10 Irresistible Benefits of Hot Showers

What Are The Benefits Of Hot Showers?

• Lowers blood sugar levels
• Reduced muscle pain
• Better sleep
• Improved blood circulation
• Glowing skin
• Hydrates your hair
• Alleviates congested sinuses
• Burn calories
• Ease headaches
• Reduce anxiety and depression

Taking a hot bath isn’t necessarily the first thing that comes to mind. Most people get into the shower without much fanfare. Baths are purely for cleansing or staying on top of your daily hygiene routine — or so the popular opinion goes. But did you know that the benefits of a hot shower can actually have positive impacts on overall health? Who knew that a hot shower could actually offer more than just the usual hygienic advantages?

From lowering your blood sugar levels to even helping you shed a few of those calories, here’s a quick rundown on why you should make the switch to hot showers.

1. Lowers Blood Sugar Levels

Diabetic patients would certainly welcome the idea that hot showers can help them lower their blood sugar. But for the average joe, controlling and monitoring blood sugar levels is equally important. It helps reduce the risk of certain diseases like hyperglycemia. This is where something as simple as a humble hot shower may help.

A study conducted in Leicester and Loughborough, UK, reported that a single hot shower session can reduce sugar levels by up to 10%. This same study also found that metabolic rates within this time can also increase as much as 80%. With hot showers, not only are you giving your body a much-needed break — you’re also maintaining good blood sugar levels in the process.

2. Reduced Muscle Pain

If you live an active lifestyle, you may be prone to muscle pain and tension. An intense day of working out may see the development of pain or soreness in some parts of your body, which can get pretty uncomfortable. Massaging may help, but hot showers are just as effective in relieving muscle pain and reducing tension.

Taking a hot shower enables the body to improve blood flow by dilating your blood vessels. Any soreness or tension is relieved, helping your muscles and joints feel more flexible. For beginner athletes, hot showers also help prevent delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Try a hot shower for 5 to 20 minutes to reap the full benefits of the effect. Massage your arms, legs, neck, or thighs as you go.

3. Better Sleep

We usually like to take a cold shower before a good night’s sleep, but some studies point out that this may be counterintuitive. While the skin undergoes cold exposure, the body’s sympathetic nervous system is stimulated, triggering the release of hormones such as cortisol and norepinephrine. In short, a splash of cold water on the skin wakes the body up, making you feel more alert.

On the other hand, a hot shower does the exact opposite. As your body prepares to fall asleep, it begins to naturally release melatonin or the “sleep hormone”. Combined with a hot shower (not scalding hot; just the right temperature), this speeds up melatonin production, quickly intensifying the sensation of sleepiness or drowsiness.

4. Improved Blood Circulation

A hot shower also helps the body maintain proper blood circulation. This is important in the functioning of the body’s organs, muscles, and tissues — basically, in keeping us alive.

The hot temperature dilates or opens up more than 90,000 kilometres of blood vessels in the body. It keeps one of the most crucial organs, the heart, functioning well and carrying oxygen-rich blood to different parts of the body.

5. Glowing Skin

Those who follow a strict skincare routine know just how expensive it is to keep the skin feeling smooth and moisturised. Facial toners, cleansers, facemasks, and moisturisers — all of these play a role in maintaining healthy skin. Throw hot showers into the mix, and you can bet your skin will feel less wrinkled and smoother than before.

Again, just the right temperature is required to achieve glowing skin with a hot shower. The heat opens up pores in your body, washes off dirt, and reduces clogging and oiliness.

6. Hydrates Your Hair

Just as a hot shower opens up the body’s pores, it also frees up the scalp’s hair cuticles and promotes the release of more of the body’s natural oils. Think about this the next time you go and take your usual shower. Turn the temperature up a notch or invest in a premium water heater so you can finally have a warm and relaxing bath.

7. Alleviates Congested Sinuses

A blocked, runny, or stuffy nose due to a cold or flu is more irritating than anything else. Sleeping can get uncomfortable as you’re unable to breathe properly. Medicines and taking the right amount of fluids are effective, but a hot shower offers surprising relief that no other home remedy can.

Take note that your sickness won’t magically disappear after taking a hot shower, but it does make the body feel warmer. The heat from the shower also thins the phlegm blocking your nasal pathways, making them less stuffy. If you get the chills at night, a hot shower can easily provide relief from the cold.

8. Burns Calories

Many of us are looking for quick fixes when it comes to diet and exercise. Sadly, there is no one-size-cure-all regimen to help you magically shed fat around your belly area. Fad diet trends are also likely to fail since most of them aren’t sustainable for the body. That said, what if we told you a simple trip to the shower can already help you burn calories?

Yes, you read that right. Taking hot showers is effective in your long-term (or short-term) weight loss journey, and there’s science to back it up. A London-based university had reported that a 30-minute walk burns just as many calories (130kcal!) as spending 1 hour in the bath. It’s pure science — heat speeds up the body’s metabolism, expending energy and burning more calories in the process.

9. Ease Headaches

Random bursts of headaches are not just debilitating, but they can affect your daily productivity. You may have the habit of taking painkillers to ease the pain, but that relief is short-lived. Reliance on medication endangers your immune system by developing resistance to over-the-counter medicines, especially after prolonged use.

Heat therapy in the form of hot showers poses no such risk. Heat is a natural occurrence that allows blood vessels to open up. This also applies to those vessels in the head. Improved flows help to reduce these painful sensations.

10. Reduce Anxiety And Depression

A hot shower is relaxing — there’s no disputing that. That is why it comes as no surprise that many like to take showers after a gruelling and intense day at the office. It is a form of self-care. Although it cannot totally replace medication and diagnosis, that simple act will help you feel more relaxed and at peace.

When you are feeling a little out of sorts, hot showers can improve your mood. The gentle comfort of the water running over your bare skin is unlike any other. Take a break from the hectic, high-pressure environment you function in. Find comfort in silent solitude and use that precious 15-20 minutes as a getaway. Relax and recharge, meditate and reflect on the day. The discipline of loving oneself will elevate you.

Conclusion

A hot shower benefits your body in more ways than you can imagine. Taking a shower may not necessarily be on the top of your to-do list, but why not give it a shot? Get a quality water heater that delivers good water pressure and consistent temperatures to reap the advantages.

In need of a professional, specialised water heating service? AOS Bath is the leading distributor of A. O. Smith Water Heaters in Singapore, the #1 Water Heater in USA. Contact us today so we can tailor the best hot water solution for your family’s needs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hot Shower Benefits