Hot Tub Benefits for Your Fitness Routine

If you’re physically active like I am, I’m sure you’ve dealt with workout plateaus or slow recovery time due to sore, fatigued muscles.

If you’re facing these issues, it’s time to ramp up your total fitness strategy. And you can start right in your Caldera hot tub.


Physical benefits of hot tub use.

Water is a powerhouse for recovery. The healing benefits of water have been known since 5th century B.C. when the Greek physician Hippocrates, widely considered the Father of Medicine, documented the therapeutic uses of water (hydropathy).

As an athlete, you already know that ice applied to sore muscles will temporarily relieve pain. But did you know that the combination of full immersion, heat and targeted jets can massage and recharge your muscles?

Time in a warm spa, especially those equipped with soothing jets, increases circulation so the blood can supply nutrients to help cells and tissues regenerate.

Mental benefits of hot tub use.

By implementing better, more mindful recovery strategies into your routine, such as hot tub therapy, you’ll combat everyday stressors and the stressors that are common to athletes, such as performance anxiety.

Hot tub hydrotherapy as part of your workout regimen will add a new facet to your mind-body connection.

When you have a positive attitude, you’re likely to perform at a much higher
level, according to Dr. Michael Roizen, Cleveland Clinic’s chief wellness officer and co-author with Dr. Mehmet Oz on the best-selling YOU series of books.

In other words, a clear head plus revitalized muscles can give you the competitive edge you’re chasing.

Caldera Spa benefits.

Your Caldera Spa is specially equipped with targeted jets and optimally designed seats so you can navigate the entire hot tub, spending a few minutes at a time on all your muscle groups from the bottom of your feet all the way up to your shoulders and neck. We call this Hot Tub Circuit Therapy.

Control the intensity of your spa by adjusting the jets. Ranging from a deep forceful massage to a gentle, relaxing sensation, pick the perfect setting for you.

Overall, this concentrated attention aids in recovery between runs or games, offers you a more restful sleep, and helps release mental tension—a full recharge, allowing you to start fresh the next day.

If you have major injuries, check with a physician to find out how hot tub therapy can benefit your individual healing process.

No pain, no gain? Quite the opposite.

A healing-yet-energizing circuit in your hot tub may make the difference in your fitness regimen, allowing you to beat your personal best or reach goals you never thought possible.

What are your fitness goals? Have you tried hydrotherapy in your hot tub? We’d love to get your take!

– See more at: http://www.calderaspas.com/health-wellness/20-minute-renewal/hot-tub-benefits-for-your-fitness-routine#sthash.vR8tRDw7.dpuf

The 10-Day Experiment. Are You In?

We’re hot tubbers. We know that using a hot tub as part of a daily routine leads to positive results for the mind and body.

We believe the best hot tub benefits come with frequent soaks and we want to “test the theory,” so to speak. So we’re looking for a few volunteers to join us.


The Benefits of Hot Tubbing

The Circulation system begins to change. 60,000 miles of veins, arteries, and capillaries begin to open up, allowing white blood cells to better defend and protect. Red blood cells carry more oxygen and nutrients while toxins are carried away. Muscles are fed, and the circulatory system is revitalized. As a result of increased circulation, pain is reduced, flexibility is increased and you sleep better.

Hydrotherapy – The combination of heat, buoyancy and massage lessens harmful stress hormones and triggers the release of endorphins that dull pain by binding to nerve receptors. Lactic acid is moved from muscles and recovery time is reduced.

Range of Motion is increased, helping you become more agile and more active. In a Mayo Clinic study featuring 141,000 participants, water exercise resulted in a 12.8 decrease in pain and a 18.2 percent decrease in perception of difficulty.

Simulates Exercise – One study showed that time spent in a hot tub increased heart rate 25.7 beats while lowering blood pressure. In the American Heart Journal, a study significant improvement in mood, physical capacity, enjoyment, and less heart failure related symptoms.

Regular hot tub users often comment that they feel more relaxed and rejuvenated.

Some say their joints and muscles feel more flexible. Others use the time to quiet their thoughts while relaxing their bodies. Still others used the time to simply catch up with the people in their families and begin to reconnect in a meaningful way.

These  kinds of positive changes are why most people invest in a Caldera hot tub and why they use them on a regular basis.

You might have also noticed the name of our blog, “The 20-Minute Renewal.” It’s filled with ideas and topics that allow you to make positive changes in your life with just a minimal investment of time. It’s an idea that began with our belief that time spent in a hot tubis one of the easiest, fastest and most enjoyable ways to create substantial positive change.

With that in mind, we’d like to propose an experiment and we’re inviting you to participate. Are you a daily hot tub user? Have you been out of the routine of hot tubbing and want a reason to start again? Here’s your opportunity. For the next 10 days, take a daily 20-minute soak and note any changes you notice.

Did you feel better? Sleep better? Were you feel more relaxed, limber, less stressed and ready to take on the world from a fresh perspective? Did you experience fewer aches and pains? Were there other benefits you’ve noticed?

If you’ve never tried a 20-minute soak every day, that’s even better!

We’re encouraging you to give it a try, once a day for 10 days straight. And then, we invite you to share your experience with our other readers. In addition to changes you noticed, please let us know what time of day you chose. Mornings for a fresh start? Evenings as a way to unwind at the end of the day? Right before bed?

You may discover a new approach to each and every day that delivers great dividends. Share your story with us here or on Facebook. We look forward to hearing your story.

The Power of Water: Top 5 Benefits of Water Immersion

For centuries people have sought the wellness benefits of immersing themselves in water.

From the Roman baths to today’s Caldera hot tub our attraction to water continues to help us think and feel our best. Whether it’s to soothe aches and pains, or to calm a restless mind, the transformative effect of water is quite powerful.

Simple to experience, many people are surprised to discover the restorative benefits of water. While soaking in warm water, the body experiences both psychological and mental changes. As our circulation improves we begin to think more clearly.

The next time you feel tired or stressed, experience a 20-minute soak in warm water, and usher in the pure comfort of your Caldera hot tub. Here are the top-5 ways a soak will help you:

1. Lower Stress.

Busy and hectic lifestyles increase stress levels and put our health at risk. From high blood pressure to heart disease, the effects of stress on our bodies have been well documented. Soaking in a hot tub allows you to escape from daily stressors, like work and multitasking. Time reserved for yourself helps you recover emotionally and maintain a positive outlook on life.

2. Build Relationships.

Whether you have a teenager who has grown distant or you’re craving alone time with a spouse or loved one, a hot tub can be your solution. The removal of smart phones and distracting gadgets opens the door to conversation.

3. Speed Muscle Recovery.

The buoyancy of water reduces the impact of gravity on skeletal and muscle tissue, alleviating tension on the body. Combined with warmth, buoyancy in a tub of water loosens muscles before a workout, or soothes them afterward.

4. Improve Sleep.

Getting enough quality sleep is vital to our good health and well-being. The Sleep Foundation recommends developing a relaxing routine before bed. Spending time in a hot tub or hot bath prior to going to sleep will help separate the day’s activities from the night of rest ahead. Some studies suggest that soaking in hot water can ease the transition into a deeper sleep by reducing tension and stress.

5. Remove Toxins.

Soaking in warm water causes our body temperature to increase and blood vessels to dilate. The improved circulation brings in nutrients and oxygen while displacing toxins in areas of weaker flow. As the body regulates its internal temperature our pores release moisture that carries away internal chemical waste.

Thankfully, the benefits of water immersion don’t take long to achieve. A 20-minute soak can improve how you think and feel. That’s time well spent each and every day.

Soak Yourself to Sleep: A Natural Sleep Aid

Sometimes I have trouble falling asleep. Other times, I’ll wake up and can’t get back to sleep.

It doesn’t happen all the time, but when it does, it seems to stick around for a while. Both situations are frustrating, especially when the alarm clock goes off in the morning.

Evidently, I’m not alone. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 132 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders more than one night a week.

I’ve always found that a 20-minute, late-night soak in my hot tub acts as a natural sleep aid and helps me sleep deeper and longer. So, whenever sleep becomes elusive, I take a soak before bed.

There appear to be two theories as to why it might be true.

One notion is that the warm water simply relaxes a person so a transition to sleep is just a natural progression.

Another idea is that when you leave the hot tub, your core temperature cools, which signals to your body that it’s time to sleep.

Soaking studies of natural sleep aids

So, true or false: Does a warm soak really work as a natural sleep aid?

Evidently people in Japan think so. Since many homes don’t have central heating, it’s a common practice to take a hot bath to warm up before bedtime in order to sleep better.

The idea was also tested in a study by the Journal of Physiological Anthropological Applied Human Science. In the study, one group soaked in hot water before bed. Another group soaked their feet in warm footbaths, and a third control group did neither.

The study found that those who soaked in a bath or soaked in a footbath fell asleep faster, moved less during sleep and had higher quality REM sleep.

Honestly, though, only nine people were tested, so you can place trust in the results as you see fit.

Other surveys back up the findings, though. A Gallup poll with 1,000 respondents found that bathing was commonly used as a natural sleep aid. A Consumer Reports survey found that that a warm bath was listed as one of the most common remedies for mild sleep disorders.

As with most things, it comes down to the individual. Will it work for you? It’s pretty easy to find out, so test it yourself. It works for me, and it eliminates the need to get a prescription and take a pill at night.

While looking around, I found that a hot soak isn’t the only way to help you sleep. Stay tuned for part 2 of this series, where we discuss more natural sleep aids.

– See more at: http://www.calderaspas.com/health-wellness/20-minute-renewal/soak-yourself-sleep-natural-sleep-aid#sthash.u5uVTdV9.dpuf

Can My Hot Tub Improve My Sleep?

Sleep is normally preceded by a drop in body temperature. If that’s true, how could a hot tub help?

First, soaking in a hot tub helps you relax mentally while the water’s buoyancy helps decompress your joints. Your circulation increases while your blood pressure and heart rate decreases, helping you reach a resting state. In the hot tub, your body temperature rises. Yes, rises.

What happens after that relaxing soak also helps. You maintain the sense of calm and relaxation that naturally helps you fall asleep. But now, your core body temperature begins to drop as you cool down, signaling to your body that it’s time to sleep. Whatever the science, soaking before bedtime seems to be a universal remedy for helping people sleep.

Lack of sleep can leave you feeling nervous, groggy and depressed or cause erratic mood swings. Because sleep researchers believe that insomnia can be traced to hectic, stressful lifestyles, relaxing in a spa regularly can help.

By taking a 15-minute soak in a hot tub about 90 minutes before attempting to sleep, your body temperature can drop to enable a better night’s sleep naturally without the grogginess sometimes caused by prescription remedies.

In Japan, it’s common practice to warm up with in a Furo bath in order to sleep better. A Gallup poll of a thousand respondents found that bathing is frequently used as a natural sleep aid, and a Consumer Reports survey found that a warm bath was listed as one of the most common remedies for mild sleep disorders.

Of course, there’s a disclaimer that comes with nearly any piece of advice: Individual results may vary. Try it out. What do you have to lose other than a few unwanted hours of wakefulness? What Else Helps?

Soaking isn’t the only way to help you sleep better.

Keep A Cool Room

You can assist the cooling process that helps you sleep by keeping your bedroom between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Sleep Foundation (http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-tools-tips/healthy-sleep-tips). Your room should also be free of noise and other distractions.

Exercise

Getting regular, vigorous exercise any time of day can help you sleep better. A study at Appalachian State University also found that early morning exercise is best for reducing blood pressure and improving sleep.

Read or Listen to Soothing Music

Reading can help you shift into sleep mode, but for some people, it’s best to avoid electronic sources such as a laptop or a bright reader. The particular light emanating from the screen can activate the brain and keep you awake.

Stick to a sleep schedule, even on weekends

A regular schedule will help you establish a body rhythm and maintain a regular sleep cycle.

Avoid eating and drinking before bedtime

And avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before bed. All of them cause sleep disruptions. To learn more about sleep disorders and what to do about them, we suggest visiting SleepFoundation.org and Sleep.org by the National Sleep Foundation. It may also be time to talk to your doctor.

  • How many nights a week do you experience restlessness while sleeping?
  • Has soaking in warm water helped you sleep?
  • What tips and tricks do you have for falling asleep?

– See more at: http://www.calderaspas.com/health-wellness/20-minute-renewal/can-my-hot-tub-improve-my-sleep#sthash.zvjakdLH.dpuf