Can Hydrotherapy Help with Losing Weight?

Trying to lose weight is rarely anyone’s idea of a good time—but using your swim spa or hot tub can help make it a little more fun. If you’ve been struggling to kickstart your weight loss or get past a plateau, hydrotherapy may make it easier. Obviously, you can’t expect hydrotherapy to do all the work for you—you’ll still need to follow a regular diet and exercise regimen.

However, hydrotherapy can help by amplifying your efforts, reducing stress and making it easier to sleep. Read on to learn how it works, then head to your local swim spa store in Lubbock, TX to find the right model for you.

Swim spas and hot tubs reduce stress

Stress can subvert all of your weight loss efforts. Even if you’re burning more calories than you’re taking in, your body might see this as a threat rather than a good thing. It all comes down to cortisol, which is often referred to as the “stress hormone.” Cortisol triggers your body’s fight or flight response, which tricks your body into thinking resources are scarce. In turn, this makes it harder to burn fat and build muscle—you might actually gain weight if you’re under constant stress. Cortisol also causes cravings for salty, high-fat foods, which are anathema to a healthy diet.

Reducing your stress is a key part of weight loss. Research has shown that taking regular dips in a hot tub or swim spa can help reduce the amount of cortisol in your system. The hot water and jets help you relax, which in turn slows down your breathing. Your body no longer perceives an imminent threat, so you can resume normal function—including burning calories.

Get better sleep with regular use

Insomnia is linked to chronic stress, but it can also make you feel hungrier. Sleep-deprived people tend to consume at least 300 more calories per day, thanks to imbalanced hormone levels. Without regular, refreshing sleep, you’ll feel hungrier, crave high-fat, high-carb food and struggle to feel satisfied.
Using a hot tub or swim spa helps promote sleep. The hot water is not only relaxing, but it raises your body temperature. When you get out, your body temperature drops, signaling to your brain that it’s time to go to sleep.

Burn some extra calories

Finally, hot water helps you burn more calories. Sitting in your hot tub or swim spa is no substitute for a healthy diet or exercise, but it does help boost your metabolism slightly. Of course, when you use your hot tub or swim spa for exercise, that’s even better—the physical activity and the hot water will work together to help you achieve better results. With the added benefits of stress reduction and better sleep, it provides a holistic weight loss system.

If you’re ready to feel better and lose more weight, a swim spa or hot tub may be right for you. Visit Alcoe, your local swim spa store in Lubbock, TX, today to check out our selection.

Categorised in: Hydrotherapy