Nothing is better than enjoying yourself in a hot tub at your house after a long day at work. It is always the best idea to relax and eliminate all the stress from your body. If you don’t know, it also works as hydrotherapy and has a lot of advantages. But it’s important to know how long can you stay in a hot tub?
It is essential to understand why you need to know how long you can stay in a hot tub. Not using the hot tub properly can affect your health negatively. Since a hot tub means the water will be at a high temperature, sitting inside the jacuzzi for a long time can cause risks.
Generally, you can stay inside a hot tub for 15 to 20 minutes. You can also stay for more than 20 minutes, depending on the weather and some other factors as well. But there are some risks of overusing a hot tub, dizziness, feeling uneasy, even sometimes temporary rashes can occur.
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How Long Can You Stay in a Hot Tub?
You need to know that there is no compulsory rule for soaking yourself and having a great time in your plunge tub. Besides the benefits, you as owners should also be aware of things to be careful while enjoying.
As mentioned above, you can stay for 15 to 20 minutes and sometimes even more. On the other hand, some recommendations include being careful about some factors that can cause health risks.
In some cases, factors like temperature of water or weather, you can stretch out the time to more than 30 minutes. It is not at all necessary that you have to stay for a long time. You can re-use it later whenever you want.
You have to keep in mind that different people have different reactions to hot temperatures. For instance, you don’t want a pregnant lady to soak in hot water for long or people with a stroke history or diabetes. They will experience dizziness, nausea as symptoms.
How Long Can You Stay in a Hot Tub? Factors to Consider
Now, many factors play a crucial role and help you evaluate how much time you should spend in the hot tub. That is why we will mention those factors in detail so that you can get an idea before spending some quality time with your friends or family members.
Let us consider the following factors:
1. Hot Tub Temperature
We all have different choices when it comes to setting up temperatures for a bath. The same goes for setting up the temperature of the water in the hot tub. While some do not like the temperature less than 38 degrees celsius. Some are comfortable with more than 40 degrees celsius.
Your preference is entirely usual, but you should keep in mind that the hotter the temperature, the less time you should spend inside it.
2. Health Condition
The health status of all people is not the same. Certain people have many risks in the hot tub compared to others. Take an example of a pregnant woman: Using a hot tub for more than ten minutes can make a pregnant woman dizzy, and she can also vomit.
Just like that, people with diabetes, low or high blood pressure, with skin issues should avoid sitting in the hot tub precisely if the temperature is high.
3. Age
We already know that children love spending time in a hot tub. The effects of bubbles, the light inside the tub make the entire experience on another level. Toddlers or small kids should not go inside the hot tub because the size of a hot tub is way bigger than a standard bathtub for infants. It can cause the risk of drowning and also contains certain substances which can be harmful to babies.
For adults, if you are staying in a hot tub, make sure you are constantly hydrated and do not stay more than 30 minutes in one sitting or session. And after a session, if you want, you can have a shower to balance your temperature.
4. Seat Level
There are different levels of seats in a jacuzzi or a hot tub. The reason behind it is to balance the temperature ( or cool ) around the other body parts. For instance, if you stay more than 15 to 20 minutes in the tub, the temperature will rise very quickly. Changing your seat to a higher level where your torso is above the water line lets you cool down.
5. Water Condition
Always check the water condition before spending a long time inside the hot tub. It can also cause infections, illness and, in some extreme cases, can cause death. Change the water after several uses because using that water can cause a rash as well. Check the contents of the chemical before allowing your children in the hot tub.
6. Pregnancy
Generally, pregnant women should avoid hot tubs entirely if the water temperature is above 38 degrees celsius. It is because keeping them in a hot tub will raise the core temperature, which is not at all advisable.
If the temperature is lower than 38 degrees C, we recommend she be inside for not more than 10 minutes.
Dangers of Staying Too Long in a Hot Tub
To understand the limitations of staying inside the jacuzzi, you need to look for the symptoms and act accordingly.
1.Dizziness
If you start to feel dizzy or a lightsome feeling in your head after some time, it can signal your body. It means you need to get out and let your body cool.
2. Skin Burn/Irritation
In some cases, if you notice red spots on the skin. It can be a sign that your skin is sensitive. Get out of the tub as soon as possible, and if your doctor recommends having a shower, it’s the best solution.
3. Bacterial or viral infections
As we know, bacteria can live in water with ease. And the hot tub contains water, and we do not change it often. It can cause infection, rashes, and certain severe illnesses. Effects like Legionnaires Disease can drive a type of infection. High fever, cough, or shortness of breath can be the symptoms of this disease. If you experience any of this after some time, go to the doctor and run some tests.
4. Overheating
Usually, you won’t notice the warning of overheating unless it’s physical symptoms. But if you see any signs mentioned below, get out of the tub immediately and dry yourself. Hydrate yourself with water, and if the symptoms continue to cause problems, call for a doctor.
- A tingling and unusual feeling on the skin.
- Headache.
- Dry skin(extreme).
- In some cases, over sweating of your skin.
- Increase the speed of your heart rate or the opposite.
- Extreme dizziness.
5. Decrease in Blood Pressure
Suppose you feel nausea or lightheadedness, or any similar warning signs like overheating. We recommend you leave the hot tub and check your vitals and blood pressure. It can be possible that your blood pressure is decreasing.
6. Nausea and Vomiting
Spending a long time in a hot tub or jacuzzi can cause some effects like nausea or vomiting. It can be a warning sign for various health risks like overheating, dehydrating, and much more.
7.Dehydration
When your core temperature is rising, your body starts to lose the percentage of water content. As a result, your body experiences dehydration which has symptoms like lightheadedness, vomiting, and unusual feeling. Therefore make sure to drink water always while you’re inside the hot tub.
How Often Can You Use a Hot Tub?
You can use the hot tub regularly, but not for too long. Using three to four times a week is ideal for eliminating stress and helps to circulate blood flow. Using it for not more than 15 minutes is advisable.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Staying inside the hot tub for long hours can cause several illnesses like overheating, nausea, heatstroke, and in some extreme cases, can cause death as well. Therefore do not spend more than 10 minutes.
It is not recommended to go underwater or play underwater. Because hot tubs contain spa jets or drains, this can cause problems for children or adults with long hair.
We know drinks like alcohol can raise the core temperature of our body. Therefore drinking in a hot tub can cause heart attack, unconsciousness, and in some situations, even death. It would help if you constantly hydrated yourself with water when you’re in a hot tub.
Conclusion
The hot tub is always a great idea if you want to spend some time with your family or with your loved ones. On the other hand, nothing is perfect other than having personal time with yourself. I hope this article gives you all the information you need to know to enjoy your amazing hot bath.