Sleep affects all areas of our lives. If we don’t get enough sleep, it impacts our mood, memory, and dexterity, among other things. Adults should be getting anywhere from 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night to recharge for the following day; however, the average Canadian sleeps only 6.8 hours a night, with 30% of adults sleeping less than 6 hours a night. There are many reasons why we don’t get the amount of sleep we need, including stress, health, and comfort. Fortunately, using your hot tub for 20 minutes a day can improve these factors, ultimately, giving you a better night’s sleep.
Stress Relief
A common reason why people have a difficult time getting to sleep is that their minds are racing with the stresses of the day. It’s difficult to tune out all the work and worries in our minds before bed, so we’re left lying awake, staring at our ceiling.
Using your spa for 20 minutes before you go to bed will help reduce your stress, giving you a better sleep. Dr. Bruce Becker from Washington State University notes that when you are immersed in hot water, your sympathetic nervous system and your parasympathetic nervous system balance out. When they balance out, your mind reacts as if you have just meditated – it feels less stressed.
Pain Relief
An important factor in being able to fall asleep is comfort. But, if you are in pain, comfort is difficult to find, so sleep is difficult to fall into. When you soak in a hot tub, however, you are able to relieve some of the aches and pains that accumulate throughout the day.
When sitting in a spa, pressure is suspended from your joints, allowing them to rest and heal. Also, when submerged in hot water, your circulation increases, bringing oxygen and vital nutrients to your muscles. This increase in nutrients promotes healing in her muscles. The massage from the jets helps relax your muscles as well, which prepares your body for a good night’s rest.
Change in Body Temperature
We’ve all experienced sleepiness when we’re sitting in a warm car or laying out in the sun. This is because the warmth makes us tired. When we’re in a warm space, we tend to feel more comfortable and cozy. With this comfort comes sleepiness because being comfortable is an important factor in falling asleep.
Also, the change in temperature after using your hot tub and jumping out is what triggers our bodies to be tired. After sitting in your hot tub, your body temperature rises. Then, when you get out, your body temperature drops. This sudden drop makes us sleepy. Our bodies naturally drop in temperature when we go to sleep, so making this change in temperature yourself incites sleep.
So, if you’re having trouble getting to sleep at night, consider using your spa for 20 minutes before going to bed.