Taking a hot bath or shower is the best way to relax stiff muscles and loosen the joints all over your body. Regardless, of the weather, spending about 20 minutes taking bath in hot water can render numerous health benefits for your mind and body. Recently, a notion emerged stating that 30 minutes of a hot bath burns more calories than half an hour of physical activity. Whether the claim actually holds water need to be delved into though.
Health Benefits Of Hot Baths
Take a look at some of the scientifically proven health benefits of taking hot baths.
- Hot baths encourage you to sweat that can help in the removal of toxins like phthalates, cadmium, arsenic, lead and mercury faster from the body.
- Your heart rate rises and you tend to burn calories while taking a hot bath provided it lasts for at least 30 minutes.
- Exposure to heat in saunas or hot showers spikes the release of growth hormone which is needed for muscle growth and maintenance.
- Daily hot baths help in boosting your insulin sensitivity and immunity.
- If you’ve trouble sleeping or are constantly stressed, you could really benefit from a relaxing hot shower before sleep.
The Link Between Calorie Consumption And Hot Baths
Recently, a scientific study revealed that soaking in a tub of hot water or enjoying a leisurely hot shower for an hour can burn calories. The study cited that the rise in body temperature due to passive heating also leads to a drop in the inflammatory processes of the body. Insulin sensitivity was also seen to improve among the participants of the study.1
Despite being a decent finding, it does have a bunch of loopholes. Firstly, the study was conducted only among men hence cannot be considered to be gender neutral. Regardless of its claims, any physical activity conducted for even less than an hour will naturally burn more calories than lounging in a hot tub.
Health Benefits Of Daily Exercise
One who isn’t making time for exercise today will have to make time for disease tomorrow. The chances that an average human being would be unaware of the health benefits of daily exercise are unlikely. Right from childhood, we have been taught the importance of at least 30 minutes of regular physical activity. If you still want to take a sneak peek at it, here are the positive changes that happen to you with daily exercise.2
- Boosts heart health by making it stronger by lowering the risk of heart diseases and hypertension.
- Strengthens your bones and muscles.
- Improves mental health and reduces stress.
- Maintains blood sugar levels and prevents the onset of diabetes.
- Helps your lungs function well and improves your breathing capacity.
- Increases muscle mass, burns fat and aids you in maintaining a healthy physique.
The Takeway
Studies like these come attached with the risk of making fitness newbies more complacent. If you are one among the many who have a hard time pulling your socks up when it comes to following a diet and fitness regime, you shouldn’t get carried away by the findings. Remember, that doing physical activity for even 30 minutes every day is the best thing you can do for your overall wellbeing.3
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