Most people understand that hot tubs are a great place for rest, relaxation and socialization, but are hot tubs good for your health? It could easily be argued that spending time with your family and friends while relaxing in and around a hot tub is a great way to improve your health – at least mentally. But what other ways can a hot tub benefit your body and mind? In this article we go over a list of ways that a hot tub can be beneficial to your physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Decrease Stress
Our primitive brains weren’t really wired to properly deal with our modern society. The human brain hasn’t had time to evolve from a fight or flight world where a wrong decision can lead to injury, death or starvation to an environment where we’re relatively safe but need to make decisions that will affect us in the days, years and decades to come. Stress and anxiety can become debilitating forces if left unchecked. For this reason, it’s important to find ways to relax, decompress and allow our emotions to settle down. Spending 15 or 20 minutes in a hot tub can be a great way to slow things down, calm the mind and rid ourselves of stress and anxieties.
Promote Sleep
Lack of sleep doesn’t only affect how tired we are, it can slow down brain functioning, cause us to make poor decisions and increase our likelihood of injury. Whether you find it tough to fall asleep in the first place, keep waking up throughout the night or can’t sleep at all, you might consider soaking in a hot tub before bedtime. It’s been found that those who use a hot tub in the evening fall asleep sooner and experience a longer, more restful sleep. A hot tub will allow both your body and mind to relax while the increased temperatures will naturally make you sleepier.
Reduce Back Pain
Anyone who’s tweaked their back knows that even a slight pain can cause suffering and misery that takes over every moment of their life. And while you probably won’t require prescription drugs or surgery for a minor backache, getting relief can make the difference between a productive day and one that’s spent sitting on the couch waiting for the torture to stop. The warm, massaging waters of a hot tub can play a role in reducing back pain by loosening up cramped muscles and alleviating pressure on the spine.
Increase Flexibility
As we get older our bodies become stiffer and less flexible. This is only exacerbated if you overuse your body, suffer from injuries or have a hereditary disposition towards mobility issues. Regular use of a hot tub can slow down the onset of mobility problems, increase range of motion and promote pliability. The warm, massaging waters can relieve muscle tension while alleviating pressure on the joints. The hot tub also provides an ideal location for performing exercises that can increase one’s range of motion and flexibility.
Decrease Arthritic Pain
Arthritic pain is a result of inflammation swelling and stiffness of the joints which can be caused by loss of cartilage and friction between the bones. Arthritis is generally attributed to overuse of the body, autoimmune system problems and genetics. Regular use of a hot tub has been found to temporarily relieve arthritic pain. The warm water, the massaging jets and the buoyancy provided can reduce inflammation, relieve pressure on the joints and alleviate tenderness.
Now that you know that hot tubs are good for your health, find out more about their benefits by downloading a hot tub buyer’s guide here.