Hot Tubs for Health

There are many benefits to using a hot tub, for a start it’s a very enjoyable experience! Whether on your own, with a partner or group of friends, relaxing in a hot tub is a relaxing and soothing past time.

But more and more people are turning to hot tubs and swim spas for health benefits. The main benefits come from hot tubs therapeutic effects through hydrotherapy. In other words, the small jets of water than blast out high pressure water streams.

Sports people have been using hot tub therapy for years to reduce the strain on their muscles after heavy exercise. Previously hot tubs tended to be limited to those in a professional environment due to their high cost and limited availability. Recently however, there has been a growing increase in demand for hot tubs which has led to a drop in prices and increase in availability.

The combination of these water streams combined with the warm water can help relax muscles and remove tension. Typically this sort of treatment is used by sports professionals but sufferers of MS, arthritis, paralysis and other motion related conditions have also reported benefits from hydrotherapy hot tub treatment. The arthritis foundation actually concluded that the hydrotherapy use of hot tubs with warm water can help those with arthritis: “hydro therapy is one method of using water to help treat arthritis. The soothing warmth and buoyancy of the water makes it a safe, ideal environment for relieving arthritis pain. Using a spa adds another component to the therapy – massage.”

Endorphins are another reason to start using a hot tub. Know what these are? They are the chemical responsible for the feeling of well-being and analgesia. Essentially, they make you feel good and warm water massage has been proven to release endorphins. This can help people who have difficulty sleeping, or suffer regularly from migraines and headaches.

Similar to the effect from endorphins, hot tubs have been proven to reduce stress. Stress can in turn lead to many other physical and mental health conditions and therefore shouldn’t be taken lightly. The warm water also causes blood vessels to dilate, result in better circulation. Type 2 diabetes suffers have also began to use  hot tubs after a study in the New England journal of medicine indicated that usage could help lower blood sugar levels. The study involved a small group of men and women and concluded that hot tub therapy could lead to a reduction in the bodies insulin requirements and lower levels of blood glucose.

So there you go, a whole host of medical reasons to use a hot tub! But even if you are in perfect health and don’t play sport then no one would argue that a nice soak in a hot tub isn’t enjoyable at the end of the day!