Japanese people live longer, are healthier and have a better quality of life thanks to a simple habit of soaking in hot mineral baths.
Data released at the end of November by the Rinnai organization after a nationwide survey of 50 people in each prefecture in Japan showed that 53% of people bathe in the bath every day in winter, on average 5-24 minutes.
Professor Hayasaka Shinya of Tokyo Metropolitan University, who supervised the survey, said that bathing will warm the body and improve blood flow, reducing the feeling of cold. The basic and healthy way to bathe is to spend 10 minutes soaking at 40°C and the best time is 90 minutes before going to bed.
Previously, Mr. Hayasaka had researched the health benefits of bathing or relaxing in natural hot springs “onsen” for more than two decades. This is a therapy that helps people relax both physically and mentally, improve health, and prevent disease.
The first benefit comes from increasing body temperature. “Soaking in hot mineral water causes the arteries to relax and dilate, promoting circulation,” Hayasaka says, adding that the water needs to be at least 38 degrees Celsius hot.
According to him, blood carries oxygen and nutrients to all cells (estimated 37 trillion cells) in the body, carrying away carbon dioxide and other waste products. It is this boost to circulation that gives a bath a restorative feeling, as if the fatigue accumulated during the day “floats away on a cloud of steam”.
Hayasaka added that the heat from hot water relieves pain and reduces nerve sensitivity, which can help relieve back pain, stiff shoulders and other types of aches and pains. Heat also softens the collagen-rich ligaments that surround joints, making them more supple and reducing joint pain.
Besides, soaking in a bathtub helps you sleep well, because the body’s buoyancy while in water helps reduce muscle tension, allowing muscles to relax.
In addition, when soaking in a bathtub, the water creates hydrostatic pressure on every part of the body. This is especially beneficial for the legs and lower body, helping to reduce swelling as blood from stretched blood vessels returns to the heart and circulation improves.
Hayasaka collaborated with researchers at Chiba University to study the health benefits of 14,000 elderly people over three years. Notably, those who took hot mineral baths every day were 30% less likely to need nursing care than those who bathed twice a week or less.
In another study, people who showered every day had nearly 30% lower risk of serious diseases, such as stroke or heart attack, than others. This is the result of monitoring the health of 30,000 people for 20 years by scientists at Osaka University.
Hayasaka’s research also shows that regular bathing helps reduce blood pressure and improve vascular endothelial function. Lingering in the bath may also improve brain blood flow and mental performance, while also reducing the likelihood of dementia, according to the results of several other studies. According to statistics, on average Japanese women can live up to 87.45 years old and men will reach 81.41 years old. 2020 is also the first year that the number of Japanese people aged 100 and over exceeds 80,000, of which women account for more than 88%.
Experts from many medical fields agree with Hayasaka’s findings. “Increased peripheral circulation and stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system are great for the health of the vascular system as well as the nervous system,” says Michael A. Persky, a respiratory specialist in Los Angeles.
According to Dr. Jenelle Kim, founder of JBK Health Care Laboratory (San Diego, USA), soaking in water, especially soaking in water containing herbal formulas helps improve blood circulation and vital energy. This may be one of the most powerful treatments for the mind and body.
“The skin is the largest human organ. When soaking in a warm bath, all pores will open, ready to absorb the properties of herbs mixed into the water,” Kim said.
In addition, minerals along with elements such as magnesium, calcium, sodium, sulfates and other naturally occurring elements in hot spring water can be a method of soothing the mind, muscles and joints, improving digestion and regeneration. Effective balance right at home.
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