Hot Tubbing and Your Brain
It’s Brain Awareness Week and I know you want to read about hot tubbing and its affect on your brain.
I’ve been a longtime fan of Dr. John Medina, who holds dual professorships at the University of Washington and Seattle Pacific. Turns out, he is an Olympic Hot Tub Company customer! He and his wife own a Hot Spring Spa from Olympic Hot Tub.
His book, “Brain Rules” is a must read for the health and preservation of your most precious asset-your brain. In “Brain Rules” he outlines 12rules for taking care of your brain.
#3 is STRESS as in stress reduction! He documents the effects on the brain while under stress. Learning is far diminished and the brain can’t function at its normal rate.
Did you know that stress damages cognition in every way that cognition can be measured? And, we treat our brains poorly with our sedentary lifestyles. The human brain is designed to function when we’re walking 20 km day and eating small bites along the way. That’s the opposite of what we do to ourselves in a sedentary world punctuated with big meals at long intervals.
To survive, the brain needs increased blood flow and for that aerobic exercise is a key! And, soaking, yes, soaking in your hot tub will help, too.
BIG NEWS: Hot tub soaking increases circulation and helps you de-stress!
I’m not suggesting that you give up aerobic activity in favor of sitting and soaking. But think about the physiology of hot tub soaking. When you’re immersed in hot water, the volume of blood in your chest cavity and in your heart increases dramatically. This is due to the hydrostatic pressure on your body and the effects of being in a buoyant state: Your heart’s ability to pump blood goes up, while at the same time, your heart rate goes down. Your cardiovascular system becomes far more efficient, and that affects just about every function of the human body including the brain.
Stay tuned for more developments on brain function and hot tubbing. For now BRAIN AWARENESS WEEK March 11-17 is a once a year reminder to take care of your marvelous, miraculous, incredible brain!
SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health Through Water.
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