4 Benefits of Soaking in a Hot Tub

A hot tub can help you upgrade your at-home relaxation. A hot tub is an escape from the day and a little oasis right in your yard, but there are also therapeutic benefits to hot tubs. When thinking about soaking in a hot tub, the benefits that come to mind are improved mental health, improved sleep, muscle relaxation, pain relief, and overall health improvements. A hot tub soak is very beneficial to both your mental health and your physical health.

Improved Mental Health

Relaxing in a warm spa can do wonders for your mental health. Soaking in a hot tub induces a mindful state, so you can release the stress and anxieties of day-to-day life.

Stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health struggles can cause tension and strain on your mind and body. A hot tub can help relieve these issues as the jets massage away tight muscles. Mental health struggles can also lead to problems with sleep, which interfere with your ability to function and effectively deal with the issues you face. Relaxing in your hot tub benefits your emotional state. Also, it encourages your muscles and nerves to relax and rest, so you can fall asleep more quickly and deeply. When you’re dealing with stress, take advantage of hot tub health benefits.

Improved Sleep

Another benefit of regular hot tub use is improved sleep. Our bodies naturally decrease in temperature when we are getting tired and ready for bed, which is why cooler temperatures have been proven to help us sleep better. However, if we’re too cold when we climb into bed, it makes it harder for us to fall asleep. Soaking in a hot tub or taking a hot shower helps our bodies to be at the right temperature before we get into a cooler room and fall asleep. Experts recommend that soaking in hot water should be done for about 20 to 30 minutes within two hours before you go to bed. Additionally, the heat from the spa water could help loosen tight muscles and encourage blood flow, which can help reduce pain and make it easier to fall asleep if pain is keeping you up.

Muscle Relaxation and Pain Relief

Hot tubs provide relief to those with chronic pain such as arthritis or fibromyalgia. The combination of the pulsating jets and the hot water helps soothe sore muscles and joints. Heat also improves circulation. Being in 104-degree water can improve your body’s circulation by 120%. Buoyancy from complete bodily immersion is another one of the hot tub benefits. It allows your body to float, eliminating pressure on your joints. Being in water naturally takes less pressure off your joints helping with pain relief. The water applies hydrostatic pressure to your body, acting like a compression sock and improved the circulation throughout every inch of your body.

In addition, people who may have injured their back or overdid it with their workout routine can also benefit from soaking in a hot tub. As it’s important to warm up before starting an exercise routine, soaking in hot water can also help to prevent muscle injury and help your body recover faster after a workout.

Overall Health Improvements

Studies have found that soaking in a hot tub can lower blood pressure, improve insulin sensitivity, and burn calories.

In 2003, a Canadian university studied the effects of hot tub immersion on middle-aged adults who had been taking medications for high blood pressure (hypertension). Subjects were instructed to sit in the hot tub for 10 minutes at a time. Results showed significant decrease in blood pressure at the end of the 10 minutes.  The study determined that not only did the hot tub immersion reduce blood pressure but there were no adverse effects of using a hot tub for persons with hypertension.

For people with diabetes, their bodies either don’t make enough insulin or do not properly use insulin, which is needed to regulate blood sugar. Depending on a person’s blood sugar level, they may need to be injected with a certain amount of insulin to bring their blood sugar to the level it should be.  The amount of insulin needed is known as insulin sensitivity. One study suggested that regular soaking in a hot tub can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the amount of insulin needed to reach the proper level of blood glucose.

Soaking in a hot tub has many mental and physical health benefits including stress relief, improved sleep, pain relief, and lower blood pressure. Find the hot tub that’s right for you with Energysavers, and start to see improved health benefits.

About Energysavers, Inc. 

Founded over 40 years ago, Energysavers is family-owned and operated out of Meredith, NH. We are proud to provide quality, dependable pellet stoves, wood stoves, fireplaces, hot tubs, saunas, outdoor grills, and more. Visit the showroom and choose from the many models and sizes we have in stock and receive the best price and quality service. Call us today at (603) 279-7961 to visit our store or schedule a home inspection.