Turns out, you aren’t neglecting your health if you ditch the gym for a nice, hot bath. Research shows that a bath actually has similar health benefits to exercise!
Now before you start cancelling a bunch of gym classes and scheduling in appointments with your tub, it’s sadly not quite like going to a spin class.
In the UK, researchers at the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine at Loughborough University looked into the effects of passive heating on the body, as opposed to heat brought on by exercise. In their study of 14 men, one half did an hour of cycling and the other (way luckier) half had a hot (40˚C), hour-long bath.
The results showed that the men who cycled burned more calories (so maybe don’t ditch the gym entirely). However, the men who had a bath still burned around 140 calories which is roughly the amount burned in a 30 minute walk.
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Passive heating for human health is still quite a new field of research, so there is a lot more to be learned. For now though, we are just thrilled to have yet another excuse for a bath!
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Even before hearing about the health benefits, we always thought that a bath was a perfect opportunity to relax and look after your skin.
If you’re looking for some products to use while in the bath, bh loves: Natura Siberica REVITALISING SIBERIAN BATH SALTS, Jo Malone London Bath Oil and LYCON SoYummy Massage, Bath & Body Oil.
If you wanted to throw a bath bomb into the mix, bh loves: The Chi Chi Bath Bomb Set and the Lush Dragon’s Egg Bath Bomb.
What do you think about the health benefits of a bath? Do you think you will opt for one more often now?
I used to love baths but never ever have one anymore
I can’t remember the last hot bath I had. I’m just not a bath person … I much prefer a shower.
Oh I must have a bath soon, it’s just finding the time
Love a long baith, didnt have a bath for around 3.5 years living in apartments, but we moved to a place that has a bath and it makes me sooooooo happy. Been having so many to make up for the lost time.
Must get into the habit of using our bathtub. Only trouble it is from the era when spa baths were all the rage and it takes so much water.