health concerns. There’s no better way to enjoy hydrotherapy than in a spa with jet massage. One of the benefits of hot tubs is hydrotherapy.
De-stressing
One of the best ways to de-stress after a long, hard day is with a soak in your hot tub. The warmth of the water paired with jet massage relaxes the body while helping ease stress symptoms.
Easing Muscle Spasms
One of the best remedies for tired, achy muscles is wet heat, especially when paired with massage. Regular hot tub use has been found to ease muscle spasms and stiffness, resulting in less pain overall.
Relief for Chronic Conditions
People with arthritis, fibromyalgia, sciatica and other types of chronic conditions can benefit immensely from a daily dip in the spa. The heat of the water and jet massage work to ease tension while stimulating circulation of the blood to injured muscles and joints.
Improved Mobility
If you suffer from limited mobility, a hot tub can help. As the heat of the water speeds blood flow, muscles warm. This is the perfect time to stretch, as warm muscles are much more pliable.
Natural Detoxification
The heated water will warm your blood and lymph fluid, causing them to circulate more quickly through your body. This will make you sweat, bringing toxins to the surface.
Immune System Boost
Warm water immersion is the best way to stave off viruses.
Clearing Congestion
Nothing is better for clogged nasal passages than steam. Warm, moist air helps lessen congestion in your nasal cavity, alleviating sinus pressure. The steam from your spa can clear congestion from your nasal passages, reducing sinus pressure and helping ease headaches and ear pain.
Skin Improvement
Regular hot tub use not only helps you detox from the inside out; it can also rid your skin of impurities. As your body temperature rises and you begin to sweat, bacteria, and dirt from the day are brought to the surface.
Blood Sugar Management
A hot tub can play a role in helping you control type 2 diabetes, a study has found. The heat and massage of your spa stimulate blood flow, causing more nutrient-rich blood to reach your muscles. The result? Lower blood glucose levels. The study found hot water therapy to be especially beneficial to those who aren’t able to exercise.
Back Pain Relief
Stretching in the water can ease sciatica and other types of chronic back pain. As the heat warms you, your muscles become more pliable, lending you a greater range of motion.
Increase White Blood Cells
The heat of your spa coaxes the production of more white blood cells, a crucial component in combating germs and disease.
Spa Reflexology
Spa reflexology involves using strategically placed jets to massage specific points on the feet and hands, which are believed to correspond to different organs and systems in the body. This focused jet massage stimulates these reflex points, helping to improve overall well-being and potentially alleviate certain health concerns.
Potential Benefits Summarized
The potential benefits of using a hot tub vary from person to person and depend on overall health and how it is used.
- Stress Relief: Eases tensions with warm water and massaging action. Enhance this stress-relieving effect even further with soft music, low lighting, or aromatherapy.
- Muscle Relaxation: Relaxes and soothes tight, tense muscles with hot water and massaging jets.
- Improved Sleep: Promotes more peaceful sleep through relaxation and increased levels of sleep-related hormones.
- Pain Relief: Relieves pain by relaxing tense muscles, joints, and tendons, especially beneficial for arthritis.
- Better Cardiovascular Health: Raises heart rate and lowers blood pressure, potentially reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Improved Insulin Sensitivity: May improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, beneficial for managing diabetes.
- Calorie Burn: Passive heat may improve cardiorespiratory fitness, vascular function, and metabolism.
Precautions and Safety Measures
To maximize the benefits and minimize risks, it is important to follow these guidelines:
- Consult Your Doctor: If you have any concerns about using a hot tub, consult with your doctor, especially if you have heart disease.
- Pregnancy: Avoid hot tubs if you’re pregnant, as overheating can be harmful.
- Skin Injuries: Wait until cuts, open sores, or rashes have healed to reduce the risk of irritation and infection.
- Low Blood Pressure: Avoid hot tubs if you have low blood pressure, as the hot water could lower it further.
- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): Avoid exposure to hot water when you have a UTI, as it may worsen your symptoms.
- Cleanliness: Ensure the hot tub is clean and properly maintained to avoid skin infections like hot tub folliculitis.
- Avoid Alcohol: Avoid alcohol before or during your soak.
- Limit Soak Time: Don’t stay in too long, especially if you’re not used to it. At the maximum temperature, set your limit at 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stay Hydrated: Hot tubs make you sweat and leave you dehydrated. Drink plenty of water.
- Avoid very hot water: The water should be a maximum of 104°F (40°C).
- Wash Afterward: Wash with soap and lukewarm water after your soak.