Can a Soak in a Hot Tub Help You Sleep?

The average adult requires 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Yet, 1 in 5 people experiences some kind of sleep reduction that interferes with their rest (insomnia, sleep apnea, snoring, restless leg syndrome, stressful thoughts, etc.). Without adequate sleep, these folks may experience depression, anxiety, asthma, COPD, diabetes, heart attack, coronary heart disease, higher rates of arthritis, erratic mood swings, chronic fatigue, weight gain, difficulty concentrating, a weakened immune system and irritability. Lack of sleep affects workplace performance, social relationships and family morale. Many tired people turn to medication for assistance. Turns out a simple soak in the hot tub might just be the answer! Here’s why.

 

• Body temperature manipulation: Sleep is preceded by a drop in body temperature. A 20 to 30-minute soak in a hot tub approximately 1 ½ hours before bedtime can trigger this cooling process. The hot water elevates the body’s temperature above its normal 36 to 37 degrees Celsius. After exiting the spa, your body slowly cools telling your system it’s time for sleep enabling you to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. A soak in your hot tub helps you maintain a healthy sleep cycle and aids with issues like insomnia and racing thoughts by encouraging relaxation and drowsiness.
• Reduced stress: Just a few minutes in a hot tub can lower your blood pressure and reduce your heart rate, two body functions that, when elevated, contribute to tension, stress and anxiety. The heat of the water diverts blood from the head to the body lowering brain activity and settling the mind. Hot water and a jet massage can help the body produce feel-good endorphins and dopamine assisting in reducing tension and calming the mind. Regular hot tub use can regulate the nervous system, increasing the body’s relaxation response and decreasing the stress response.
• Diminished pain: Body pain makes getting a good night’s sleep difficult. The buoyancy of the water in your hot tub reduces the force of gravity on joints and relieves pressure across the entire body. The heat stimulates the body’s production of endorphins (natural pain-killing hormones), dilates blood vessels increasing blood flow and eases pain and inflammation. The massage jets relieve tension and stiffness in muscles and tendons. The better you feel, the easier it is to fall asleep.

 

Added tip:

 

• Adding 5 to 10 drops of soothing essential oils to your hot tub can result in further relaxation. Lavender has sleep-inducing effects while jasmine and chamomile are relaxing. If you don’t feel comfortable adding oils to your spa, add a few drops to a soy or beeswax candle and set it near the hot tub.

 

 

Hot tubs are not just for fun! If pain keeps you tossing and turning and a busy mind makes relaxing impossible, consider spending time in a hot tub before going to bed. It can help you sleep deeper, longer and more peacefully. Try this all-natural treatment to de-stress and improve your sleep.

Having trouble sleeping? Willing to try hydrotherapy through the use of a hot tub? Need help making a hot tub purchase during the pandemic? The experts at RnR Hot Tubs and Spas are here to help. With over 200 hot tubs available for sale, we’re the spa shop for you. Owned by service professionals with over 30 years of experience, we help make your hot tub purchase exceptional. Please call 403-203-0860 to set up an appointment.