What’s the best time of day to enjoy a hot tub?

Soaking in your hot tub every day unlocks a whole host of health benefits.

The soothing jets and steaming water of your home spa is an antidote to many of life’s ills.

It gives you the space to unwind, destress, and let the worries of the world drift away and relieves you of the day’s aches and pains. 

But to get the most from your hot tub, you need to use it at the right time of day. And enjoying your daily dip at night, in the morning, or during the day all have different effects and bring different benefits. 

Read on to find out when the best time to slip into your home spa is based on what you most want to get out of it.

Using your hot tub at night

Hopping in your hot tub before bed is a great way to help guarantee a great night’s sleep, as soaking in hot water in the evening is a scientifically proven way to get sounder sleep.

It’s also a centuries-old tradition to take a hot bath at night in Japan, as well as a nightly ritual that high-achievers like Ariana Huffington, Oprah Winfrey, and Gwyneth Paltrow swear by.

If you often find yourself struggling to drift off at night then it’s well worth making a dip in your hot tub a part of your bedtime routine as well.

What’s more, anxious thoughts and a ruminating mind are two of the biggest obstacles to a peaceful slumber. And studies have shown that soaking in a hot tub can provide a psychological and emotional boost, helping calm an active mind, let the stresses of the day float away, and get you in the right headspace for a good night’s sleep.

When you’re in a home spa, the water’s buoyancy reduces your body weight by around 90 per cent, relieving the pressure on your joints and muscles and helping give your joints – and your spine in particular – some much-needed respite. A home spa’s powerful massage jets are also designed to release all the tension in your muscles, ridding you of the day’s aches and pains before bedtime to help you drift away to sleep.

A nighttime soak is a great way to spend some quality time with your nearest and dearest as well, catching up at the end of the day in one of the few places digital devices won’t distract you.

A hot tub is also good for arthritis, with studies showing hydrotherapy reduced pain more effectively than drug therapy for people with severe arthritis and reduced pain, tension, and joint tenderness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. 

A study of the effects of hydrotherapy on fibromyalgia patients also showed that hydrotherapy helped improve subjects’ physical functionality, sleep quality, and ability to do their jobs, while also reducing pain intensity, fatigue, stiffness, anxiety, and depression.

If you’re unfortunate enough to suffer from a condition like arthritis or fibromyalgia, then a soak in a home spa before bed is a surefire way to help alleviate your symptoms and help you get a better night’s sleep.

Using your hot tub in the morning

Alternatively, slipping into your hot tub in the morning is a great way to start the day.

The hot water and stimulating jets will get your blood flowing, helping to wake you up. They’ll also loosen up your muscles, making it the perfect place to perform a quick stretching routine that will set you up for the day.

A morning soak is also the perfect opportunity to find a few moments to engage in a meditation routine – or even just enjoy a few mindful breaths – before you’re swept up in the stresses of the day. In the words of meditation experts Headspace: “When we start our day with a morning meditation, we are giving ourselves the best opportunity to be fully aware, fully awake, and fully alive before ‘doing’ anything”. The white noise of the bubbling water and your hot tub’s soothing jets provide the perfect backdrop for a few mindful minutes to begin your day.  

Plus, if you wake up with aches and pains from the previous day, a dip in your home spa will help you fully recover before you get going. And if you suffer from arthritis or fibromyalgia, soaking in a hot tub will alleviate your symptoms before you begin your day.

Studies show that hydrotherapy treatment can help you manage chronic back pain, which means soaking in your hot tub in the morning can help soothe a bad back before you head out for the day.

Of course, you don’t need us to tell you that slipping into your hot tub is a great way to enjoy a lazy weekend morning – especially if you’re looking to recover from the night before.

Using your hot tub during the day

There are also a number of times throughout the day that make the perfect time for a dip in your hot tub. 

Hydrotherapy boosts recovery rates after exercise and reduces fatigue, meaning slipping into your home spa after a workout is a great way to recover faster and prevent muscle soreness before it has a chance to set in.

Heading for your hot tub as soon as you get in from work is a great way to leave the stresses of the workday behind and hit the reset button for the evening ahead.

And if you regularly suffer from headaches or migraines then you’ll know how much they can ruin your day. Luckily, soaking in a hot tub dilates your blood vessels and reduces the build up of pressure in your head that’s causing the pain. Plus, slowing down for a spell, closing your eyes, and relaxing will also help alleviate the pain.

And of course, there aren’t many better ways to spend an afternoon on the weekend than having friends or family to join you in your hot tub – especially on a sunny summer day.

Summing up

Hopping in your hot tub at night, in the morning, or during the day all brings different benefits.

But to reap the benefits of soaking in a hot tub, making a twenty minute soak a part of your regular routine is more important than what time of day you go for a dip.

So, be sure to pick the time that suits you best and make it a daily habit. That way you’ll unlock the health benefits a hot tub brings each and every day, from better sleep to relief from the symptoms of conditions like arthritis.

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