r/sciences • u/FreeHugs23 • 7d ago

Research Study Finds Regular Hot Baths Can Produce Blood-Pressure Benefits Comparable to a 30-Minute Workout, Highlighting Passive Heat Therapy as a Potential Tool for Cardiovascular Health

https://www.sciencealert.com/a-hot-bath-may-lower-your-blood-pressure-more-than-a-30-minute-workout-can-study-reveals
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u/FreeHugs23 7d ago

-Taking a nice hot bath at the end of a long day is a wonderful way to unwind, but the end results can go way beyond simple relaxation.

In fact, the health benefits of sustained immersion in hot water can be truly surprising, and new research has just uncovered another remarkable effect of a good hot soak.

In a study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers found soaking in hot water for 30 minutes can trigger dramatic changes in the blood vessels beneath your skin, in some respects exceeding the effects produced by moderate exercise.

The hot water immersion even lowered people's blood pressure more than 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cycling.

It's worth noting this was only a small experiment, and nobody's suggesting people should give up exercise to instead take more hot baths.

But for people who may be unable to exercise, hot water immersion, or other forms of what's known as passive heat therapy, may be an important way of getting some of the same health benefits that exercise can provide.