Hot-tubbing may seem like a seasonal activity, when the nights are warm enough to sit out comfortably – and when you’re more likely to be entertaining outside. As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, you might find yourself using your tub less and less, and it might even be tempting to begrudgingly drain it, pull the cover over and say goodbye to it for six more months. But there are plenty of reasons for you to keep using your hot tub, even into the dead of winter. Here we’ll look at the health benefits, and how you can safely continue to enjoy your hot tub even in the cold.
Why Use a Hot Tub in the Winter?
The benefits of hot tubs to personal health have been well-documented, with studies demonstrating that some benefits bear similarities to the benefits of aerobic exercise. With cooling temperatures possibly having a negative effect on your blood pressure and joint health, regular hot tub use can help your heart and keep you limber throughout the colder months. Also, if you are particularly common-cold-prone through Winter, the addition of scents can help keep your sinuses clear!
Keep It Safe
Of course, there are still pitfalls you could potentially fall into from using your hot-tub in the cold.
Even in the winter months, your tub is the perfect temperature for the proliferation of micro-organisms, and regular maintenance of your tub’s chemical levels is the perfect preventative. As such, pool chlorine granules are essential for preventing such bacterial growth, and preserving the quality of your water. With the sharper difference in temperature between the air and your tub, you might also want to pay closer attention to the amount of time you spend in there. Twenty-five minutes is a perfect amount of time to feel the benefits, but any longer than half an hour could cause stress to your body on exiting the tub.
Plan How You’ll Get Out
You’ll need a good exit strategy when it’s time to get out of your hot tub – the colder air can be uncompromising, and reliance on a towel alone might not be enough to prevent you from suffering the cold. It might be a good idea to install a coat-hook within reaching distance of the tub; this way, you can keep a warm dressing-gown on hand for when you leave, and be sure your residual heat won’t be wicked away by the wind. A slip-proof mat and a pair of warm slippers at the foot of the tub would also be advisable, to prevent skin contact with colder ground below.
Published on Holr Magazine