What’s Better When Glucose Readings are High – Hot Baths or Showers?

Everyone loves taking a bubble bath. A bubble bath is fun and calming at the same time. The bad news is that adults do not take as many bubble baths as they want to take since the shower is more convenient as we grow up. It is like that because baths take longer in comparison to showers. Also, showers feel easier. When it comes to baths, there are a lot of myths. Some say that baths are good some that they are not. Well, according to studies, bubble baths are actually good for us, and there are more reasons for this. Believe it or not, there are a lot of health benefits to taking bubble baths.

A Study Confirms the Positive Effects

PIP made by researchers from Loughborough University compared the calories people burn on cycling to those in hot baths. Also, they looked at the effects of heat and exercise on blood glucose. In this study, 14 men participated, and they underwent 2 tests- the first one was 60 minutes bath in 104F/40c water and the second one was 60 minutes bicycle ride. As researchers expected, cycling burned notably more calories in comparison to taking a bubble bath. However, the number of calories (130 calories) burned by a hot bath is impressive. It is the same amount of calories you are going to burn with a 30-minute walk. But what is great for people with diabetes is that hot baths can better moderate blood glucose than cycling. The levels of blood glucose of the participants were monitored after the test for 24 hours. The researchers found that peak blood glucose levels were around 10 percent lower in men who took a hot bath. This is in comparison to those men who cycled for 60 minutes. Therefore, the conclusion is that hot baths are better for people who have diabetes.

Groups of Individuals Who Need to be Careful of Hot Baths

We should bear in mind not to overdo hot baths. However, passive heating might pose a risk to certain groups of people such as:

• Intoxicated people
• People with eczema
• Pregnant women
• People with heart problems like arrhythmia and high blood pressure
• Cancer patients
• People with liver and kidney diseases
• People who recover from surgery

In the case of a chronic health condition, make sure to consult your doctor and find out whether you should do passive heating. Now we know the next time we decide to have a hot bubble bath after the end of a long day with a glass of wine, not only will we relax but we will enjoy many health benefits as well.