Learn 5 Ways a Hot Tub Keeps Your Heart Healthy

February 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Soaking in a hot tub is of great benefit to your heart and is a timely topic for February which is American Heart Month.  Are you wearing red February 3rd in honor of fighting heart disease in women?  Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of women?  3 times as many deaths result from heart disease than all cancers combined.  Here’s a roundup of  hot tub and heart articles that have been the most read on Hot Tub Bliss:

1. HOT TUB SOAKING AIDS HEART HEALTH from January 2011.  Startling news for most readers: Cardiac volume increases by nearly one-third with immersion to the neck.” Simply put, this means your heart gets a cardiovascular workout just from sitting in a hot tub; this does not occur being sedentary when dry.

2. HOT TUBS ARE SAFE FOR PEOPLE WITH TREATED  HYPERTENSION.  This is the good news from this medical study from January 2010.

3. HOT TUB SOAKING LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE from November 2008.   Blood warmed in the vessels at your skin’s surface is pumped from there back into your body where it begins to heat your organs and deep muscle tissue where the same healthy vessel dilation occurs leaving the muscles more relaxed. The longer your spend immersed in hot water, the more times the warm, healing blood can cycle through your body. Studies have shown that in a hot tub maintained at 104 degrees the core body temperature can rise to 102 degrees Fahrenheit in less than 20 minutes.

This means a healthy increase in heart rate with a decrease in blood pressure as the body cools that reduces strain on other vital organs. It’s no wonder that at the reputable Mayo Clinic, hot water hydrotherapy is used to improve cardio-health. 

4. HOT TUB FOR STRESS RELIEF! NEWS UPDATE ON A SCIENTIFIC STUDY CONDUCTED AT WSU from May 2010. 

The sympathetic nervous system (which escalates under stress) and the parasympathetic nervous system (which promotes calm) — fall into balance when the body is immersed in warm water, according to the study conducted by Dr. Bruce Becker at Washington State University, Pullman.

That balanced state has been associated with a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease, improved memory, enhanced cognitive processes and increased concentration. “The autonomic nervous system responds to warm water immersion the same way it responds to meditation or a number of other relaxed states,” Becker says.  Stress reduction is a must for a healthy heart.

5. SOAK IN YOUR BACKYARD HOT TUB FOR BETTER HEALTH- EXPOSURE TO NATURE BOOSTS IMMUNITY from October 2010.
Scientists found that being among plants outdoors produced “lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, and lower blood pressure,” among other benefits.

Heart health is vital to your overall health.  Keep your heart healthy by watching your diet, not smoking, doing cardiovascular workouts and, of course, hot tubbing.  Do see your doctor, first, if you have any concerns about using the hot tub and your health.


SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

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Hot Tub Soaking Aids Heart Health

January 17, 2011 By 1 Comment

Just sitting in hot water up to your neck aids cardiovascular health, says Bruce E. Becker, M.D., clinical professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington.

“The ultimate purpose of the heart as an organ is to pump blood in response to a physiological demand so its best measure of performance is volume of blood pumped per unit of time,” says Dr. Becker. “Immediately after a person is immersed, water begins to exert pressure on the body. Cardiac volume increases by nearly one-third with immersion to the neck.” Simply put, this means your heart gets a cardiovascular workout just from sitting in a hot tub; this does not occur being sedentary when dry.

And because water provides more resistance than air-making movement more challenging-even the most basic water workout can strengthen the heart and muscles better than a similar routine on land. Exercising in water also helps prevent overheating and does not impact joints. Take a look at Olympic Hot Tub Company’s simple exercise series for a mild hot tub workout that won’t strain joints.

Be sure to consult your physician if you have any condition that might be contraindicated for hot tub soaking.

SANUM PER AQUAM. Latin for Health through water.

Thanks for reading Hot Tub Bliss. We hope you went from “Ahhhh” to “A-Ha”! Be sure to ‘Like’ our Facebook Page and follow  Olympic Hot Tub Company and Hot Tub Bliss on Twitter.


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Are Hot Tubs Safe for People with Treated Hypertension?

January 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Canadian researchers asked the question: Are hot tubs safe for people being treated for hypertension?

Their study results published in the Canadian Journal of Medicine are very interesting.

BACKGROUND: People with hypertension are commonly warned to check with a physician before using a hot tub, but there is little in medical literature on which to base this advice.  The authors compared symptoms, heart rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure in response to 10 minutes of hot-tub immersion in a group of patients with treated hypertension and in a control group without hypertension.

STUDY METHOD: Researchers recruited 21 patients (18 men and 3 women aged 43-76 years) with stable, treated hypertension and 23 control subjects (14 men and 9 women aged 19-83 years) without hypertension. They were studied, in mid-afternoon, at a public hot tub facility. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were measured at baseline, during immersion in a hot tub at 40 degrees C (104 degrees F) and for 10 minutes after immersion.  Each subject was asked to report any symptoms.

RESULTS: None of the subjects reported dizziness, chest pain or palpitations. During immersion, systolic blood pressure fell in both groups, from a mean 144 mm HG to 122 mm HG in the hypertensive group and from 130 mm HG to 110 mm Hg in the control group.  Blood pressure returned to baseline within 10 minutes after the subjects left the hot tub. Diastolic blood pressure also fell, whereas heart rate was increased in both groups. The hypertensive group showed a slightly lower maximal increase in heart rate than the group without hypertension.

INTERPRETATION: Immersion in a hot tub for 10 minutes lowers blood pressure in subjects with treated hypertension, but no more than in control subjects without hypertension.  Their conclusion: spending 10 minutes in a hot tub should be safe for most treated hypertensive patients.

Study authors: Shin TW, Wilson M, Wilson TW. Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology and the Cardiovascular Risk Factor Reduction Unit, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon.

It is always advisable to check with your own physician, if you have any medical issues for which  you think hot tubbing would not be beneficial.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

Thanks for reading Hot Tub Bliss. We hope you went from “Ahhhh” to “A-Ha”! Be sure to ‘Like’ our Facebook Page and follow  Olympic Hot Tub Company and Hot Tub Bliss on Twitter.

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NEW YEAR'S TIP FOR STRESS REDUCTION: FIND RELIEF BY SITTING NEXT TO THE WATERFALL IN YOUR HOT TUB

January 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Limelight Hot Tub’s waterfalls are visually stunning.  Did you know that hot tub waterfalls are not only visually appealing but  can play an active role in stress relief?  It’s not only the trickling sound or the visual play on water that is so calming. The air at the bottom of waterfalls contains a significantly higher concentration of negative ions-electron packed molecules that have been shown to have an anti-depressant effect. A 2006 study at Wesleyan University found that exposure to negative ions alleviated depression within 15-20 minutes.  One possible explanation for this effect according to lead researcher, Naomi Gael, PhD,  Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, is that negative ions increase the amount and activity of serotonin ( a chemical that regulates mood) in the brain.  So alleviate New Year stress by sitting in your new Limelight Hot Tub from Olympic Hot Tub Company. If you’re lucky enough to have a model with a waterfall, grab the seat next to it, relax and breathe deeply.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for health through water.


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HOT TUB SOAKING LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE

November 19, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Ready for a short lesson in human physiology?

As you immerse yourself in a hot tub, your body’s first reaction is to try and stabilize your temperature by pumping the heart faster to bring additional blood to the surface where it would normally disperse heat into the air. This increased blood flow means an increased supply of oxygen, antibodies and white blood cells pumping through your body; all important to promoting revitalization of the cells. This initial reaction causes an increase in blood pressure, but because the warmth quickly causes the blood vessels to dilate or expand, the resistance on the heart is lessened. This means a soak in hot water will actually lower blood pressure!

The blood warmed in the vessels at your skin’s surface is pumped from there back into your body where it begins to heat your organs and deep muscle tissue where the same healthy vessel dilation occurs leaving the muscles more relaxed. The longer your spend immersed in hot water, the more times the warm, healing blood can cycle through your body. Studies have shown that in a spa maintained at 104 degrees the core body temperature can rise to 102 degrees Fahrenheit in less than 20 minutes. This means a healthy increase in heart rate with a decrease in blood pressure that reduces strain on other vital organs. It’s no wonder that at the reputable Mayo Clinic, hot water hydrotherapy is used to improve cardio-health. Be sure to include your doctor in the decision to undergo any hot water treatments. And, be sure to monitor how you’re feeling and get out of the tub if you feel light headed, overheated or dizzy. A 20 minute soak is enough to induce real therapeutic benefits in a 104 degree spa.

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!

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MENTAL HEALTH-HOT TUB SOAKING OUTSIDE IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT

October 24, 2008 By 2 Comments

Dr. Jules Pretty, at the Center for Environment and Society in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Essex, in England makes a strong case for “being in nature”. “Irrespective of where we come from in the world, it seems that the presence of living things makes us feel good. There are three levels of engagement with nature.

*The first is viewing nature, as through a window, or in a book, on television or in a painting.

*The second is being in the presence of nearby nature, which is incidental to some other activity, such as walking or cycling to work, or reading on a garden seat, and (we’ve added this one) soaking in a hot tub outdoors.

*The third level is active participation and involvement with nature, such as gardening, hiking or running.

There is now strong evidence that all these levels deliver mental health benefits. The levels with the most involvement deliver the most benefits.

A recent survey of Olympic Hot Tub Company’s Hot Spring Spa owners echoed Dr. Pretty’s research most strongly in regards to his second point of engagement with nature. All of the Hot Spring Spa owners surveyed reported immense pleasure, increased mental relaxation and peace of mind from soaking in their hot tubs outside. They all said that being in the presence of nature was the “frosting on the cake”, the “cherry on the sundae” that capped the experience and took it from the mundane to the sublime. It was the reason they rarely missed a night’s soaking. It was the reason why their own yards gained a bigger place in their lives. Outside soaking opened up a new appreciation of the previously unseen natural world. People mentioned owls, squirrels, raccoons, the wind, stars, the trees and far vistas. So in addition to the great physiological benefits, the mental/spiritual benefits were the most deeply moving.

 

From my own experience, I, too, have been profoundly moved by soaking in my roof top Hot Spring while viewing the stars and satellites (!), feeling the wind and the rain on my face and just letting go of all daily cares and worries. Plus I get my best ideas in the hot tub!

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business.

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HOT TUBBING IN THE DARK

October 22, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Dealing with stress-or not dealing with it as the case may be is a serious issue right now. The media reports devastating news on the hour and many of us are in a state of constant mental turmoil.

Dr. Jeromone E. Garanato, Medical Director of the Coranary Care Unit of Allegheny General Hospital and author of “Living with Heart Coronary Heart Disease” has a wonderful suggestion: take a bath in the dark! I know he meant bath as in bath tub, but think of the benefits of hot tubbing in the dark. He says that hot water plus silence and no visual stimulation equals relaxation. He recommends breathing deeply and letting your mind wander to pleasant thoughts.

Most hot tubbing is at done at night. Being in the dark in the natural world adds a deeper level of relaxation than ordinary bath tub soaking. Hopefully you’ll have a Hot Spring Spa, the ONLY hot tub with no noise operation. Only with a Hot Spring will you experience complete silence even while the tub is filtering and heating. After you’ve let the jets have their way with your stiff neck and shoulders, turn them off. Close your eyes. Let the utter stillness and hot water rejuvenate you. A deep sense of gratitude will be your only thought. “It can’t get any better than this.”

Res est severa voluptas.- Pleasure is a serious business.

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