One daily habit can ‘reduce risk of heart disease and improve sleep’

Most of us savour a piping hot soak, especially during the chillier months when there’s a real nip in the air.

However, one medical professional has disclosed that there are actually nine extraordinary health benefits that come with enjoying hot water baths, including better sleep, lowered heart disease risk and enhanced mood.

Dr Gift Idahosa, known as @drgiftidahosa1 on TikTok, regularly shares wellness advice with her remarkable 330,000 followers.

Her latest post regarding the benefits of bathing resonated with audiences, attracting hundreds of likes.

The video began with the doctor appearing in her medical uniform as she listed the nine advantages of immersing oneself in a hot bath.

The benefits she listed included:

• Reducing the risk of heart disease
• Reducing headaches
• Elevated mood
• Opens pores and cleanses the skin
• Creating a better quality of sleep
• Reducing tiredness
• Relieving nasal congestion
• Relaxing the muscles
• Boosting your immunity and blood circulation

Supporting her claims, Harvard Health referenced research showing that individuals who bathed nearly daily had a 28% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and a 26% lower stroke risk compared to those who bathed fewer than twice weekly.

Healthline similarly supports the claims that baths reduce cardiovascular disease risk, whilst elevating mood, improving sleep quality and boosting blood circulation to the skin.

Furthermore, Mayo Clinic recommends using heat therapy to relieve tense neck and shoulder muscles, observing that muscle tension can “trigger tension-type headaches”.

This discovery comes after another physician’s recent guidance on optimal bath temperatures. Bathroom supplier Wholesale Domestic has partnered with Dr Deborah Lee from Dr Fox Pharmacy to share expert recommendations on creating the perfect bath for maximum relaxation and wellness advantages.

She suggested bath temperatures should fall between 36°C and 40°C. However, she recommended that bathing merely twice a week is ideal, explaining that over-washing can “strip natural oils and irritate skin conditions”.