Did you know, that having a soak in your hot tub can be one of the best things you can do for your body, but how long should you stay in a hot tub to reap the benefits?
You see those photos on Instagram of people sitting, and relaxing in their hot tubs in the height of summer, but you rarely see people in them during the cold winter months. Whereas actually, it’s more beneficial for your body if you continue to use it throughout the winter months as well.
I don’t know about you, but the thought of sitting in a hot bath on a hot summer’s day doesn’t seem all that enticing. Whereas having a longer soak when it’s cold, perhaps surrounded by snow, sounds perfect! Winter should be when we’re utilising hot tubs (if you’re lucky enough to have one) more than ever! Relaxing those cold, tired muscles in our hot tub sessions to expand the blood vessels and get the blood pumping.
Here are some of the main benefits for a healthy adult when having a soak in your hot tub…
Boost Your Immune System
Many benefits of using a hot tub include being able to help boost your immune system. Soaking in a tub can help reduce medical conditions such as stress. Relaxing outside in a warm tub full of bubbly water to make all your troubles wash away.
However, it can also help to relieve congestion in your nose, sinuses, and chest through the warm mist created as you soak. If you have a really bad cold or sinus problem, perhaps add a few drops of peppermint essential oil to the water. However, don’t do this if you have sensitive skin or are prone to skin irritation as it could make this flare up.
Also, elevating your core body temperature can help your immune system fight off germs or infections. However, make sure you don’t overheat as this will have negative effects on your body!
Soothe Aching Muscles
Especially after a hard workout, aching muscles can make you feel down, energy-less and unmotivated. However, have you ever had a hot bath or shower and felt so much better afterwards?
The warm water can help to combat circulatory problems and soothe any aching muscles by aiding better blood flow around your body. The warm water temperature helps them to recover faster due to the increased amount of blood flow to that area, helping them to relax and recharge.
Plus, if you have a saltwater hot tub, even better! Not only are saltwater hot tubs easier to maintain, but they’re also more gentle on the skin and you won’t have that annoying chlorine, chemical smell wafting around you. However, they also extract excess fluid from your body which helps with swollen joints and any inflammation. If you suffer from diseases such as arthritis, a soak in a saltwater hot tub could be extremely beneficial to you.
Relaxation
During the lockdowns, with pools and spas being out of action, having a soak in your own hot tub is more beneficial than ever! Even now with most being back open to the public, it’s not quite the same as being able to do it in your own back garden with all that privacy.
Not only can you wash your troubles away with a relaxing soak, but you also don’t have to worry about other people’s germs, or waiting your turn if it’s a bit too full.
There’s something so calming about listening to the bubbles swooshing around you or bubbling up underneath you. It can almost feel like a personal massage if you sit in just the right spot!
Burn Excess Calories
Did you know, that research back in 2016 showed people who sat in a hot tub for an hour, burned as many calories as someone who went for a 30-minute walk?
You could even use the resistance of the water to boost your calorie burn. Swishing your arms and legs about in the water will help you burn those few extra calories.
You could even do light aerobics and add waterproof weights to your routine and do an upper body workout. Tone and tighten your arm muscles as you relax. Or perhaps you could kick your legs as hard as you can for as long as you can for a bit of a leg workout.
Warning Signs Of Overheating In A Hot Tub
- Tingling sensation on your skin
- Headaches
- Feeling fatigued all of a sudden
- Feeling weak
- Heart begins to race
- Dizziness
- Sweating a lot more than normal
- Hot tub rash on the skin
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath
If you do feel you have overdone it in the hot tub, get out immediately and make sure you drink plenty of water. Also, don’t then go and jump into a cold shower, allow your core temperature to cool down slowly by itself. Perhaps go and sit somewhere comfortable with a breeze on you until you start to feel better.
Who Should Avoid Hot Tubs?
There really aren’t many scenarios where you can’t be in a hot tub except for…
- Pregnant women
- Those with health conditions such as heart disease, or a heart condition of any kind
- Open wounds
- High blood pressure
- Low blood pressure
For safety reasons, if you have any kind of blood pressure issues, a long soak in a hot tub could cause them to spike or dip, bringing on a feinting spell which is never a good idea.
How Long Should You Stay In A Hot Tub?
Regarding how long you should stay in a hot tub, a general rule of thumb is around 15-20 minutes per session for children, or the right amount of time staying in the hot water for adults is between 15-30 minutes. So it really depends from person to person. Although no longer than 30 minutes at a time.
However, some important factors to consider are the water’s temperature and the age of the person using it. The ideal hot tub temperature is 104 degrees F, or 40 degrees C according to hot tub safety rules.
However, this should be lowered slightly for young children and even for slightly older children – never left without adult supervision. This would also affect the length of time they would stay in the hot tub water to a maximum of 20 minutes.
How long do you stay in your hot tub per session? As a hot tub owner, would you use your home spa to promote good health, or just to relax in?
Collaborative Post
Leave a Reply