My husband and I like the benefits of hot tubs as well as enjoying the sensation so we look out for them while on vacation. It leaves you feeling relaxed and lightly massaged, and is always fun to do if you go with friends. You could sit and chat all day in them, sipping cool drinks.
Hydrothermal therapy works by manipulating the body’s sense of hot and cold. We are interested in the hot aspect of the therapy. Nerves beneath the surface of our skin are stimulated with the hot water and the water pressure from the jets, relieve stress, aid circulation, sooth aching body parts and help systems that we don’t think about, such as the immune system, digestion, and even hormone production which we could do with as we age.
That’s why, on holiday you get that feel good factor. Most of us spend time in the sea which pounds against or bodies like a massage, stimulating our circulation. Chinese researchers have also found that having a soak releases endorphins which improve your mood. And, don’t you just sleep like a baby?
Hot Tubs and High Blood pressure
So why are people unaware of the benefits of hot tubs on high blood pressure?
You may have spotted, in some spa facilities, a notice warning people with hypertension to consult their doctor first before taking a hot spa. According to Dr. Shin, a resident of internal medicine at the University of British Columbia, the doctors have no real guidelines on this.
At the Cardiovascular Risk Factor Reduction Unit at the Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, 21 people with hypertension and 23 with normal blood pressure were subjected to a ten minute submersion in a 40 C hot tub. The results were favorable. That of the hypertensive group was 144 (17) mmHg to 122 (18) mmHg and of the normal group, 130 (14) mmHg to 110 (17) mmHg and the diastolic pressures of both groups dropped. Measurements returned to the baseline level 10 minutes after they left the spa.
So we at least know a 10 minute soak is safe for those with moderate hypertension with exception to the rule. It would be good for those persons to monitor their blood pressure if they would like to try staying in longer to experience for themselves the benefits of hot tubs. Many people who suffer from blood pressure do this, and it has been known to lower their blood pressure significantly, by causing the blood vessels to dilate, lessening strain on the heart, relieving stress, and in aiding a good nights` sleep. At first it causes the pressure to rise because the higher temperature on the vessels near the skins surface, but in a few minutes it drops.
Another one of the benefits of hot tubs are the effects that mimic those when we exercise. More oxygen is transferred to parts of the body and muscles when blood vessels dilate. It actually strengthens the heart and aids healing.
Ahhhh! Just the thought of it makes one wish that you could just step outside right into your own hot tub. What’s so nice about that thought is that you can do something about that!
Gem.