Hot tubs have many health benefits, including helping with weight loss. Hydrotherapy can be an important part of losing weight, and regular bathing can be extremely beneficial in attaining your weight loss goals. Here are some of the ways a hot tub, combined with eating a healthy diet and regular exercise, can help you lose weight.
Burning Calories
Simply sitting in the hot tub isn’t going to be enough to melt away the pounds, but it does burn more calories than sitting on the couch does. Combining a daily 15-minute soak with other lifestyle changes does help you lose weight.
Some people use the hot tub as a relaxation method after exercise. Others have a large glass of water and a hot tub session before dinner as it can help the body feel fuller. Others relax in the tub an hour before going to bed which encourages longer, deeper, and more restful sleep. Better sleep is always beneficial for everyone, but poor sleep has been shown to contribute to weight gain.
Reduces Stress
Stress does not help with weight loss. It can prevent weight loss as the hormones released when we’re stressed can cause a hormonal imbalance. The stress hormone known as cortisol also affects our body in the following ways:
- High cortisol levels increase body fat, particularly in the abdominal area.
- High cortisol levels can make you crave high-salt, high-fat foods.
- High cortisol levels can stop the body from building new muscle. Building muscle is a good way to burn calories and lose weight.
Soaking in your hot tub encourages your muscles to relax, and your breathing to slow, which gives an overall feeling of peacefulness. This feeling decreases cortisol levels, which helps with weight loss.
Reduces Insomnia
Sleep deprivation has many negative effects on the body. It affects hormone levels, and weight gain and loss. There’s much research that shows that people who suffer from sleep deprivation eat an extra 300 calories daily.
Insomnia and sleep disorders can add to weight gain as it increases the levels of ghrelin in your body. Ghrelin is a hormone that helps your body recognize hunger. Increased levels of ghrelin mean that it is much harder for you to control your diet, and maintain healthy food choices.
Lack of sleep can also increase your serotonin levels which can cause you to eat more food, especially food in high fat and carbs. You may also notice that your body goes into ‘survival mode’ and tries to conserve its resources due to a lack of sleep.
Sleep deprivation can also have an impact on the levels of leptin in your body. Leptin is the hormone that makes your body feel full after you’ve eaten. When you have low leptin levels, you won’t feel as full which means you’re more likely to eat more food.
Weight loss
Hydrotherapy is also a procedure that involves flushing out the waste and toxins from the large intestine with warm water. Some people believe that this can help with weight loss, but there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. The weight loss that may occur after colon hydrotherapy is only temporary and due to the loss of water and fecal matter. Colon hydrotherapy is not a safe or effective way to burn fat or improve health. It can also cause side effects such as dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, infection, and damage to the colon.
Hydrotherapy can help you get more sleep and a better quality of sleep. Many hydrotherapy hot tub users have reported that hydrotherapy provides the same results for sleep problems as medication. The warmth of the water raises the body temperature. The temperature lowers when you get out of the hot tub. This sends a signal to your brain that it’s time to go to sleep, and encourages your body to feel tired.
Using a hot tub alone won’t be enough to help you lose weight, but the benefits of a hot tub can have an impact on the other aspects of your life. Better sleep and reduced stress will give you more energy to work out and help you maintain healthy eating habits.
