Therapy for Your Aches and Pains
The simple act of immersing yourself in hot water sets in motion a wonderful chain of events that underscores just how closely our health and well-being is attuned to water. In hot water, your circulation adjusts to create a slight increase in blood pressure and blood rushes to the skin, where it’s further warmed. The blood vessels expand and the pressure drops back down. The warmed blood penetrates deeper into the tissue below the skin, bringing more oxygen. As more vessels expand, you notice a soothing sensation. Your muscles start to relax and your body becomes more efficient at cleansing carbon dioxide from muscles. Your immune system kicks in, increasing antibody production; endorphins – the body’s natural painkillers are released, melting away aches and pains.
Add to this the therapeutic stimulation of a Hot Tubâs high-pressure jet nozzles pulsing hot water onto your sore muscles and joints. The massaging action on soft tissue blocks pain input by acting as a counter-irritant on nerve endings. Clustered jets massage specific groups of muscles simultaneously – such as the neck, shoulders, back or feet. And you can direct jets to deliver water streams in a vigorous moving pattern to provide progressive relaxation of specific muscle groups. You can also use specialized massage inserts to put just the right amount of motion and pressure on specific areas, just as a massage varies muscle manipulation for maximum effect.
Stress Relief
Managing stress is key to good mental and physical health. Soaking in a Hot Tub three times a week for 20 minutes at a time is a wonderful way to relieve stress and restore your sense of well-being. The consequences of not managing stress – even “good” stress like a promotion at work – are well documented, from headaches, to insomnia and even serious illness.
Health benefits
Soaking in hot tubs can combat the negative impacts of diabetes, arthritis, and even the common cold. A study by the McKee Medical Centre in Loveland, CO suggested that soaking in a hot tub for 30 minutes a day could reduce the amount of insulin used to control diabetes by as much as 18 percent.
Arthritis sufferers have long known that soaking in hot water massaged by therapeutic streams of bubbling water provided marked relief from their aching joints.
The enlarged blood vessels that come with immersion in hot water also bring relief to soakers suffering from the common cold, helping unclog nasal passages. Increasing the body’s temperature to 103Âș F / 39.4Âș C in a hot tub can increase the number of virus and bacteria fighting white blood cells three-fold. Most cold and flu viruses don’t multiply above 101.6Âș F / 38.6Âș C.
Improve sleep
A survey conducted by the U.S. National Sleep Foundation in 2002 suggests that lack of sound sleep is contributing to increased anger, stress, injury, obesity and other health and behavioural problems. The survey indicates that as many as one in five people are not getting either the quality, or amount of sleep they need. People in this army of the walking tired are more likely to sit and seethe in traffic jams, quarrel with other people, or overeat, according to the findings. The survey also found that more people than ever are taking medications to help them sleep.
There is a better way. A 20-minute soak before you go to bed can be a wonderful way to get your body – and mind – ready for a deep, restful sleep. Relaxing in a hot tub washes away the stress of the day, soothing your nerves and calming your emotions so you can recapture your sense of well-being.
Low Impact exercise
Swimming is generally recognised as the best form of exercise. It uses virtually all of the muscle groups, building strength and endurance without wear and tear. Swimming exercises your heart, improves circulation, tones muscles, and burns calories. And with a product like the Endless Pool, you can get a full body workout without having to travel to a local pool and at a time that suits you.
And a pool can not only be used for swimming. Walking or running in water provides excellent exercise that is low in impact on the joints. Aquaerobics or hydrotherapy can also help to exercise and build muscles whilst being supported by water.
