We tend to work our way from the inside out when turning our houses into homes. Our bedrooms become our sanctuaries; our bathrooms shift into personal spas; our living rooms twinkle with light and love.
But, what about the outside? When done right, we can add entire, new rooms onto our homes. A screened-in porch can become the new living room. A backyard patio can metamorphosize into the kitchen.
So, why not a restful retreat? Imagine a hot tub under an arbor of wildflowers, laced in softly twinkling lights? The health benefits of hot tubs extend well beyond a 30-minute relaxation session.
They also include muscle relief, a reduction in joint pain, and, perhaps, a release from nagging tension headaches. Let’s slip into something a little bit more comfortable and dip our toes into the wonderful effects of hot tubs on the body.
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Stress Release
Let’s start with the first, most obvious hot tub benefit – stress release. There’s a reason women (and men) love to run a bubble bath in the evening, pour a glass of wine, light some candles, and enjoy the quiet.
Immersing ourselves in hot water and feeling the muscles relax is a feeling that can’t be replaced by any sort of Netflix marathon, night out on the town, or a slice of chocolate cake – unless, of course, you bring the cake to the hot tub.
Pain Relief
Which brings us to the nuts and bolts of it all. Warm water reduces swelling and loosens tight muscles. This introduces a few forms of pain relief. You can experience temporary relief from stiff and sore muscles, as well as aching joints.
The buoyancy of the water allows aching knees or sore ankles to let go of all the weight they carry as you float in mists of relief. The combination of a reduction in swelling and a release of weight offers a nice reprieve.
Increased Circulation
When we slip into the warmth, a few things happen to our circulatory systems. First, our blood vessels widen. With this comes an increase in circulation (which is great).
It also temporarily lowers our blood pressure. This may be a good thing for many of us. Having a period of time when our blood flows more freely can be great for the system.
This, however, is the juncture where we like to add a little sideline. When our blood pressure decreases, our heart rates speed up to accommodate the drop. For many, this helps the heart stay active and healthy – wonderful.
However, this also puts a bit of a strain on the heart. Therefore, those who suffer from heart disease, among other ailments, should exercise caution.
Better Sleep
Guess what all this relaxation does? It can relax the body straight into a state of sleep. Of course, you want to get inside, shower off, and then hit the hay.
But, a body that’s enjoying a reprieve from the pain and just had a nice, little heart workout will be quite glad to lay down and recharge.
A Skin Cleanse
Hot water does wonder to cleanse the body. Our armor (skin) can experience the greatest benefit here. Heat opens up our pores, creating quite a cleanse if you’re in a clean environment.
Perhaps, before you slip under the covers, you might partake in a simple face mask. While your pores are open, this can be a great way to draw out the impurities that lay right under our skin. It’s also a good time to moisturize, as our skin likes to drink up after a dip in the hot tub.
A Decrease in Headaches
Here’s another purported perk we love. When you consider the dilated blood vessels and overall euphoria of relaxation, a dip in the hot tub can do wonders for that nagging headache.
If our blood can flow more freely, then some of the pressure in our heads can be relieved. So, now, we’re looking at a reprieve from muscle aches, joint pain, high blood pressure, and some of those nagging tension headaches that come from a rigorous day at the office.
A Time to Be Together
Once you find a hot tub, something wonderful happens. You have an entirely new space to enjoy the company of your loved ones. Sure, it’s great to curl up under a plush blanket with your honey on the couch. But, now, you have the option of slipping into soothing bubbles under a blanket of stars.
When we take the focus off the TV screen and put it back on our friends and families, it opens the door for a wave of new memories. It’s also more difficult (although not impossible) to do the whole Facebook scroll while we’re shoulder-deep in waves of water.
So, it promotes an entirely new experience and, although it may not be a physical health benefit, we like to think of this one as an emotional health perk.
Health Benefits of Hot Tubs
And there you have it! These are some of our favorite health benefits of hot tubs. If you’re able to carve out a little bit of square footage somewhere around the perimeter of your home, then a hot tub can bring untold dividends to your physical, emotional, and relational health.
Here at Dream Lands Design, we love to explore DIY projects and how-tos, and craft articles that can turn your modest home into a castle in the sky.
As you take to Pinterest to pin all your hot tub dreams, we hope you’ll keep coming back for new ways to add some splash to your backyard, accessorize your home, and remodel with ease. We hope to meet again from the warm waters of your own, personal spa.
