Today’s world is a constant stressor. Take a worldwide pandemic, add economic calamity and a US election cycle, and many people need to find a way to relax.
One of the best purchases you can make to relieve stress is a hot tub. While stress relief is healthy, you may wonder if what you’ve heard about hot tubs being a danger to those with high blood pressure is true.
Is there a correlation between hot tubs and blood pressure? Is a hot tub dangerous to those with hypertension? Read on to find out what the experts say.
Do Hot Tubs Raise Blood Pressure?
No. Hot tubs do the opposite. Exposing your body to hot water for a long period of time will lower your blood pressure.
Normally, your body sweats to cool itself off. That’s not possible in a hot tub where your body sits submerged in water. Blood vessel dilation caused by your body’s cooling mechanism causes your blood to leave your core and move to your skin.
This means a drop in blood pressure. This is good if you suffer from high blood pressure, right?
Before you understand the cost of a hot tub and research all the maintenance work you need to do like how to unblock spa jets, consider your hypertension diagnosis. Do you take medication for it?
If so, long periods in a hot tub can drop your blood pressure to dangerously low levels. When the floor goes out from under your blood pressure, your in-ground spa jets not working will no longer matter.
Who Can Use a Hot Tub?
Hot tubs are safe for just about anybody with some exceptions. If you have heart disease, a long period of submersion is dangerous.
The temperature of a hot tub causes blood vessel dilation. As your blood rushes to your skin, your blood pressure drops. Your heart rate increases. This heart rate uptick stresses an already weakened heart.
A safe rule of thumb for those with heart disease is to limit your hot tub time to 10 to 15 minutes with plenty of water available for hydration.
Doctors also warn pregnant women from using hot tubs. A sustained body temperature spike of a pregnant woman in her first trimester can result in health complications for the baby like diabetes.
Safe Hot Tub Use for Everyone
The high temperatures of hot tubs are what make them so relaxing, but the temperature is what makes them dangerous to people with certain conditions.
How do you drop the temperature of your hot tub? Does a hot tub heat up faster with jets on? Yes, a hot tub heats faster as the jets circulate the heated water.
To lower your hot tub to a safer temperature, make your jets weak or turn them off completely.
Hot Tubs and Blood Pressure, a Safe Combination?
A hot tub is a great investment for your mental and physical health. Everybody needs a way to relax, but if you suffer from certain health conditions, you need to be careful.
Hot tubs and blood pressure medication can be unsafe together. If you take the proper temperature precautions, limit your time in the hot tub, and consult a doctor you can remain safe.
Do you need more inspiration for living a healthy, stress-free life? Make sure to keep reading.
