Have a Happier, Healthier Winter with a Hot Tub
When you put “hot tub” and “winter” together, it’s pretty easy to get “happy.” What most people may not realize, however, is that there are excellent, long-term benefits to having and using a hot tub, particularly during the winter months.
Ease the pain of arthritis
Ask anyone with arthritis and they’ll tell you they can feel winter in their bones. Doctors aren’t exactly sure why arthritis worsens when cold weather arrives, but a few things happen in the body that increase the discomfort of arthritis. First, synovial fluid, which acts as a shock absorber in the joints, thickens, causing joints to stiffen and be more sensitive to pain. Second, according to recent studies, it’s been found that the genes in our bodies that promote inflammation are increased during the winter months. For those with rheumatoid arthritis, this can make a painful, chronic disease even worse. So how does a hot tub help?
Hot tubs help ease the pain caused by arthritis in two ways. First, the hot water acts as heat therapy, warming the body and joints so they relax. Heat therapy boosts blood flow, which pushes out the pain-producing chemicals. Second, the water in the tub creates buoyancy, so the body floats. This, combined with the heat, allows the muscles and joints to relax, reducing the inflammation in the muscles and joints.
Keep that extra winter weight at bay
Americans gain an average of 5-7 extra pounds during the winter months. There’s no magic to keeping this weight off, but there’s one way you may not have thought about: a hot tub.
You might be thinking the heat has something to do with melting the pounds away. That would be fantastic but that’s not quite it. The key has to do with the hormone cortisol. When people are stressed, their cortisol levels rise. High cortisol levels can trigger cravings for high-fat, sugary foods, reduce testosterone, which can contribute to muscle loss, and trigger the body’s fat storage response. During the warm weather months, Vermonters can get outside and blow off some steam with a walk or a bike ride. It’s a lot harder to do that during the winter. How can a hot tub help? There’s one word that covers it: relaxation.
The hot water from the tub relaxes the body. When the body relaxes, the muscles relax. The net effect is total body relaxation, which can decrease cortisol levels—and you don’t have to pick up a single free weight to do it.
Lastly, There’s Happy
Of course, there’s no better feeling than lowering yourself into a warm, bubbly hot tub than on a cold winter day or night. Give yourself the gift of happiness and health this year with a hot tub!
Resort Spa Services offers a wide variety of hot tubs from Caldera Spas, Fantasy Spas, and Sundance Spas. We can help you select a hot tub to fit your needs and budget! Stop by our showroom at 256 North Main Street in Rutland, VT, or contact us for more information.