Regardless of what the infomercials tell you, there is no magic pill or "one-stop" solution for mental and physical wellness. While proper diet and nutrition, high-quality sleep, and regular exercise are the pillars of any successful wellness routine, an often-overlooked component of health & wellness is the warm water massage benefits of hot tub hydrotherapy. We’ve put together this handy guide on hydrotherapy to help you make the most of your new hot tub and improve your wellness routine.
Immersion in warm water places the body in an environment where gravity is practically non-existent. When you add specific targetted massage action, research has shown, you can release tensions in various areas of the body and for specific purposes.
Many new hot tub owners think they have to soak for hours to get the wellness benefits that a hot tub provides. In reality, 30 minutes a day is all you need to make the most of the warm water massage benefits.
How hydrotherapy can improve wellness in just 30 minutes a day
You can achieve hot tub hydrotherapy with a simple adjustment to your daily routine. Here's how:
Morning routine for hydrotherapy wellness
- Wake up for wellness: Take some time in the morning to start your day off on the right foot. Breathe deeply. Grab a cup of water. Spend a few moments in silent meditation or reflection. Use this time to identify any sore areas on your body; this will be important for the next step. Find out even more ways to start your morning off right.
- Hop in the hot tub: Spend 15 minutes in the hot tub. Use the proper jets and settings to massage any critical areas of pain or soreness.
- Shower off: After your 15-minute soak, it's time to shower off. Take some time to prepare yourself for the day. If you want to kick your wellness routine up a notch, think about taking a cold shower right after the warm tub. Cold showers have many health benefits, such as helping to improve your mood and being better for hair and skin.
- Conquer the day: That's it. With this simple morning routine centred around a hydrotherapeutic dip in the hot tub, you're ready to go!
Evening routine for hydrotherapy wellness
- Wind down for wellness: After a long day, it's essential to take some time to unwind. While not every day is sunshine and rainbows, take a few minutes to think about all the positive things. Breathe deep and take a few moments for yourself.
- Back in the hot tub: Jump back into the hot tub for another 15 minutes. If you focused on massaging your lower body in the morning, you might spend some time massaging another area.
- Shower off: Wash all the remaining cares of the day away. (Cold water not required, this time!)
- Sleep like a baby: Leave your phone and tablet outside the bedroom. Create a dark, distraction-free environment and snuggle in. Tomorrow is another day of endless possibilities!
How to create a personalized hydrotherapy massage routine
The jet zones in every Hydropool hot tub have been expertly designed to provide a balanced, soothing massage to target leg pain, back pain, headaches, insomnia, stress and more. However, if you suffer from severe and recurring disorders, we strongly suggest you speak with your physician. They may even be able to recommend specific types of massage for your particular ailment.
All Hydropool hot tubs have four jet zones to provide a full-body hydrotherapy massage. You can use these zones to address specific pain or use of all the jet zones in combination to improve general health and wellness.
Zone 1: Core Zone - Activates the paravertebral muscles around the spine
Zone 2: Lower Body Zone - Activates leg and lumbar muscles in the back
Zone 3: Upper Body Zone - Eliminates tension in the upper shoulders (trapezoid muscles) and neck
Zone 4: Reflexology Zone - Provides deep massage for the muscles in your feet
What problems can a hot tub help with?
- Leg pain, including stiffness in the legs, cramps, and recurring episodes of numbness or "pins and needles"
- Back pain, including stiffness, soreness, lack of mobility and a "crick" in the neck
- Excessive cellulite and fatty tissue
- Soreness from sports and overactivity
- Headaches and migraines
- Insomnia
- Lack of energy, including fatigue caused by poor sleep and overactivity
- Stress that’s causing a feeling of being overwhelmed
Hydropool has put together a free guide to help you locate the specific jets associated with each zone on your body. The Wellness Massage Program Guide also offers detailed step-by-step instructions to create a program to address specific issues, from leg pain to stress, using your hot tub.
Other hot tub benefits
Besides the specific hydrotherapeutic massage benefits of all Hydropool hot tubs, a soak in the hot tub can have other benefits as well.
- Reconnect with friends and family: Most people first purchase a hot tub for this exact reason. Hot tubs are great gathering places. If possible, invite your friends, neighbours and family over to relax in the hot tub.
- Treat yourself after a long day: Even if you're not taking advantage of the massaging benefits of the therapeutic jets, spending some time in the warm water of a hot tub can be very relaxing on its own.
- Aromatherapy: Combine Hydropool DreamScents and Essential Oils directly into the water of your hot tub for an additional aromatic benefit.
- Colour therapy: If you've got a Hydropool hot tub equipped with LED lights, you can take advantage of the physical and emotional impact that different colours have on your body.
If you own a Hydropool hot tub, you’ve already taken your first step to improving your wellness routine with hydrotherapy. The next steps are to establish a daily, 30-minute wellness routine that focuses on specific concerns you’d like to address with hydrotherapy. In no time, you won’t be able to imagine how you lived without your hot tub.
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