Use Water Temperature to Heal

Did you know that you can use water temperature to heal?

The term "Hydrotherapy" literally means "water healing".

This type of therapy involves the extended use of baths or showers in the home using hot or cold temperatures.

There is documentation showing how hydrotherapy is a very powerful tool that can relieve muscle soreness, help with relaxation, increase oxygen, nutrients and lymphatic flow.

It is important to know how water temperature affects your body. Here are a couple of tips before you get into your bathtub or enjoy a foot bath.

** practice safety by checking the water temperature with a thermometer
** never get to the point where you have the chills or experience fatigue

A Hot Bath (99-108 degrees) is good for insomnia, to relieve pain, increase circulation and eliminate toxins. Your heart rate can increase by as much as 4x the normal rate for the first 5 minutes, then will normalize. Recommended time: 20 minutes or less. Follow with cool water.

A Warm Bath (97-101degrees) is the most common temperature for the average bath. Spending 20 minutes to an hour is optimal for relaxation.

A Tepid Bath (92-97 degrees) is really good for when you want to rejuvenate or have inflammation conditions such as hives, itching, or skin rashes. Recommended time is up to 1 hour.

A Cold Bath (59-68 degrees) is recommended for short periods of time and are most common in foot and hand baths. Recommended time is just a few seconds.