Hot Bath Benefits: Can a Hot Bath Deliver the Same Benefits as Exercise?
This is not a drill. A steamy bath could have a couple of health benefits similar to those produced by exercise, according to a recent study.
Research published in the journal Temperature found that an hour-long soak in hot water produced similar anti-inflammatory and blood sugar responses as 60 minutes of moderate physical activity.
Daily bathers have 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease
A 20-year observational study in Japan, following over 30,000 men and women concluded that those who took a hot bath daily had a 35% lower risk of heart disease and 25% lower risk of stroke, compared to people who bathed less than twice a week.
Participants were aged 40-59 years at the start of the study and had no history of cardiovascular disease or cancer. The researchers believe that the practice of taking frequent hot baths improved circulation and lowered blood pressure, resulting in lower incidences of coronary heart diseases.
Effects of a hot bath vs exercise on blood sugar
A study conducted in the UK compared the effects of exercise with sitting in a hot bath for an hour. The researchers noted that although exercise is well known to be important for health and well-being, many people at risk of obesity or metabolic syndrome lack the opportunity or struggle with motivation to exercise regularly. They were interested in seeing if there were other modes of treatment that could be helpful in managing metabolic markers including inflammation, which is present in many types of chronic disease.
Half the group was assigned exercise on a stationary bike for an hour, the other half was submerged up to the waist in hot water for an hour. By the end of the study, they discovered that the hot bath significantly improved blood sugar management and lowered inflammatory markers. The exercise group showed greater improvement, but researchers hope that for those where exercise is difficult, regular hot baths could become a low-cost additional therapy to help them manage their chronic conditions.
So if you’re worried about getting enough exercise while in lockdown, or are suffering from low motivation, or additional aches and pains, you could run yourself a nice hot bath and relax in it for a while, knowing that you’re likely lowering inflammation, improving blood flow and blood sugar just by lying down.
Research into passive heating is very early, but there are a few other possible benefits. It may help:
- Lower blood sugar a little by increasing substances called heat shock proteins
- Decrease inflammation (could be due to some alone time to calm the brain)
- Lower blood pressure a few points, possibly by increasing nitric oxide levels in the body
- Reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke
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To be fair, though, the list of benefits from exercise is quite a bit more extensive. It can help you:
- Live longer
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Prevent heart attack and stroke
- Decrease blood pressure and cholesterol
- Lower blood sugar levels and prevent type 2 diabetes
- Reduce the risk of some cancers, including breast, colon, lung, and uterine cancers
- Strengthen your bones to prevent osteoporosis
- Build stronger muscles
- Keep your brain functions strong
- Prevent depression (can even help treat depression)
- Improve sleep
Take-home message? Take a long, hot bath. It’s good for you. But it’s not another excuse to not exercise. Regular activity is absolutely one of the best things you can do for a healthy body, mind, and soul. And then you can reward yourself with that relaxing soak. Doubly healthy!
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