Soaking in a hot tub is a great way to relax and rejuvenate your body and mind. In fact, regular hot tub use has been shown to have a variety of health benefits.
Enjoying some hydrotherapy in your hot tub is a great addition to your regular health and wellness routine. Hot tub hydrotherapy is also an effective way to alleviate winter-specific stressors like holiday pressures, cabin fever, and even SAD (seasonal affective disorder).
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?
SAD is a type of depression that is triggered by the changing seasons. SAD typically starts in the fall and continues through the winter months, but it is possible (although rare) to feel the affects in spring and summer.
What causes SAD?
The long, dark hours of winter can lower serotonin levels in your brain, the chemical that influences feelings of happiness and wellbeing. The shortened days can also alter your body’s natural sleep patterns and even cause changes in levels of melatonin — the hormone that regulates sleep.
Symptoms of SAD
According to the Mayo Clinic, common symptoms of SAD include:
- Feeling depressed
- Lack of energy
- Insomnia or unrestful sleep
- Oversleeping
- Changes to appetite or weight
- Agitation or anxiety
- Difficulty concentrating
Please see your doctor if your symptoms become severe. This is especially important if you find yourself struggling to carry out regular daily activities, have feelings of hopelessness, or if you have thoughts of suicide.
How hot tub hydrotherapy can help with SAD
You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who can’t attest that the warm waters of a hot tub instantly relax the body and sooth the mind. Merely sitting in your hot tub lowers blood pressure, alleviates inflammation, and reduces muscle and joint pain.
Soaking before bed has also been shown to promote restful sleep.
Relieve cabin fever with a hot tub
You don’t have to have full-blown seasonal affective disorder to feel the affects of the long winter. Plenty of people experience cabin fever or “the winter blues” while cooped up waiting for spring.
Studies show that spending time outside has a positive impact on mood, but the cold weather and short days of winter cause many people to hunker down in their homes. A hot tub is not only a wonderful way to get outside in the winter but also a way to stay social. Invite friends to soak with you or even ask someone special to a hot tub date night!
There are many ways that Minneapolis hot tub owners can enjoy the winter and fight the winter blues.
Find your hot tub
No hot tub yet? The spa specialists at Cal Spas of Minnesota can help you find the perfect hot tub for your lifestyle to enjoy winter in Minnesota. Give us a call or visit one of our showrooms in the Twin Cities to get started.