Not a lot of people need 15 reasons to take spa baths. They’re already pretty enjoyable all on their own and they can relieve stress and leave us feeling clean and refreshed. Nevertheless, there are even more reasons to take spa baths and some of them actually affect your health.
1. It can improve your cardiovascular health
According to Bruce Becker, M.D., immersing yourself in water in general up to your neck gives you a cardiac workout. This is because water puts more pressure on your body which increases your cardiac volume. In other words, when you’re soaking in water, your heart works harder and that helps it stay healthy.
2. It can help you sleep
Hot water promotes relaxation which helps you sleep. This is easy enough to explain. When you put your tense body is a tub of hot water, the heat raises your body temperature and relaxes your muscles. This makes you tired and relaxed which can help you sleep better. However, you should not attempt to fall asleep in a spa bath. That’s a terrible idea.
3. It can help alleviate aches and pains
As we just explained, hot water in general helps relax your body. This can also alleviate aches and pains associated with athletic injuries like muscle pulls or even arthritis. If you’re in pain and it’s not a broken bone, a good soak will probably help you feel better.
4. It can help lower blood pressure
Mayo Clinic researcher Thomas Allison, M.P.H., PhD did a study that shows that sitting in a spa bath can lower your blood pressure. This is great for those who are at risk for heart disease or suffer from hypertension. Of course, if you suffer from those problems you should consult your doctor but the research of Dr. Allison have showed that hot water like in spa baths increase your heart rate while lowering your blood pressure which helps reinforce our earlier fact that it can help your cardiovascular health.
5. It may help diabetes and weight loss
A small study that was conducted has shown that people with diabetes who take regular spa baths can reduce their blood sugar and blood glucose levels. It also showed that taking a spa bath for 30 minutes, six days a week lost four pounds in a month without making a single change to their diet or exercise. It’s not the next big diet but every little bit helps!
6. It can reduce stress
All this relaxing and warmth isn’t just good for you literally, but also good for you figuratively. Sitting in warm water and feeling the benefits can greatly reduce your stress. Reducing stress can have positive improvements on your mental and physical health and can promote a feeling of general well being.
7. It can help clean your body
Heat opens up your pores and this can be a good thing when you’re in a clean environment like a spa bath. By opening the pores, you give the water a chance to work its way in there and clean out the various dirt and toxins from your skin. The result is a refreshed feeling with potentially clearer skin. The detoxification process can make you feel better too!
8. It can help reduce headaches
Between the dilated blood vessels, relaxation, and warmth, spa baths can also help reduce headaches. By dilating the blood vessels, it can decrease pressure in your head which helps get rid of headaches while general relaxation and warmth continue the process. If you suffer from headaches then some good spa baths can help you fix it.
9. It can improve your self esteem and confidence
When you feel good, you have good thoughts. Since spa baths can do all these amazing things for you, the mental benefit is pretty tangible. When you get into a spa bath feeling bad and the bath makes you feel better, it’ll make you feel better about yourself and when you feel good, you feel more confident. A good soak before a big event can help you relax, have more confidence in yourself, and help you be more prepared mentally.
10. It can improve anxiety
Anxiety is a tough problem to tackle for a lot of people but spa baths can help. Thanks to the relaxation, stress relief, and the heat, spa baths can help you feel less anxiety. Of course, it’ll take more than a spa bath to get rid of all of it but every little bit helps!
Don’t forget the risks!
Despite the benefits, spa baths aren’t for everyone. Those with heart disease should be especially cautious because the cardiovascular effects can actually cause complications. Also, hot tubs, hot baths, etc can make you sweat and that can lead to dehydration if you’re not careful. Since they are so hot, you also run the risk of heat stroke if you’re sensitive to the heat or if you’re in there for too long. Pregnant women should be careful as well as the hot water can negatively affect the baby if they’re not careful.
Also, remember folks. If you have any doubts at all about starting a spa bath regimen, you should consult your doctor. In fact, you should consult your doctor regardless just to be safe!
While the benefits of spa baths are tangible, they aren’t miracle workers. They do better to augment a healthy lifestyle rather than be the focal point of one. Everyone should enjoy a good soak every now and then (if their health allows it) because in most cases, it can help you feel better!
Featured photo credit: Fiber Optic Lighting via fiberopticlighting.com
