Winter Hot Tubs! Health Benefits?
Hot Tubs in the cold weather - Yes or No?
When we first got a Hot Tub in winter we were concerned about it being too cold, getting out mid hot tub to nip to the loo, the top half of us freezing the bottom all snuggly and warm in that 40 degree heat, but actually when it arrived and you close the doors on the gazebo to the wintery outside it is bliss the heat from the Hot Tub keeps the gazebo nice and warm and there is something magical about it being cold outside while you stare out of the gazebo window at Jack Frost..
So I got to thinking and started doing research into the health benefits of Warm and Cold on the body.
Heat
Hydro therapy water treatments use the body’s own defences to promote healing. Water plays different roles with different kinds of hydrotherapy treatments, and each treatment has multiple effects affecting more than one body system at the same time. Water stimulates the muscles, joints, internal organs, nerves and skin. Some treatments produce their results through the nervous system. Most treatments affect the body using water temperatures above or below the human body temperature. Hot and cold water redistributes blood throughout the body, by either constricting or dilating blood vessels. Whole body heat can be used to help lower blood pressure, improve digestion, relaxation of joints and muscles, improve oxygen intake and overall breathing, balances hormone levels, and improves immune system function. When the body sweats, it naturally cleans itself by ridding the body of wastes through the pores of the skin
Cold
In certain cultures, like the Finns in Finland who partake in winter swimming, the Finns took cold-water baths as far back as the 17th century, Studies show that regular winter swimming significantly decreases tension, fatigue, memory, and negative moods with the duration of the swimming period; significantly increases vitality; relieves pain in those who suffered from rheumatism, fibromyalgia, or asthma; boosts the immune system; relieves stress and improves the general well-being of the swimmer. When the swimmer emerges from the water, the blood vessels react by dilating to return warmth to the skin. The person gets a prolonged sensation of warmth. Finns also improve on the health effects of winter swimming by first heating up in a sauna before jumping into a hole cut out from the lake ice. The alternating between hot and cold is healthier than just hot or cold on its own in invigorating the body
So inconclusion - If its good enough for the Finns its good enough for me, I also didn't realise all the health benefits that came along with me fumbling out of the Hot Tub and scampering to the loo in the cold dark.
Let me know your thoughts
Tom
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