Sitting out under the stars on a cool Colorado night, maybe with a glass of wine or a beer from a local brewery — what better way to relax at the end of the day? Well, add a hot tub to that evening, and you’re pretty close to perfection. But did you know that hot tubs are for more than just relaxation? It’s true! The combination of water, warmth, and a gentle massage from the jets can go a long way toward providing health benefits throughout your body. Those benefits include:
Muscle Help
If you’ve ever experienced a muscle injury, like a strain, you may have been told to both ice and heat the area to help the healing process. Hot tubs and spas take those benefits and amplify them, and not just when you’re injured. Even sitting at a desk or standing with poor posture can cause muscle problems. The warmth of a hot tub helps your muscles relax, which can provide pain relief from tight muscles loosening. And not only that, but when your muscles loosen, it also reduces strain on your joints. Turn on the jets, and the combination of heat and pressure is pretty darn close to a deep tissue massage. It can help soothe injured muscles, improve recovery time, and even help improve range of motion issues caused by tight muscles.
Improved Circulation
The heat from hot tubs and spas is generally warmer than body temperature, so going for a soak is enough to raise your body temperature. This causes your blood vessels to dilate, or widen, which means your blood can flow a bit easier. The increased heat also raises heart rates slightly, which further boosts your circulation and helps your blood do its job of delivering oxygen and nutrients throughout your body.
More Restful Sleep
If you find that it takes you awhile to fall asleep or that you tend to toss and turn or wake up frequently, head to your nearest hot tub sales provider for help. Hot tubs and spas are a great way to unwind at the end of the day, as we mentioned above. But even more than that, the combination of warmth, water pressure, and relaxation is enough to help you get better sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, soaking in hot water can, “ease the transition into deeper sleep.” However, it’s not a good idea to go straight from your hot tub to bed. Give yourself an hour or more between hot tubbing and bed so you don’t go to bed too hot.
Arthritis and Joint Pain Relief
As we’ve already mentioned, the warmth and pressure from jets can go a long way toward relaxing tense muscles and improving circulation. Those two qualities, combined with how water reduces the force of gravity, means that soaking in hot tubs and spas can provide some pretty great benefits for anyone with joint pain or arthritis. According to the Arthritis Foundation, the best way to experience benefits for your joints is to soak for at least 20 minutes at a time, and to add in movement and gentle exercises. This encourages improved circulation to your joints without the strain that traditional stretching and exercises cause, making hot tub time ideal for gentle stretching and strengthening for those with joint pain. Just remember to drink water before and after to stay adequately hydrated.
Skin and Hair Benefits
A daily soak in a hot tub won’t actually stop time from progressing. However, it does provide benefits to your hair and skin that can help keep you looking younger. Believe it or not, your body will actually sweat while you relax in your hot tub. This is a great way for your skin to release toxins that damage the skin. In addition to the flushing of toxins, the hot water stimulates blood and lymph fluid flow, which can help those skin benefits linger after you get out and cool off. In addition, soaking in a hot tub works to reduce the scalp’s natural oil production, which can help your hair look shinier and healthier.
Experience these benefits and more for yourself. Visit Summit Spas in Windsor, Colorado to explore our wide range of hot tubs and spas, and bring the benefits home!
