Can hot tubbing achieve the same results as exercising?

Can a hot wooden tub achieve the same results as exercise? Visiting a sento is a popular, ancient Japanese practice and tradition. And just like swimming, it has many health benefits. There is no better elixir after a long day than soaking in a warm tub. Many of us can attest to the relaxing benefits of soaking in a hot fiberglass tub, but did you know that it can also help improve your health? Most ancient cultures have long believed in the healing power of water.

The Japanese practice of visiting public baths, known as "sento," is used as a way to cleanse the body and mind. In fact, in modern Japanese homes, it is known as "furo." That's right, your own bathtub can be the key to literally washing away your pain. Hot water heals through passive heating. The therapeutic bathing ritual in Japan involves more than just cleansing physical impurities. From "onsens" or natural hot springs to sentos (public baths) and furos (private baths), soaking in these healing waters is a way to cleanse yourself of everyday mental impurities.

"Your skin, in response to the soothing warm water, releases endorphins just as it does when you feel the sun on your skin,"
says New York-based dermatologist Dr. Bobby Buka

The specialist explains that soaking in hot water can be both therapeutic and rejuvenating because it increases blood flow. A warm bath can also improve breathing. The water temperature and pressure on the chest increase lung capacity and oxygen intake. A growing number of studies have shown that passive heating, such as spending time in a sauna, can also reduce the risk of heart attack, improve blood sugar control, and even help lower blood pressure.

In one eye-opening study published earlier this year, researchers collected data from 14 participants and found that an hour-long soak in a hot tub burned as many calories (about 140) as a 30-minute walk. This is because warm water makes your heart beat faster, giving it a healthy workout. Researchers also found positive anti-inflammatory and blood sugar responses that may protect against disease and infection.

An hour-long soak in a hot tub can help:

• reduce the risk of heart attack;
• improve blood sugar levels;
• lower blood pressure;
• burn 140 calories;
• protect you from diseases and infections.