There’s nothing more relaxing than taking a hot bath after a long day, and that’s especially true now that autumn has arrived and temperatures are beginning to drop! But, if you’re like most people, it can be difficult to find time for a bath when you have a million other more important things on your to-do list (e.g. work, family, chores, Netflix marathons, etc.). As we’ll discuss in this post, taking a hot bath is not only relaxing, it also has several scientifically demonstrated health benefits, and it should therefore be given greater priority in everyone’s life! So, without further adieu, here are (some of) the health benefits of taking a hot bath.
1) Taking a hot bath reduces blood sugar levels and inflammation, and burns calories.
According to a March 2017 study published in the medical journal Temperature, bathing for 60 minutes in 104 degree water (this is called “passive heating”) was shown to be just as effective as 60 minutes of moderate exercise for reducing blood sugar levels and inflammation. These findings were based on an examination of fourteen males (both lean and overweight), with half of the subjects performing 60 minutes of cycling, and the other half soaking in a hot bath for 60 minutes. Additionally, as one of the authors of this study explains in a separate article, “cycling resulted in more calories being burned compared with a hot bath, but bathing resulted in about as many calories being burned as a half-hour walk.”
2) Taking a hot bath improves cardiovascular health
According to a 2015 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, “sauna bathing” can protect against Sickle Cell Disease, Coronary Heart Disease, Cardiovascular Disease, as well as “all-cause mortality events in the general male population.” Though only men are directly mentioned in this study, it’s safe to conclude that warm baths can produce similar cardiovascular benefits for women, as well! The findings of this study were reinforced by another study published in 2016 in the Journal of Physiology which demonstrated that “heat therapy” (i.e. taking a hot bath) reduces blood pressure and has “widespread and robust effects on vascular function” as a whole.
3) Taking a hot bath improves psychological health
According to Neil Morris, a psychologist from the University of Wolverhampton who studied the psychological effects of bathing for two consecutive weeks on 80 different people, “‘bathing improved general psychological wellness radically … and I believe that the results could be even more impressive over a longer period of time. Baths give you the chance to stop the day for a few minutes, in a way that showers can’t. There is a wonderful combination of isolation, quiet and comfort [in a bath].'”
4) Taking a hot bath improves immune health
As a 2011 article in ScienceDaily explains, “elevated body temperature [via bathing or otherwise] helps certain types of immune cells to work better.” This makes sense, given that a fever is our body’s natural response to fighting off infections!
Conclusion
We have only scratched the surface on the health benefits associated with taking a bath (on a regular basis). What is clear from this discussion, though, is that most of us could use a bath more than we’d like to admit! While bathing should never be understood as a replacement for diet and exercise, it does seem to be an effective supplement to healthy eating and regular physical activity for improving your overall health and well-being.
Are you in the market for a bathtub? Splash Galleries has a variety of alcove, drop-in, and freestanding tubs available! Visit our showroom or contact Lauren or Marelyn today to learn more.
Showroom: 5060 Trademark Dr. Raleigh, NC 27610
(919) 719-3333.
Hours: M-F 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.
