Warm Bath Lovers Are Less Likely To Develop Heart Disease And Stroke

Warm bath lovers are less likely to develop heart disease and stroke

The effect of the baths turned out to be dose-dependent: the more regularly a person takes them, the lower the cardiovascular risk. Scientists have previously reported that bathing is associated with better sleep quality and a higher score for one's own health.

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People who frequently take hot baths are less likely to die from heart disease and stroke. This connection was found by a long-term study published in the journal Heart. The effect of the baths turned out to be dose-dependent: the more regularly a person takes them, the lower the cardiovascular risk.

Scientists have previously reported that bathing is associated with better sleep quality and a higher score for one's own health. It has been linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease for the first time.

Scientists analyzed data from 61 thousand participants in a large Japanese study of risk factors for heart disease. Their age was from 45 to 59 years old, scientists observed them from 1990 to 2009.

It turned out that taking a hot bath every day was associated with a 28% reduction in the risk of heart disease and a 26% reduction in stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic), compared to those who did not take a bath. Bathing was not associated with a reduced risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

The preferred water temperature also mattered. For example, the risk of heart disease among lovers of warm water decreased by 26%, and among lovers of hot water by 35%.

This study was observational. Therefore, it can only show the connection (correlation) between taking a bath and improving the health of the cardiovascular system. More research needs to be done to find out if baths are the cause of the reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes.

The way the Japanese take a bath can also play an important role. Traditionally, they are submerged in water to the level of their elbows.

A possible reason for improving the health of cardiovascular health in bath lovers may be an improvement in hemodynamics, an increase in the movement of blood in the vessels of the whole body. Cardiologist Eric Brandt said this in a comment to CNN.

In an editorial in Heart, Dr. Andrew Felix Burden noted that bathing has potential risks, particularly when temperatures are too high.