Have you every noticed that after using your Rotospa on an evening you sleep so much better? I have!
There are actually a few contributing factors for this that we thought may interest you.
Relaxation
The first being Relaxation. Unless you’re absolutely exhausted, you typically need to feel relaxed to fall asleep. Spend 15 minutes in a hot tub and you’re bound to feel relaxed.
The heat releases endorphins, those happy hormones that make you feel good. Endorphins can help clear your mind of any emotional or mental stress you’re carrying around, enabling you to let things go and relax. I’m sure you can agree, we all need this more than every at the moment. Who cares if
A hot tub relaxes you physically, too, by relieving achy joints and muscles. If you’re in a hot tub, the buoyancy of the water helps your muscles relax and decompress. Joint pain and discomfort can disrupt the quality of your sleep, as your body has to shift positions to relax enough to sleep. If your body feels comfortable, you’re more likely to feel relaxed and sleepy.
Thermoregulation
Another factor is the Thermoregulation the hot tub causes. Ever wondered why you naturally feel sleepy at night or when the weather is cold?
That’s because of your body temperature. As the day goes by, the temperature increases, and your body temperature increases too, until the evening when the weather temperature starts to drops. As the weather cools, your body temperature drops too. This drop-in body temperature sends a signal to your brain that it’s time to sleep.
Your hot tub replicates this rise and fall in body temperature. When you get into the spa, the hot water causes your body temperature to rise. When you get out of the tub (and you do that quick dash for the closest towel or robe), your body temperature drops almost instantly because of the cold weather of the night. The drop in your body temperature sends a signal to your brain that it is time to sleep.
Blood Flow & Circulation
When we’re under stress, our blood vessels constrict. This makes it more difficult for them to circulate throughout our body, so our body has to work harder to allow them to do so. Many of us are living with alot of stress at the moment with lockdowns, home-schooling and lets not mention the lack of holidays , so our bodies are already working harder to circulate the blood. When you throw in the physical exercise that we are all trying to do to keep us from becoming couch potatoes your muscles have to work even harder at a time when they’re already exhausted from working out.
Get into a hot tub, however, and the warm water begins dilating your blood vessels. This allows your blood to circulate freely and perform its important job of removing toxins from your tired muscles and helping them heal.
This process is important for restoring your body from the stresses of the day, but it takes its own toll, too. Rebuilding your muscles takes work, so it’s natural for your body to feel tired afterwards.
There you have it, the very reasons why hot tubs make you sleepy. Since they do such a great job making you sleepy, consider working your hot tub time into the later part of the day. You’ll be more relaxed, and you’ll enjoy better restful sleep.
Anyone else thinking about a nap now? 🥱
Got a spare 5 minutes? Grab a cup of tea and have a read through some of our other blogs!