The Health Benefits of a Hot Tub
We hold the belief that after a long day, there isn’t anything better than enjoying a soak in your very own hot tub. Aside from helping you to relax and unwind a hot tub can provide an array of benefits to your health.
Hot tubs use hydrotherapy to provide bathers with great relaxation. Whether you’re using a hot tub at home or in a leisure facility like a gym, there are some important things you need to know to make the most of your hydrotherapy soak.
Let’s explore some of the incredible health benefits that a hot tub can provide.
What are the health benefits of using a hot tub?
The health benefits felt by soaking in a hot vary from person to person. There are however some benefits that can be felt by all users. Here are 6 of the best benefits you’ll feel from regular hot tub usage.
1. Stress relief
The first and most obvious benefit of hot tub usage is to relieve tensions built up throughout the day. The hydrotherapy relief felt from both the massaging jets and the warm water will relieve both physical and mental stress.
Studies have even shown that the use of hot tub hydrotherapy can increase your mental well-being, providing a psychological and emotional boost.
A home hot tub can become a sanctuary away from work and daily life stresses. A home hot tub can be used for some solo soak time or as a way to squeeze some quality time with family and friends into your day.
You can add the calming effect of the water by adding some calming music to your soak or setting some mood lighting with the LED lights within the hot tub. Create your own home spa just the way you like it to curate your “me time”.
2. Muscle relaxation & recovery
Much like the mental release discussed above hot tubs will provide physical relaxation and relieve muscle tension. Combining heat from the water with pulsating hot tub jets is the perfect recipe to relax tight muscles. This will also stimulate the release of endorphins, which work as the body’s natural painkiller.
This all contributes to the fact hot tub hydrotherapy exercise boosts recovery rates after exercise and reduces fatigue, as studies have shown. Hydrotherapy is particularly useful after a long hike, run or gym session. A hot tub soak can also be used before exercising and has been found to reduce the likelihood of injury.
3. Improved sleep
Lack of sleep is something that most people can relate to, whether it’s the inability to drift off at night, general stress or physical pain, the majority of us could do with more sleep. According to research, relaxation gained from soaking in a hot tub may be enough to help you drift off into a more peaceful sleep.
31 percent of UK adults say they have insomnia and 48 percent agree they don’t get the right amount of sleep or have an adequate quality of sleep, according to research by Aviva.
An older study, evaluated passive body heating as a treatment for insomnia in older adults. The small study subjectively found that hot baths made for a deeper and more restful sleep.
4. Pain relief
Hots can provide effective pain relief in parts of the body. Soaking regularly eases stiffness in joints and tendons as well as muscles. The buoyancy of the water also helps take weight off of joints that are causing pain. Alongside the relief given by the hot water, this can rejuvenate the joints in the body.
The pain relief can also be beneficial to people suffering with arthritis. This helps by easing the stiffness and decreasing inflammation that causes pain.
5. Relief from headaches
Hydrotherapy has been found to help with headaches by dilating the blood vessels, encouraging blood flow and helping to reduce the build-up of pressure in your head that’s causing the pain.
A 15-minute soak while unwinding from a long day can alleviate headaches and give you a break from screens and any stresses. All you need to do is turn on the hot tub, sit back and relax. Remember me time is key to maintaining a healthy mental state. It’s important to stay hydrated while enjoying the hot tub.
6. Encourages weight loss
A small 2016 study found that participants who soaked in waist-high hot water for an hour burned roughly the same amount of calories as they would during a 30-minute walk. That’s not to say that exercise should be replaced with sitting in the hot tub. Regular exercise is still crucial to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Although burning a few extra calories while relaxing in the hot tub can’t hurt.
Hydrotherapy can also be used in conjunction with exercise to help burn extra calories following a workout while easing the muscles as discussed above.
Specialised Health Benefits
Alongside these general health benefits you’ll see from hot tub use. You can also see some specialised health benefits from regular soaks relaxing a hot tub. Here are 4 of the most promising benefits you can see for precise conditions.
While a soak in your spa shouldn’t replace regular exercise, burning a few extra calories while you sit back and unwind is certainly a nice benefit of using a hot tub – especially if you find it hard to exercise.
1. Better cardiovascular health
Regularly relaxing in a hot tub can help keep your heart healthy. A short 15-30 minute soak in the hot tub will raise your heart rate and lower your blood pressure, maintaining healthy blood flow. The improved blood oxygenation helps clear toxins from the body, provides essential nutrients to the organs, and reduces fatigue. This will increase the overall strength of your heart.
A 2016 study revealed that “lifelong sauna use reduces cardiovascular‐related and all‐cause mortality”. The study concluded that regular hot tub use “could be a viable treatment for improving cardiovascular health”.
An earlier research study also found that soaking in a hot tub for as little as 10 minutes a day can lower blood pressure. This can make for a great natural alternative for lowering high blood pressure.
2. Improved insulin sensitivity (type 2 diabetes)
Some more recent research has suggested that regular hydrotherapy can lead to an improvement for impaired insulin sensitivity in cases of type 2 diabetes. This can be beneficial for the management of blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics.
Another 2015 study found that a daily dip in the hot tub may benefit people with obesity and people bordering on type 2 diabetes.
3. Minimising arthritis pain
Arthritis can cause crippling joint pain within the body so any relief from this can make an unmeasurable difference to some life who suffer from arthritis. This 10-day study found that people with severe arthritis could see more effective pain relief with hydrotherapy than drug therapy.
This is caused by the hot water and massage jets easing the joints in the body, as previously discussed. Hydrotherapy offered by hot tubs is also recommended by Arthritis Research UK, and its benefits are recognised by the Arthritis Foundation.
While a hot tub won’t cure arthritis, it can give temporary relief from chronic pain, tension and joint tenderness. You can watch this informative video interview by WhatSpa? to see what the experts have to say about how hot tub hydrotherapy can help you.
4. Relief from the symptoms of Fibromyalgia
As with arthritis, it’s been found that hot tubs can offer beneficial hydrotherapy for fibromyalgia patients. A 2012 study concluded that hydrotherapy within hot tubs helped improve subjects’ physical functionality and sleep quality. The small study comprised of female patients suffering from fibromyalgia and also found a reduction in pain intensity, fatigue, stiffness, anxiety, and depression.
How to benefit from your hot tub session
While soaking up all the health benefits of a great hot tub you’ll need to consider a few crucial elements. Firstly you should always ensure the tub is clean and maintained properly. You’ll gain crystal-clear water from regular cleaning and testing. A poorly maintained hot tub can cause the water to become unsafe and can lead to skin infections, eye irritation and illness.
While you may see people in your favourite shows, films or online enjoying their hot tub for what seems like hours at a time, this is also unsafe. A prolonged hot tub soak can quickly lead to dehydration, especially while drinking alcohol. We’ve complied these quick tips for you to make the most out of your hot tubs session.
- Not too hot. Ensure your hot tub water isn’t too hot. The maximum temperature a hot tub should be is 40°C.
- Stay hydrated. While soaking up all the hot tub health benefits, you’ll sweat and become dehydrated. Make sure to drink water plenty of water, and avoid alcohol before or during your soak. Consuming alcohol will dehydrate your body even more a soft drink is always recommended.
- Don’t overdo it. It’s not recommended to stay in a hot tub for more than 15 minutes at a time. You can stay in for longer at lower temperatures. It’s always a good idea to remove yourself from the hot tub periodically. If you’re enjoying a hot tub with friends you can sit by the tub or dip your feet while enjoying the company. Signs that you need to get out right away include:
- shortness of breath
- feeling lightheaded or dizzy
- nausea
- skin redness
- Rinse before use. To maintain high water quality for longer, it’s a good idea to reduce the amount of containment introduced to your hot tub water. A quick rinse before entering a hot tub can help prevent deodorants, fake tans, and perfumes from mixing in the water.
- Wash afterward. When finished with your soak you’ll want to remove your bathing attire and have another rinse off.
Closing Thoughts
Regularly soaking in a hot tub can provide several health benefits, such as muscle relaxation, pain relief, improved sleep and reduced stress. These benefits can be felt by anyone bathing in a hot tub. Some studies have shown great results of hot tub hydrotherapy for people with particular conditions, like discussed above. A wider range of health benefits has been suggested but more research is needed and we’re excited to see any new health benefits found.
If you’re looking for a hot tub to enjoy some of these benefits yourself we have a wide range of hot tubs that we love. With features and sizes to suit space and bather, we can help you find the right model for you. Speak to one of our friendly team members today or browse our hot tubs online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it OK to hot tub everyday?
It is ok to use a hot tub everyday. Daily hot tub usage can benefit your physical and mental health by reducing stress, muscle and joint pain, blood pressure as well as help with deeper sleep and weight loss.
Can I use a hot tub while pregnant?
No. It’s not recommended to use a hot tub while pregnant or with any underlying heart condition. You should check with your doctor before use to ensure you can use a hot tub safely.
Do hot tubs boost immune system?
Yes. Hot tubs have immune system boosting effects. Hot tubs reduce stress and help you sleep. Stress and a lack of sleep have a profound effect on your immune system.