There is something SO good about soaking in a spa pool. All your cares seem to float away and you are overwhelmed with a feeling of contentment. What’s more, a soak in a spa pool doesn’t just feel soothing and healing – it actually is!
Immersing yourself in hot water offers a wealth of proven health benefits, including lower stress levels, enhanced recovery, better circulation and improved sleep. And there’s no more luxurious place to enjoy this health and wellness than in the waters of your own backyard spa pool.
It's no wonder so many Aussies are choosing to invest in their self care. There are many benefits to hot water immersion - mental, physical and physiology. Let’s explore what they are and why they are so good for you…
You don’t get out like you get in
Hot water immersion is basically the act of immersing yourself in hot water. It’s what you do when you sink into your Hot Spring spa at the end of a long and tiring day.
You will notice that when you get out of the spa pool you feel completely different from when you got in. That is because the simple act of immersing yourself in water is giving your body the chance to heal and recuperate.
When you immerse yourself in water, the process of healing and recuperation are accelerated. That means you are soothing aches and pains, calming a stressed and restless mind and rejuvenating your body at a faster speed than normal.
It is no wonder that immersing yourself in water feels so good! But how does having a spa accelerate this healing process?
The science behind hot water immersion
Your body is in a constant state of restoration. It is always working to fight against the biological processes of deterioration. Add an injury or a stressful day into the mix and your body is working overtime to improve itself. To be healthy, we need to eat well and exercise. Mother Nature has also given us another gift that improves health. That is hot water immersion. The healing that immersion provides is difficult to achieve on land without medication.
How does it work?
Our bodies operate with two different components within the central nervous system. The first is the sympathetic component which is also known as the fight or flight mechanism. It is the system responsible for keeping us alive in stressful situations. This system triggers a number of things like increased heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure.
At the other end of the spectrum is the parasympathetic system whose role it is to reduce blood pressure, slow your heart rate, and broaden your sphere of awareness cognitively. These two systems need to act in balance for your body to operate in a ‘normal’ state.
Living in a heightened situation is not good for your body. It is thought to be the cause of a number of chronic diseases like diabetes, arthritis and depression. There are medications on the market that help to balance the two systems, but they come with side effects.
Hot water immersion helps to put the sympathetic system down and puts it in balance with the parasympathetic system. No medication needed.
And the even better news is that the more you do it, the better the results!
The key benefits of hot water immersion
We know that immersing yourself in water does some powerful things to your body. Not only does it help physical recovery, but it also helps to improve your mood, boost your body functions, allows better communication and improves your memory.
Lowers stress levels
When the two components of your central nervous system come into alignment, your stress levels drop. A 30 minutes soak in the spa pool gives you an opportunity to take time out from a stressful schedule.
Improved sleep
Getting the right amount of quality sleep is essential to good health and well-being. Spending time immersed in hot water can relax your body and mind, preparing you for a tension-free sleep.
Faster muscle recovery
For the most part, recovering from exercise or an injury is a matter of waiting for the body to heal itself. But a spa pool can speed this process up. The heat of a spa pool can relax and sedate muscles to allow for freer movement. Warm water immersion has been proven to speed up muscle recovery following a stroke. And by counteracting gravity with buoyancy, a spa pool can reduce the tenderness, spasms and stress that can occur during the recovery process.
Health and immunity
Regularly immersing yourself in hot water brings with it a number of general health benefits, from reduced inflammation to the management of chronic pain. If you choose a Hot Spring spa pool with a CoolZone® system, you could even fortify your immune system!
Heart health
Hot water immersion triggers a number of physiological effects. Cardiac output increases and blood vessels dilate, which means that more oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood makes it to the parts of your body that need it most. This enhanced circulation has a number of effects, from improving blood pressure to helping your vital organs to do their work better.
Reduced toxins
The warm temperature of the water improves circulation in your body. This allows nutrients and oxygen to flow through your bloodstream more easily, replacing toxins in the traditionally weaker areas of your system.
Now, who’s ready for a soak in a spa pool? As we've learnt, hot water immersion has many great benefits that naturally improve your health and well-being.
Interested in learning more? Check out out benefit of having a spa pool guide for more insights.
