20 minutes a day. 3 Times a week. That’s all.

To quickly feel the benefits of balneotherapy on your health, soak in your spa for 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week. By the combining your seasons with a  healthy diet and physical activity, you will quickly see noticeable positive effects on your daily well-being.

BALNEOTHERAPY

Taking a spa is enjoyable all year round, but it’s even more so in the winter. There is nothing better than enjoying warm and relaxing water to forget the inconveniences of the cold season and appreciate its beauty,

   1.  Helps with relaxation and stress management
   2.  Relieves backaches and lumbar pain
   3.  Soothes joint and muscle pain
   4.  Promotes sleep
   5.  Improves cardiovascular health
 
All of these benefits, and many more, are now well documented.  Find out more in the following pages.

RELAXATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT

Did you know that to manage stress, medical students from many universities are required to take meditation classes? Moments of relaxation in the comfort of a spa produce physiological effects comparable to these meditative sessions: the mere act of soaking in hot water can help manage stress, and even improve cognitive performance.

Spending time in a spa influences brain functions, generating physiological effects comparable to those brought on by meditation. This is what a study published in the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education suggests1. It reports that a 20-minute immersion in hot water causes the autonomic nervous system to adjust, just as meditation does. This reaction promotes short-term memory, increases attention span, and improves brain functions that allow for the proper processing of information.

The mere fact of being immersed in a spa could influence the sympathovagal balance of the body. In short, this activity leads to a decrease in anxiety and stress, and generates positive ideas while lowering blood pressure and cardiac stress.

BACKACHES AND LUMBAR PAIN

The lower back and pelvis perform a colossal task: they alone support two thirds of our body weight. When your back hurts, the whole body is affected. According to data collected by United States Statistics 75% to 80% of people will experience at least one serious back pain episode or other back aches during their lifetime. As part of a study published in the Journal of Rheumatology4, patients with chronic back pain combined sessions in hot water basins with their medication. After 3 weeks, their pain had decreased significantly, and their backs had become more flexible.

After 6 months, these patients were able to reduce their medication intake. With its heat and massage jets, a spa can thus become a very effective everyday back pain management method.

American doctors from the Spine-Health.com organization claim that spending time in a spa is recommended for controlling back pain. It promotes blood circulation to the muscles and increases overall body flexibility.

JOINT AND MUSCLE PAIN

Many sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts will tell you that after physical exertion, a spa is a great reward. Beyond relaxation, the soothing effects of a spa can make a major difference when pain remains persistent. There is evidence that, in addition to soothing aching muscles, hot water and massage jets also have the potential to soothe some chronic pain, such as pain caused by osteoarthritis.

According to a study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science6, patients experienced a significant easing of their osteoarthritic knee pain after spending time in a spa. The combination of immersion in hot water and hydro massage helps trigger calming mechanisms for joint pain.

Immersion in a spa may also soothe the pain caused by physical exertion. According to the Rochester University Medical Center, immersion in hot water dilates blood vessels, increases the supply of oxygen and nutrients, and thus relaxes muscles, ligaments and tendons. Moreover, according to a study by the European Journal of Applied Physiology, massage jets located in the spa could facilitate recovery after an intense physical effort, by releasing toxins from the muscles into the blood stream.

POSITIVE EFFECTS ON SLEEP PATTERNS

Sleeping well is not a luxury: sleep disorders have a major impact on everyday health. According to an article in the Canadian Sleep Society‘s journal Insomnia Round, sleeping less than 6 hours a night can affect the brain’s ability to plan, organize, be attentive, and develop strategies. About 40% of North Americans suffer from insomnia symptoms at different times of their lives. Spending time in a spa can be just what is needed. In addition to relaxation, there is evidence that an early evening spa session improves the length and quality of sleep.

In a study published in the scientific journal Sleep, researchers have found that immersion in hot water for 30 minutes, a few hours before going to bed, contributes to better quality sleep. Body temperature increases in the spa, then slowly decreases in the evening. This regulation helps to fall asleep faster, but also increases the quality of slow/deep sleep during the night, which are critical periods when the body regenerates. Therefore, in order to sleep well, a good soak in a spa is recommended. In addition to promoting relaxation, it can also improve the length and quality of sleep. 
Adults need to sleep on average 8 hours per night. Besides fatigue and sleepiness, extended lack of sleep is associated with serious health problems such as depression and weight gain.

CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH

Nothing can replace a healthy and active lifestyle, but sometimes health issues or overly busy days can put a considerable strain on the body, and moments spent relaxing in a spa can be beneficial. They may even have positive effects on your cardiovascular health (with prior approval from your doctor) if you have heart problems or suffer from high blood pressure. According to Dr. Thomas G. Allison, taking a relaxing break in the warm water of a spa may indeed be good for your heart, as the spa may simulate some aspects of exercise without the associated heart stress. A 10-minute hot bath may even be beneficial for people suffering from congestive heart failure.

In terms of heart health, sitting in hot water may also offer some of the same benefits as meditation. As part of a recently published study in the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, this phenomenon has been documented in participants who received. 24-minute hot water sessions. The findings of this study show direct effects on the sympathovagal balance when the body is immersed in hot water. Specifically, in addition to the benefits to brain activity, this phenomenon may bring a decrease in blood pressure, cardiac irritability, and anxiety.