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Let’s admit it - being in your hot tub is one of the best ways to relax at home. There are numerous proven health benefits to spending time in the your hot tub, but how long you should you really be in there?
We are occasionally asked by our customers how long it’s okay to be in their hot tubs as they try to determine the best way to use their new favourite toy, so we thought we’d give you some important information. For information on using a hot tub when pregnant, we have a specific article for that!
Determining The Right Length Of Time
Whilst there’s no hard and fast rule, this guide is a good place to start:
External Environment
The environment is a major factor in determining just how long you should spend having a soak. If the weather is really hot, then your body will cool itself much slower. This could lead to overheating and exhaustion quite quickly. On the other hand, if it’s really cold out, your body could cool itself too quickly which can result in dizziness. In hot weather, keep your water temperature a little lower than normal, about 5 degrees lower.
Your Overall Health
If you’re generally in good health, you shouldn’t have too much to worry about. However, if you have a heart condition or are pregnant, it’s recommended that you use your hot tub very occasionally and not for too long. 20-30 minutes is the maximum for a pregnant woman.
How Deep You Sit
If you like to sit in your hot tub with the water up to your neck, or relax back in your lounger seat if you have one, your body will have a more difficult time regulating it’s internal temperature. Every now and again, sit up with your chest out of the water for five minutes or so, to give your body chance to regulate it’s temperature. Of course, if you're using a swim spa then you'll likely be in for a longer period whilst you swim and enjoy an aerobic workout.
The Dangers Of Staying Too Long
Enjoying the warm (or hot!) water is great, but staying in your hot tub for too long could have health risks and even lead to greater problems.
1. Light Headed or Dizziness
You may have experienced this in the bath. It’s the same with hot tubs, only because of the temperatures the effects could come on faster and be greater.
2. Burns On The Skin
If you have sensitive skin and stay in the hot tub for too long, you could end up burning your skin. In the majority of cases this will be mild and a bit like sunburn. Your skin will redden, and could blister in certain cases, so take care.
3. Blood Pressure drop
The heat of your hot tub water will cause the blood vessels to dilate resulting in a lowering of your blood pressure. When this occurs, it often makes the heart work harder in order to maintain the proper pressure. If you have a heart condition, this could lead to dangerous side effects.
So How Long Should I Use My Hot Tub For?
All of this information is great and useful, but still there’s no real hard and fast rule to live by. That’s where H2O Hot Tubs come in, as the experts!
A good rule to go by is to spend around 20-30 minutes in your hot tub at any one time. If you’re in good health it’s okay to push this to 45 minutes to an hour. You may have to adjust the times a bit to accommodate the external temperature and the water temperature, but in general this is a good place to start.
Ultimately, just go with your comfort level. If after a long hot tub session you feel a bit dizzy or light headed, then next time just reduce your soak time by 5 minutes or so, until you find the sweet spot. We want you to enjoy your hot tub for as long as possible, but we also want our customers to feel safe and healthy so they can get the most of their spas.
Oh, and remember, if you have young children you have to consider that their bodies won’t adapt as well as an adult, so don’t let them use the hot tub for hours on end, even though they may want to!
If you want any more advice and help around using your hot tub, give us a call on 0333 990 0320 and we’ll be happy to help!