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Yay! Taking shower with hot water will reduce extra calories

In freezy winters, when the temperature around you is falling, the only thing that can give you a relief is a hot bath. Pouring hot water on your body is one of the best escape from the cold world in winter. But this is not the only benefit of hot water anymore.

According to Dr Steve Faulkhner, a researcher at Loughborough University, taking a hot bath can be just as effective as exercise when it comes to health benefits.

In Faulkner’s study, 14 participants took hour long baths at 40 degree Celsius or rode a bicycle for an hour. After that, they monitored for blood sugar control and calories burned. The goal was to increase one degree Celsius temperature in the hot water tub. In the study, it was found that biking burns more calories but still, something surprising was found in the research. The study found out that while taking a hot tub bath burn 130 calories which equal walking for 30 minutes.

 

In further details, they revealed that the participant’s blood sugar was monitored for 24 hours and in that it was discovered that peak blood sugar was 10 percent lower as compared when a bath was taken instead of a bike ride. The bath also seemed to have the same effect as exercise when it came to the anti-inflammatory response post-activity for each of the participants.

There have been studies related to passive heating in which similar results were found. It is very famous in Finland. A study in 2015 JAMA Internal Medical journal also published that spending time in SAUNAS – another act of passive heating can help you ward off heart diseases.

But Loughborough University study was conducted on men, some of whom were overweight and men and women bodies react in different ways so there can be varied results. The number of calories a person burn depends on few other factors including body weight and composition. The study is in its initial stage but still even though this can never replace working out for two hours but yes, a hot bath is really helpful for mental health.

By – Parul Kulshrestha

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