Hot Tub Health Benefits and a few Cautions.
It’s a pretty well known fact that there are a number of hot tub health benefits that a nice hot water soak in a spa or hot tub can offer your body. But, do you know just what areas of your body and mindset benefit most from a relaxing warm water soak?
Take a look at the chart below to get a good idea of just how a nice soak in a hot tub benefits the different parts of your body. It’s probably much more than you previously thought.
The hot tub health benefits are great, and can be impactful for your personal well-being. However, there are some cautions that you need to be aware of that could adversely affect you from a soak in your hot tub, so let’s talk about them for a minute so we can keep everyone safe.
- Alcohol: The effects of excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages while in a hot tub can have adverse effects on some people. With an elevated body temperature, it may take less alcohol to become intoxicated. The danger then becomes two-fold, you could slip and fall while trying to get in or out of the tub or even pass out and possibly drown, (it has happened).
- High Water Temperature: Some hot tub owners like their hot tub water temperature set at the maximum that’s allowed by code, (104° F). Yes, it might feel exhilarating at first, but for some people may cause them to begin experiencing dizziness or even pass out. People with any type of heart condition should be especially cautious of how long they expose themselves to these elevated water temperatures. Maybe just do a couple 10-minute soaks instead of a typical 20-minute to 30-minute soak. That way you give your body a little time to cool back down before the heat becomes excessive making your heart pump harder trying to cool you off.
- Cuts or healing wounds: If you have a cut or wound that’s not fully healed yet, it’s going to be good advice to refrain from using the hot tub until these cuts or wounds are fully healed. The main reason, infection(s). If you’re anal about keeping the water chemistry in your hot tub under control, that’s great. You probably don’t have much to worry about. However, you may be in a friend’s hot tub where you don’t really know how well they take care of their water sanitation requirements. There is a possibility that you could be exposed to bacteria that can cause an infection to start in a cut that’s not fully healed yet. So, use a little common sense here.
- Be especially careful with young children around a hot tub. Never leave a young child unattended in a hot tub. You need constant vigilance with children in or around a hot tub. Understand too, that their small bodies can get over heated quickly if the water temperature is set to the maximum allowable by code. If a child’s complexion begins to look rosy red and they complain they don’t feel well, take them out of the water immediately as a precaution. Hyper active children can overheat very quickly so you need to be watching them closely.
One of the hot tub health benefits
that I love the most is the soothing effect the hot water has on my tired muscles after a strenuous work day or a physical work out at the gym. The muscles begin to relax rather quickly because of the increased blood flow caused by the elevated water temperature.
I mentioned that some hot tub owners like keeping their water temperature to the maximum, 104° F. Personally, I like keeping the water temperature pretty much at body temperature, especially in the warmer months. Maybe even a little less than body temperature in those warmer months. In the cold months, I’ll kick the water temperature up a few degrees like up to 99° F. Being honest, I’ve never had my hot tub up to the maximum temperature, it’s just too hot for me, same for my wife. At around body temperature you can soak and relax for a much longer period of time. Having a longer more relaxing soak to me is much more enjoyable than sitting in 104° F water for 10 or 15 minutes and then have to get out because your body is showing signs of overheating.
Bottom line is simply this, like everything else, do things in moderation. Know what you body is comfortable handling and be aware of the signs that could lead to problems for you. Hot tubs are a wonderful way to let body and mind relax so use them safely and make it a wonderful experience. For more information on building your own hot tub, visit – Custom Built Spas website.
Gene Trumbull
Custom Built Spas
