Taking a Hot Bath Daily May Lower Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke

Taking a hot bath is not only enjoyable, it may also offer several health benefits including relieving muscle pain, easing stress, reducing congestion, and soothing irritated skin. Now a new study suggests that taking a hot bath daily may help reduce the risk of death from heart disease and stroke.

Participants in the study included 30,076 middle-aged adults who took part in the Japan Public Health Center based Study Cohort 1. Participants filled out a questionnaire that collected details regarding bathing habits, exercise, diet, alcohol intake, BMI, average sleep duration, and medical history. Participants were followed for an average of 19 years, and all cardiac related events were recorded.

The researchers found that participants who took a bath daily had a 28% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 26% lower risk of stroke compared to those who took a bath once per week. These results held even after considering confounding factors.

The study was conducted by researchers from Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine and Fujita Health University. It was published online ahead of print on March 24, 2020 in the journal Heart.