The Health Benefits of Staying at a Holiday Cottage With a Hot Tub

The Benefits of a Hot Tub on Your Health

Our holiday homes with hot tubs are always popular and often the first to get booked up!  The idea of getting together with a group of friends or family, or perhaps just having a romantic break, and being able to step from the cold into a lovely hot bubbling tub with a view up to the stars is really appealing, right?  But, did you know that using a hot tub also has some health benefits too!   

1. A good night’s sleep

Have you ever noticed how quickly you tend to fall asleep after taking a late night bath or a dip in the hot tub?

When your body is cold, your normal sleeping pattern can be interrupted and you often find yourself being restless. When your body is comfortable and at the right temperature you tend to fall asleep quicker and rest easier

It is a well-known fact that getting a better night's sleep has numerous positive effects on just about everything – from your mental health and even the way your body metabolizes food. If you struggle to sleep and are staying at one of our properties then simply sit, try spending some time in the hot tub before getting into bed. Who knows it may be worth it…

2. Reduces arthritis and chronic pain

For people suffering from arthritis, tendonitis, and other types of aches and pains, spending time in the hot tub will typically provide some much-needed relief and of course relaxation.Due to the bubbles created by the tub’s jets, we tend to feel our own own weight disappear or lighter, and our blood circulation increases due to the heat. Therefore the tightness in our muscles relaxes, and inflammation in our sensitive joints is reduced.In the hot tub, an aching body can experience better flexibility, strength, and a wider range of physical motion. It is no wonder so many people see such great benefits when recovering from back, knee, or other joint related problems.

3. Reduces anxiety and stress levels

Research has shown us how important reducing stress and anxiety is to your health.  Whether you’re in good health and want to maintain it, or you’re dealing with a serious illness, decreasing your level of stress is one of the most positive and significant things you can do for yourself. The stress involved in more than 80% of illnesses this includes life-threatening diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. It is without a doubt that those suffering from such illnesses will be able to avoid stress, fear and anxiety completely. However, anyone can experience these things. One of the methods that can be used by almost anyone to combat and reduce stress comes from having a relaxing soak in a hot tub or spa. Further research has revealed that spa users and owners have agreed that a spa is one of the best places to relax and de-stress.

In 2011, Dr Bruce Becker, a research professor at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, saw that chronic stress increases both anxiety and blood pressure – high factors in cardiovascular disease and stroke.  These factors take a large physical and emotional toll on the body.  Becker then went onto to compare human stress to a car engine.

Even if it’s only temporary relaxing in the hot tub has been shown by studies, that the combination of the hot water, the massage of the jets, and the feeling of weightlessness can reduce both mental and physical stress and decrease anxiety. Experts say that when you’re not feeling physically and mentally stressed, you are much more at ease and carefree. A weight is lifted off of your shoulders.

4. Reduces blood sugar levels

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, saw individuals with type 2 diabetes spend 30 minutes in a hot tub for 6 days a weeks for 3 weeks. By the end of this course, the individuals saw a drop in their blood glucose levels from 182 mg/dl to 159 mg/dl. To an extent, the hot temperatures in the tub stimulate some of the effects of physical exercise – which has proven to be a successful treatment for sufferers of type 2 diabetes. However further research is still needed in this to prove its full validity in both the long and short-term.

4. Lowers blood pressure

In addition to lowering levels of your blood sugar, relaxing in the hot tub can also lower your blood pressure.When you get in the tub and the temperature is hot, your heart works harder and faster so that your body can get rid of excess heat. In the process, your increased blood flow is producing extra oxygen and your cells are being revitalized. The increased warmth of the body will cause cells to dilate, decreasing resistance against the heart and lowering your overall blood pressure.However, it is worth noting that those with high blood pressure should avoid going back and forth between the hot tub and the pool, as this may increase blood pressure.

5. Reduces the occurrence of migraines

For sufferers of chronic headaches, such as migraines, there’s not a great deal of treatment available, so relief is a hard thing to come by. However, there is some evidence to suggest that regular sessions in the hot tub may, in fact, help to prevent certain types of headaches.

It sounds slightly odd but if you consider some of the common triggers of a headache ie tension. Migraine sufferers often say that they experience tension headaches right before the migraine. In the hot tub, your muscles aren’t contracted, your aches and pains are reduced, and you feel overall at ease – thus decreasing the likeliness of a migraine triggered by tension. Also, sufferers of blocked sinus related headaches can benefit from spending time in the steamy hot tub – along with using nose drops and drinking fluids as your tubes are all opened allow you to breathe slightly better.

To view our properties with hot tubs, click here! Happy Hot-Tubbing!