You may be looking at installing a hot tub in your back yard because you want some serious relaxation but, did you know that there are some health benefits that stem from hot tub use?!  We found a great article that outlines a few of these benefits and thought that you may be interested in learning more as well!

Hot Tub Health Benefits

Hot tubs always have been advertised as being beneficial to your health, but do you really know what the health benefits are? Let’s take a look at why soaking in a hot tub might help you improve your overall physical and mental health.

Improved Sleep

It’s a fact that getting quality REM sleep on a regular schedule provides a variety of health positives for your mind and body. Good sleep improves everything from your mental alertness, stronger immune system, rejuvenated muscles and even the way your body metabolizes food.

Getting into the hot tub before bed helps regulate your body temperature to a comfortably warm level that helps you fall asleep quicker and sleep through the night with fewer disruptions. Just don’t use the hot tub too close to your bed time when you could be too warm and even sweaty when heading to bed which could lead a harder time falling asleep.

Reduced Stress & Anxiety

Many studies have proven that a hot tub is an ideal way to relieve mental and physical stress. Soaking in a hot tub for just 20 minutes can counteract stress as the perfect combination of hot water, massaging from the spa jets, and the feel of being weightless in the water helps you relax and decrease anxiety. Further, the hot water that massages various points on your body stimulates the release of endorphins – the body’s way of helping you feel better and more positive.

Lower Blood Pressure

As you sit in a hot tub, the elevated water temperature actually makes your heart works slightly harder and faster to get your body to disperse the excess heat. If you’re thinking, “won’t that raise my blood pressure?” you are correct, but an elevated blood pressure occurs only briefly. As the hot water raises your body’s temperature, that warmth causes cells and vessels to dilate which decreases the resistance to your heart, improving your body’s circulation, and ultimately lowering your blood pressure. Also, when your heart rate elevates, the increased blood flow produces extra oxygen that revitalizes cells which helps you feel rejuvenated as well as more relaxed.

Better Skin Care

A regular soak in a hot tub can actually improve your skin. The hot water opens your pores which is a great treatment to heal and rejuvenate your skin. Hot water also works to clean and disinfect your skin (which is a good reminder to practice regular hot tub maintenance). However, be careful to not soak too often or too long as this can dry out your skin instead of make it healthier. 20 minutes more or less, depending on your overall health.

Better Healing, Less Chronic Pain

Hot tubs are a great way to seek relief from body aches and pains such as arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel and muscle soreness from exercise or plain ol’ hard work. Much of this relief comes from your body’s improved blood circulation from the hot water (see Lowers Blood Pressure above), and the improved flow of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles helping them relax and easing inflammation.

In a hot tub, the spa jet bubbles help you feel an increase in buoyancy. As many of us know all too well, the lighter you – in this case, the lighter you feel – the fewer aches and pains you will suffer. The increased buoyancy is actually providing a feeling of weightlessness, or at least making you feel lighter if not weightless, which helps takes stress in joints and muscles.

Aromatherapy

It would be short sighted to discuss the health benefits of hot tubs without mentioning aromatherapy. There are many different brands and types of aromatherapy available now, and each one targets specific areas of your mind or body. Spazazz Water crystals offer different therapies from soothing to invigorating, while PharmaSpa’s therapeutic liquid fragrances have more specific targets to sleep better, improve breathing, fight a cold or flu, soothe achy muscles and sprains, and increase blood circulation.

If you’ve felt the health benefits of a hot tub, feel free to share them with all here, and let us know what part of you felt better and how did your hot tub help you improve your health.

This article was originally published at intheswim.com.  If you are ready to start looking at improving your health by adding a hot tub to your home, take a look at the hot tub models that we offer or contact us today!