You’ve probably heard of certain vitamin supplements or superfoods that can boost brain function, but hot tubs? Yes! That’s right, recent studies have shown that hydrotherapy (the same kind of hydrotherapy you experience every time you climb into your hot tub for a soak) can improve brain function.
The Studies
First, a university in Spain conducted a study of middle-aged women with Fibromyalgia to see how warm water therapy would affect their pain and their cognitive function. The researchers found that the warm hydrotherapy improved the patients’ pain, the severity of their fibromyalgia, and their cognitive function.
In other research, Dr. Bruce Becker from the University of Washington found that warm water hydrotherapy countered some of the harmful effects that aging can have on the brain. In his presentation titled, The Brain and Aquatic Therapy, Dr. Becker shared about patients with dementia, stroke, severe neuro problems, and other issues who benefited from warm water immersion.
How Hydrotherapy Can Help Boost Brain Function
If you’ve been reading our blog for long, you know about some of the awesome ways hot-tubbing can benefit the body. Specifically, sitting in a hot tub provides the body with many of the same benefits as exercising. As you soak, your heart rate speeds up and blood flow increases. Just like that increased circulation carries oxygen to your muscles, it also pumps more oxygen to your brain.
Besides the direct increase of oxygen, soaking in a hot tub can boost brain function in other ways, too. For instance, soaking in a hot tub has long been known for relieving the symptoms of stress. Chronic stress, among other things, takes a toll on brain function. It can even cause long-term changes in the brain, including changing the brain’s structure and killing brain cells.
From directly boosting function by increasing how much oxygen your brain receives to protecting it from the harmful effects of stress, frequently soaking in your hot tub can be the boost to the old gray matter you’ve been looking for!
Need a hot tub of your own so you can experience those brain-boosting benefits yourself? Stop by our showroom and let us introduce you to the ideal Master Spas® hot tub for your needs!