Expected rate of heating?

[Tubby]

Unfortunately, soaking in hot water for extended periods can be unhealthy for certain risk groups like elderly, very young, diabetic, etc.  (and probably all people if it's too hot, or if you're in for too long).  Your organs start to "cook".   To keep it safer, try it at 98F (36.67 C).  That keeps it at, or a touch below, natural body temperature.   It should feel plenty warm when you get in, especially compared to the surrounding air.   It's the jetting of the water that really massages the muscles. 

Tubby

Tubby

I can tell you first hand that if my tub was set to 98f and the outside temp was zero you would be freezing cold within minutes. The outside temp plays a big role in what the water temp should be because all your body is not under water. The blood supply regulates your core temp by warming what is out of the water and cooling what is in the water.

In the summer we use the setting where the tub stays shut off all day. When it is quite hot outside cooler water is perfect. On a nice summer night 98/99 is very nice, but at -10 I want my tub at 103/104 and nothing is getting cooked.

I do agree children are a whole different story as are elderly on some meds. It is good advice to contact your doctor for advice before doing any hot soaking.

Thanks bud16415.  - I did preface by saying it "can be unhealthy for certain risk groups."     Most of the body is submerged when in the tub, so most is getting the heat.   I'm going to stay with my doctor's advice and enjoy a nice 98.   Maybe 99 if I feel wild and crazy.    

Tubby

[bud16415]

Unfortunately, soaking in hot water for extended periods can be unhealthy for certain risk groups like elderly, very young, diabetic, etc.  (and probably all people if it's too hot, or if you're in for too long).  Your organs start to "cook".   To keep it safer, try it at 98F (36.67 C).  That keeps it at, or a touch below, natural body temperature.   It should feel plenty warm when you get in, especially compared to the surrounding air.   It's the jetting of the water that really massages the muscles. 

Tubby

Tubby

I can tell you first hand that if my tub was set to 98f and the outside temp was zero you would be freezing cold within minutes. The outside temp plays a big role in what the water temp should be because all your body is not under water. The blood supply regulates your core temp by warming what is out of the water and cooling what is in the water.

In the summer we use the setting where the tub stays shut off all day. When it is quite hot outside cooler water is perfect. On a nice summer night 98/99 is very nice, but at -10 I want my tub at 103/104 and nothing is getting cooked.

I do agree children are a whole different story as are elderly on some meds. It is good advice to contact your doctor for advice before doing any hot soaking.

Thanks bud16415.  - I did preface by saying it "can be unhealthy for certain risk groups."     Most of the body is submerged when in the tub, so most is getting the heat.   I'm going to stay with my doctor's advice and enjoy a nice 98.   Maybe 99 if I feel wild and crazy.    

Tubby

I do agree to test out your likes slowly and get used to your tub. I had a “friend” coworker that bought a tub many years before me. He filled it up and set it on 105 (bragging) and grabbed a six-pack of beer and jumped in he said to read the instruction book. When he got to the part about it is not wise to drink alcohol in the tub he threw the book away.

You will find what works best for you and how to regulate how warm you are by what seat you sit in and how much of you is in the water. Our tub has a cool down seat and it gets used a lot where your upper body is mostly above the water line. You cool down quickly in the winter months. One seat we have has you neck deep as does the recliner. The other corner and the two middle seats you can rest your arms on the top of the tub if you get hot. Most tubs are similar. You always have the option of sitting on the top edge also if you feel like cooling down.

There is no doubt it raises your core temp though because going outside to get in during the winter is do it as quick as you can. But getting out isn’t a problem at all and I often treat the tub and close it up before drying off even.

I have read if you tub after an aerobic workout the tub will keep the aerobic effect going without exercise.

I have a feeling if you live up north you might get crazy around feb and go for 100f.   Enjoy your new tub that’s what counts.

[Tubby]

Hopefully your co-worker friend doesn't still do 105, especially while drinking.  We were staying a Bed & Breakfast where one of the guests drank a lot that night, and then went in the very hot hot tub.  He died from a massive heart attack that night.  Not someone we knew, so we don't know his medical history, but the Innkeeper relayed the info from the medical examiner that said that the alcohol combined with the excessive heat were contributing factors.  Bottom line, get a doctor's clearance before using hot tubs, especially if you like them really hot. 

Tubby   

[bud16415]

Hopefully your co-worker friend doesn't still do 105, especially while drinking.  We were staying a Bed & Breakfast where one of the guests drank a lot that night, and then went in the very hot hot tub.  He died from a massive heart attack that night.  Not someone we knew, so we don't know his medical history, but the Innkeeper relayed the info from the medical examiner that said that the alcohol combined with the excessive heat were contributing factors.  Bottom line, get a doctor's clearance before using hot tubs, especially if you like them really hot. 

Tubby

This old friend no longer hot tubs at 105 or drinks as a few years ago he assumed room temperature. I don’t think it was hot tub related. 

It is fullhearted to be careless with health risks and I don’t see it often mentioned on the forums. Everyone should be aware of the risks stressing your body with extreme temps both hot and cold can have. The big trick to enjoying hot tubbing I think is in self-monitoring your body. We are very used to our tub now and we seem to be about one degree F different in our ideal setting. I sometime wish the tub had half degree steps. When we have friends in the tub I watch them very closely and as soon as I hear them say anything like they are getting overheated or dizzy or any sign of heat related problems I have them move to the cool down seat and if that doesn’t work I have them get out for a bit. Even agile young people that had no problem getting in and out of the tub should be watched or helped out if they are feeling the heat.

At a friend’s tub many years before we had ours we were in the tub and there was another young healthy woman in the tub and she just kind of collapsed. I got her out and in the house and had her cool down and drink water and she came around in a few minutes. Then I find out she took some cold meds and also had a couple drinks. What a recipe for disaster that was. People don’t use good judgment that’s for sure.

We like spending time in our tub and a very hot, hot tub is going to be one you are in and out of in 10-15 minutes. Going one degree cooler makes a world of difference in how much time you can spend in there. Like I said in the hot summer months ours shuts off all day and warms up in the evening. The day hours when the water is 90F are perfect for the kids to play in it like a pool and 99-100 makes for a nice warm evening soak for the adults. In the winter we rarely go higher than 103.

For winter tubbing some warm caps for the head are nice to have. We bought a basket full of them last spring when Wally Mart had them on sale for 50 cents a cap and keep them next to the stack of warm thick towels.   

[BoxieBoy]

We had a guest, who fainted when she got out due to the hot tub affecting her blood pressure. My tub was set to 38 deg C - So you do have to be careful on how long you spend in it, temperature and not to drink too much alcohol