Just sitting in hot water up to your neck aids cardiovascular health, says Bruce E. Becker, M.D., clinical professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington.

“The ultimate purpose of the heart as an organ is to pump blood in response to a physiological demand so its best measure of performance is volume of blood pumped per unit of time,” says Dr. Becker. “Immediately after a person is immersed, water begins to exert pressure on the body. Cardiac volume increases by nearly one-third with immersion to the neck.” Simply put, this means your heart gets a cardiovascular workout just from sitting in a hot tub; this does not occur being sedentary when dry.

And because water provides more resistance than air-making movement more challenging-even the most basic water workout can strengthen the heart and muscles better than a similar routine on land. Exercising in water also helps prevent overheating and does not impact joints. Take a look at Olympic Hot Tub Company’s simple exercise series for a mild hot tub workout that won’t strain joints.

Be sure to consult your physician if you have any condition that might be contraindicated for hot tub soaking.

SANUM PER AQUAM. Latin for Health through water.

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