Hot Tub Bliss

Ready for a short lesson in human physiology?

As you immerse yourself in a hot tub, your body’s first reaction is to try and stabilize your temperature by pumping the heart faster to bring additional blood to the surface where it would normally disperse heat into the air. This increased blood flow means an increased supply of oxygen, antibodies and white blood cells pumping through your body; all important to promoting revitalization of the cells. This initial reaction causes an increase in blood pressure, but because the warmth quickly causes the blood vessels to dilate or expand, the resistance on the heart is lessened. This means a soak in hot water will actually lower blood pressure!

The blood warmed in the vessels at your skin’s surface is pumped from there back into your body where it begins to heat your organs and deep muscle tissue where the same healthy vessel dilation occurs leaving the muscles more relaxed. The longer your spend immersed in hot water, the more times the warm, healing blood can cycle through your body. Studies have shown that in a spa maintained at 104 degrees the core body temperature can rise to 102 degrees Fahrenheit in less than 20 minutes. This means a healthy increase in heart rate with a decrease in blood pressure that reduces strain on other vital organs. It’s no wonder that at the reputable Mayo Clinic, hot water hydrotherapy is used to improve cardio-health. Be sure to include your doctor in the decision to undergo any hot water treatments. And, be sure to monitor how you’re feeling and get out of the tub if you feel light headed, overheated or dizzy. A 20 minute soak is enough to induce real therapeutic benefits in a 104 degree spa.

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!

Dr. Jules Pretty, at the Center for Environment and Society in the Department of Biological Sciences at the Universitty of Essex, in England makes a strong case for “being in nature”. “Irrespective of where we come from in the world, it seems that the presence of living things makes us feel good. There are three levels of engagement with nature.

*The first is viewing nature, as through a window, or in a book, on television or in a painting.

*The second is being in the presence of nearby nature, which is incidential to some other activity, such as walking or cycling to work, or reading on a garden seat, and (we’ve added this one) soaking in a hot tub outdoors.

*The third level is active participation and involvement with nature, such as gardening, hiking or running.

There is now strong evidence that all these levels deliver mental health benefits. The levels with the most involvement deliver the most benefits.

A recent survey of our Hot Spring Spa owners echoed Dr. Pretty’s research most strongly in regards to his second point of engagement with nature. All of the Hot Spring Spa owners surveyed reported immense pleasue, increased mental relaxation and peace of mind from soaking in their hot tubs outside. They all said that being in the presence of nature was the “frosting on the cake”, the “cherry on the sundae” that capped the experience and took it from the mundane to the sublime. It was the reason they rarely mised a night’s soaking. It was the reason why their own yards gained a bigger place in their lives. Outside soaking opened up a new appreciation of the previously unseen natural world. People mentioned owls, squirrels, racoons, the wind, stars, the trees and far vistas. So in addition to the great physiological benefits, the mental/spiritual benefits were the most deeply moving.

From my own experience, I, too, have been profoundly moved by soaking in my roof top Hot Spring while viewing the stars and satellites (!), feeling the wind and the rain on my face and just letting go of all daily cares and worries. Plus I get my best ideas in the hot tub!

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business.

Dealing with stress-or not dealing with it as the case may be is a serious issue right now. The media reports devastating news on the hour and many of us are in a state of constant mental turmoil.

Dr. Jeromone E. Garanato, Medical Director of the Coranary Care Unit of Allegheny General Hospital and author of “Living with Heart Coronary Heart Disease” has a wonderful suggestion: take a bath in the dark! I know he meant bath as in bath tub, but think of the benefits of hot tubbing in the dark. He says that hot water plus silence and no visual stimulation equals relaxation. He recommends breathing deeply and letting your mind wander to pleasant thoughts.

Most hot tubbing is at done at night. Being in the dark in the natural world adds a deeper level of relaxation than ordinary bath tub soaking. Hopefully you’ll have a Hot Spring Spa, the ONLY hot tub with no noise operation. Only with a Hot Spring will you experience complete silence even while the tub is filtering and heating. After you’ve let the jets have their way with your stiff neck and shoulders, turn them off. Close your eyes. Let the utter stillness and hot water rejuvenate you. A deep sense of gratitude will be your only thought. “It can’t get any better than this.”

Res est severa voluptas.- Pleasure is a serious business.

The following email from Olympic customer, Matt Tucker of Black Diamond, Washington reminds me once again that WHERE you buy your hot tub is as important as WHAT brand you buy. Service after the sale is a vital component of your ongoing pleasure!

“This is just a note to say how much I appreciate the knowledge and helpfulness of Jon Hutter. As I was cleaning my hot tub yesterday, I was reminded of how much time he took in the Issaquah store and at various time on the phone to walk me through set-up and trouble shooting of a used Hot Spring Spa we bought on craigslist. Honestly, if all customer service was like Jon’s, there would be no need for a complaint department! You have a real gem there with Jon working for your company–I hope that he received due accolades for going above and beyond the call of duty.”

Thanks to Matt for writing. Yes, Jon has received many words of praise from customers for his knowledge of water care and willingness to share it. It’s our pleasure and our goal to help every hot tub owner enjoy his tub to the fullest. Water cheimstry is the not so secret basis for a lifetime of hot tubbing enjoyment. If your hot tub doesn’t keep itself in good chemistry and present you with crystal clean water every time you lift the lid, call us at Olympic if you live in the Puget Sound area. We’re here to help.

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business.

There is actually scientific proof that soaking in hot water is not only good for you, but chemically linked to “feeling good!” Numerous studies have proven that soaking in hot, bubbly water simulates the release of endogenous opioid peptides which we know by the shor name: endorphins, which are the body’s natural “feel good” chemical. An increase in endorphins can strengthen the imune system, improve sleep, prevent headaches and energize the body. It’s no wonder that in North American, Japan and Europe, hot water therapy comes so well recommended for self-care by naturopathic doctors. In addition to all the physical benefits, you may find that hot water enhances your sense of well being, lifts your spirits and leaves you feeling refreshed and naturally rejuvenated.

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!

When Shara and Scott Di Valerio wanted to build a deck for their hot tub in the woods on their five acres east of Seattle near Poulsbo, they had a 12-by-12-foot platform in mind.  During the planning process, they fell in love with their majestic view of Mount Rainier viewed from a stand of pines.  Their perspective changed. Their original simple platform grew into a virtual treehouse complex: hot tub, living room (with phone, cable and Internet), writing alcove and observation platforms.  It also has a suspension bridge and 100-foot zipline. This is definitely NOT a kids’ tree fort.  A typical evening among the gently swaying firs involves several grown-ups, a dip in the hot tub, Champagne and a few rounds of canasta.  “It’s a way to be in nature, ” Shara Di Valerio said.  “Although it’s a luxurious kind of nature. It isn’t camping.”  So inviting was the concept of  the hot tubbing treehouse that the New York Times featured it on Sunday, October 5th in the Key magazine: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/realestate/keymagazine/105hstree-t.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=treehouse&st=cse&oref=slogin

Their luscious at home retreat was built by TreeHouse Workshop, a Seattle firm that built a dozen treehouses last year.  If any single person is responsible for the treehouse renaissance, it’s Peter Nelson who founded TreeHouse Workshop in 1997 with a partner.  “I started more as a builder, ” Nelson said, “but I’ve come to understand that what I’m really after is a place in nature.  To be among the trees is pretty powerful stuff.”  Nelson echos what our customers tell us repeatedly. It just doesn’t get any better than being in nature in your hot tub.  Check out the other treehouses in the Workshop’s portfolio: http://www.treehouseworkshop.com/index.html  And, Nelson is the author of four books on treehouses.  Who knows…there might be a treehouse in your future complete with hot tub!

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!

A reporter from the Tacoma News Tribune thought that was a great lead for a story. Well, that’s how it really happened. One little dip in a hot tub and I was hooked! The reporter, C. R. Roberts, was so much fun to talk with. Who knew we’d have so much in common and so much to talk about? I’m always up for spreading the word about my passion: hot tubs and hottubbing. Two and a half hours flew by. See the story: http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/458635.html.

Today’s New York Times features a story about Katrine Formby and her husband Bill who have a three bedroom condo in Telluride, Colorado. They have the penthouse floor on a five story building with a view of the San Juan Mountains in all directions from the roof top deck. The view took her breath away she said. The deck is the highest in Telluride. “Last winter, it was six degrees below zero when I thought I’d sink into the hot tub on the deck. All the lights were off. It was snowing a little. And the moon was up. It was pure bliss. I sat there for hours, the spray from the hot tub turned my hair into a frozen helmet.”

Katrine summarizes so perfectly what hot tub bliss truly is…being in nature in solitude looking out on a fabulous view. So many of our customers tell us the same thing that the experience is far more than hot water and jets. It’s the being in nature and the sheer bodily pleasure of sinking into hot water after a day shut up in an office or car. Being, and I mean that in terms of existence rather than in terms of place, in hot water up to your chin gives such an endorphin rush, you can’t help but let out a sigh of relief. You take a deep breath. You’re home. in your body at last.

As the Romans said: res est severa voluptas. Pleasure is a serious business!

A recent interview with George Clooney in TIME magazine revealed the following hot tub connection. Clooney told the reporter how “he wakes up every morning at 5:30AM to the hoots of a giant owl and how he climbs into his hot tub so he can hoot back, mesmerized by nature, like Tony Sporano and his ducks. ” Hooting owls? Hooting back? Anything George Clooney does will be the next big thing.

A recent fall while hiking had me search for the answer to this question.  Here’s the answer: both, in time!

Cold decreases blood flow, lessens inflamation, and blocks pain by numbing.  Heat increases blood flow, increases elasticity of tissue, decreases stiffness, relaxes muscles and promotes healing.

When injuries are new, and there is swelling present, immediate use of ice is the best choice.  Ice is effective in reducing bruising, reducing pain and swelling and should be used for the first 48-72 hours or until the swelling has gone away.

What about heat? Heat can reduce muscle spasms, improve joint stiffness and make soft tissue more limber.  Moist heat is more effective than dry heat, as it penetrates deeper for muscles, joints and soft tissue.  Hot tubs are ideal for this second stage of healing. The constant temperature and jets act to promote the quickest healing.  

Take a tip from Willie McGinest-the NFL’s most senior linebacker.  After 15 years in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, McGinest has become a  master at surviving training camp.  Early in his career, he says, he reached a peak in his training during the offseason and would arrive at camp worn out.  He’s learned to pace himself through training.

“The biggest reason he’s lasted 15 years is he’s a tremendous athlete,” says Brown’s Coach Romeo Crennel in an interview in USA Today. Crennel also coached McGinest as the New England defensive coordinator. “But he has seen a little bit of everything. He understands what it takes to play this game, how to prepare, how to manage himself. And he knows his body.”

McGinest’s other keys for surviving camp:

•Recovery: “I’ll get deep tissue massages, soak in the ice tub and the hot tub. And stretch.”

If it works for a top athlete, it’ll work for you!  Don’t forget the massages.