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How a Sundance Spa Can Help You Avoid Health Problems Associated With Stress

<a href="http://www.sundancespas.com/spa-blog/the-backyard-stress-busting-machine-your-spa/"><img alt="Sundance Spas" src="http://www.sundancespas.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/SundanceSpas-infographic.jpg" width="690" /></a> We know that a lot of factors can influence how we handle stress; some are within our control and others are not. Almost anyone who is stretched to the limit by impossible-to-meet demands, or is facing an unexpected crisis, can find it challenging to manage the body's physical response to stress. Symptoms can range from mild headaches to a gradual weakening of the body's ability to fight disease. Sundance Spas recommends using hot tub hydrotherapy to help combat the effects of stress. Hot tub hydrotherapy has three tremendous benefits that have been shown to promote wellbeing:

1. it warms the body,
2. provides a professional-type massage, and
3. lifts the burden on joints and muscles through the water's natural buoyancy.

Hydrotherapy loosens stiff muscles in the neck and shoulders to ease discomfort and improve your mobility. Letting go and relaxing in a Sundance spa revs up sluggish circulation to help speed the body's healing process and renew your energy. If your joints are a problem, taking some weight off of them during a spa session can make it easier to move without pain. In other words, Sundance hydrotherapy replenishes overworked, tense and tired bodies to bring them back into balance. And there's no doubt that a body in balance is more resistant to the physical effects of stress. Used on a regular basis, Sundance hydrotherapy can fortify the body with regular doses of rejuvenation and calm.

Try the 10-Minute Hot Tub Balancing Act

Although I’m one of those who enjoys holiday shopping, family gatherings and all the traditions, I find myself waking up too early in the morning, worried about getting it all done. By afternoon I feel tired and wired at the same time. We’ve found that 10 minutes a day in the hot tub can do an amazing job of balancing body, mind and spirit. Here’s how: Stretch out in your Sundance® spa. Hot tub hydrotherapy is equivalent to the warm-up phase of a workout. Heat prepares tight muscles for stretching and loosens stiff joints. Stretching helps prevent muscle tightness, pain and even injury. It relaxes you, too. Use hydrotherapy to help you sleep. Studies show that hot-water immersion and hydro massage make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. Hot tub hydrotherapy works to improve circulation and reduce blood pressure. Both of these work to fight the body’s stress triggers, which can keep you up at night. Stimulate the body’s endorphins. Hot tub hydrotherapy promotes the production of a natural substance, endorphins, that make you feel better. Endorphins are responsible for the calm, almost euphoric sensation runners experience after a long distance run. They say the glowing feeling of being of love is caused by endorphins. We could all use an endorphin rush during the holidays, right? If the idea of taking a few minutes out of your day to relax in your Sundance spa seems impossible during December, think of the healthy benefits you’ll receive. And don’t forget how good you’ll feel during your hot tub time.

A Sundance Spa Can Be Moved More Easily Than You Think

When my husband and I remodeled our backyard, it took us months to decide on the color and dimensions of the stained and stamped concrete patio. Several decisions and choices revolved around this permanent fixture and once it was poured and set, there was no going back. Fortunately, most  Sundance® spas are above-ground, self-contained units that are portable. Our hot tubs are quite easy to install and set up, and they can be relocated again later, depending on the hot tub installation. These benefits have made our portable spas (check out one of my favorites, the Hawthorne™) extremely popular for home owners looking to create a backyard spa retreat without the stress of a huge construction project. A portable hot tub can be tilted up on its side onto a flat dolly and easily guided along a walkway – just be sure the hot tub has clearance at gates or doorways. Unlike an in-ground hot tub installation, a portable hot tub doesn’t require any special construction or plumbing. (It’s important that you contact a licensed electrician or contractor when planning for your hot tub electrical hook up. You should consult the owner’s manual for your specific hot tub model and provide the information to your electrician.) READ MORE >

4 Things to Consider When Shopping for Family Hot Tubs

Ever notice how families spend a lot of time in the same house without really spending time together? Rushing through breakfast, chaotic dinner times, vegging out in front of the TV in the evening, etcetera. Family hot tubs can't change the pace of modern life, but a hot tub will give you a reason to relax and enjoy each other's company. So how do you decide on the best hot tub for your family? Here are some tips: READ MORE >

Relieve Joint Pain and Increase Flexibility with Hydrotherapy

Millions of people worldwide suffer from some form of joint pain, with little guidance given to them other than to take pain relievers. A common cause of joint pain can be boiled down to inflexibility of the joints, muscle tightness or both. Whether you suffer from a chronic condition, such as arthritis, or temporary stiffness from sports, spending time in a hydrotherapy spa will work wonders in relieving tightness of the muscles and joints. Supplement a hot tub hydrotherapy massage with hot water stretching and start feeling the benefits in no time. READ MORE >

Positive Results for Our Bodies and Our Minds

Whether you’re a professional athlete, a serious amateur, or the occasional exerciser, hydromassage offers proven benefits. Not until modern times, however, has hydromassage become so easily available to regular folks, thanks to the portable hot tub and spa industry. READ MORE >

Experience the Heat, Buoyancy and Massage

Water’s buoyancy reduces body weight, relieving pressure on joints and muscles. How much do you think body weight is reduced by due to water’s buoyancy? a) 100% b) 90% c) 50% d) 25% READ MORE >

Heat Combined with Buoyancy Can Deliver a Highly-Effective Stretch

Last month, in honor of American Heart Month and in an effort to improve overall wellness and protect myself against heart disease, I enrolled in a series of yoga classes. I have read that perhaps one of the most studied areas of the health benefits of yoga is its effect on heart disease. “Studies have found that yoga practice lowers the resting heart rate, increases endurance, and can improve your maximum uptake of oxygen during exercise—all reflections of improved aerobic conditioning.” –Yoga Journal. I must say, I have enjoyed the benefits of yoga more than anticipated. Mental calmness, stress reduction and flexibility are among the many benefits I have received since practicing this gentle form of fitness. READ MORE >

5 Medication-Free Strategies to Help Prevent Heart Disease

The entire month of February seems to revolve around matters of the heart including health, the color red and romance with the following “special observance” days:

• 2/6 National Wear Red Day
• 2/14 Valentine’s Day
• 2/20 National Women’s Heart Health Day

Since it is American Heart Month, I give you 5 medication-free strategies to help prevent heart disease provided by the Mayo Clinic.

1. Don't smoke or use tobacco
2. Exercise for 30 minutes on most days of the week READ MORE >

Hot Tub Health Benefits for the New Year

**Happy New Year blog readers! Welcome 2011!** Have you made a New Year’s resolution? Typically, it seems the resolutions I hear most revolve around weight loss, tighter finances, less work and more family fun. In a recent study, results found that the top 2011 New Year’s resolutions reveal a focus on quality of life as opposed to a focus on money. Here are the survey results in order of popularity (conducted by TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation): 2011 Top New Year’s Resolutions:

• Relax/Reduce stress
• Have more fun
• Save more money

Interestingly enough, two years prior, the same study results found the opposite to be true, as “save more money” was the top resolution, followed by “relax/reduce stress.” This year, nearly two-thirds of survey respondents said they are less likely to make resolutions about their personal finances; health and well-being are simply more important as they look to the future. READ MORE >

Sleep Benefits of Hot Tubs and Other Hidden Factors

According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 70 million people in the United States are affected by sleep problems. A poll released by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) found that 43% of women surveyed say that daytime sleepiness interferes with their daily activities. How much do you know about getting a good night’s rest? Take the below quiz to test your knowledge:

1. Snoring is a common problem, especially among men, but it isn’t harmful. (True / False) False. Snoring can be a symptom of a sleep apnea, especially if it is accompanied by severe daytime sleepiness. Sleep apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing that prevent air from flowing into or out of a sleeping person’s airways. People with sleep apnea awaken frequently during the night gasping for breath. READ MORE >