Why A Hot Bath Might Be Better For You Than A Workout

When you need to unwind and decide to go the self-care route instead of the happy hour one, there are two go-to options: A hot bath or a sweat session at the gym. Now research says that, in many ways, chilling in the tub is just as beneficial for your health as slogging it out on the treadmill.

A recent study performed at the University of Loughborough‘s National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine set out to raise the body temperature of its male participants by 1 degree, using either an hour of moderately paced cycling, or an hour in a hot (104 °F / 40 °C) bath.

Although cycling used up more calories overall, reclining in the tub did burn 130—around the same amount as a 30-minute walk.

Post-heating, the participants’ blood sugar was monitored for 24 hours and researchers discovered peak levels were 10 percent lower after a bath than after a cycle ride. The two activities also seemed to produce a similar anti-inflammatory response in the body.

Most recently infrared saunas have been causing a buzz in the wellness world thanks to their laundry list of reputed health benefits. Heating the body from the inside out, instead of the outside in, using skin-penetrating infrared light waves, these saunas help with pain, inflammation, low energy and poor circulation. What’s more, they soothe the parasympathetic nervous system, helping the body unclench and cope with stress better.

Although certainly not an adequate replacement for regular exercise, passive heating does appear to have significant health benefits, and having a hot bath every week is an easy way to support your body’s natural functioning.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.