---
title: 6 Science-Backed Ways a Hot Tub Helps with Sore Muscles
description: Whether you’re sore from a hard workout or a long day in the garden, a soak in a hot tub could be just what you need.
image: https://blog.watsons.com/hubfs/6%20Science-Backed%20Ways%20a%20Hot%20Tub%20Helps%20with%20Sore%20Muscles.png
---
- [Services](https://www.watsons.com/services)
- [Education](https://www.watsons.com/education)
[](https://www.watsons.com/)
- [My StoreCincinnati, OH Store](https://www.watsons.com/stores/) **Change Store?**
- **Change Store?**
- [Sign In](https://www.watsons.com/customer/account/login/)
- [Register](https://www.watsons.com/customer/account/create/)
**Search**
Search
[Advanced Search](https://www.watsons.com/catalogsearch/advanced/)
Search
[**
** ](https://www.watsons.com/)
[My Cart ](https://www.watsons.com/checkout/cart/) [My Cart ](https://www.watsons.com/checkout/cart/)
** My Cart**
Close
[](https://www.watsons.com/)
**Search**
Search
[Advanced Search](https://www.watsons.com/catalogsearch/advanced/)
Search
- [My StoreCincinnati, OH Store](https://www.watsons.com/stores/) **Change Store?**
# 6 Science-Backed Ways a Hot Tub Helps with Sore Muscles
Posted by [Watson's](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/author/watsons) on Aug 9, 2021 10:27:00 AM
- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
Whether you’re sore from a hard workout or a long day in the garden, a soak in a hot tub could be just what you need.
Before we dive into how a hot tub helps relieve pain, it’s helpful to understand *why *you’re sore.
New exercise or an intense workout can lead to microscopic tears in your muscle fiber, which is what will eventually lead to bigger, stronger muscles. So that muscle soreness you feel is normal.
Your [hot tub or spa](https://www.watsons.com/spa) can be the perfect remedy. It’s for far more than just stress relief and relaxation.
Thanks to both the heat of the water and the jet massages, a spa can also offer pain relief and even speed up the muscle healing and recovery process. That’s why water immersion is increasingly used by elite athletes to accelerate recovery and minimize fatigue.
Below, learn more about the science behind why a hot tub can be your best pain relief for sore muscles.
Considering a hot tub or spa? Watson’s has one of the largest spa selections in the nation, all at the guaranteed lowest price in the USA. [Browse spas now](https://www.watsons.com/spa), or [ask for a custom quote](https://www.watsons.com/services/contact-us).
## 6 ways a hot tub helps with sore muscles
Here are a few science-backed ways that a soak in hot water helps with sore muscles:
1. **Submerging in water takes the pressure off your joints and muscles. **This relief from the pressure of gravity gives your body a welcome respite from pain.
1. **A hot water soak will relax blood vessels and improve blood flow**. Blood carries oxygen, protein and other nutrients to repair the muscles. (Bonus: Better circulation can also lower blood pressure.)
1. **Hydrotherapy helps to regenerate cells. **One [study on the effects of hydrotherapy also found increased blood levels of somatotropin](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049052/) (STH), a growth hormone that prompts cellular regeneration, after a whole-body hot soak.
1. **The same study also linked a decrease in cortisol levels to heat.** Cortisol is the [body’s main stress hormone](https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-cortisol#1).
1. **A soak in the hot tub improves sleep.** Multiple studies have shown that a soak in a hot tub helps you fall asleep faster, by promoting relaxation in the tub and then a rapid drop in body temperature as you step out. Sleep is a critical component to muscle recovery.
1. **Massage after delayed-onset muscle soreness can help eliminate muscle fatigue. **It can also help have a positive effect on pain and gait performance after leg exercises. So, if you’re considering a hot tub, look for rotating hydromassage jets to dial in on specific muscle groups.
## Bonus tip: Soak in the hot tub before a workout
Before you exercise, try taking a 10 to 20 minute soak in the hot tub. This helps get the blood flowing and loosens up your muscles. Loosening those tight muscles will help reduce the risk of injury.
Have questions about a new hot tub or spa? Our team of experts is happy to answer your questions and help you find the right spa for your health goals, your home and your budget.
[Browse spas now](https://www.watsons.com/spa), or [ask for a custom quote](https://www.watsons.com/services/contact-us).
Newsletter Sign Up
    
## Sign Up for Our Newsletter
Get $15 off your next purchase of $75 or more when you sign up!
## Popular Posts
[Pool School Prize Winners: Day 3 (4/24/26)
](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/pool-school-prize-winners-day-3-2026)
April 24, 2026
[Read Now
→](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/pool-school-prize-winners-day-3-2026)
[Pool School Prize Winners: Day 2 (4/22/26)
](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/pool-school-prize-winners-day-2-2026)
April 23, 2026
[Read Now
→](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/pool-school-prize-winners-day-2-2026)
[Pool School Prize Winners: Day 1 (4/21/26)
](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/pool-school-prize-winners-day-1-2026)
April 22, 2026
[Read Now
→](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/pool-school-prize-winners-day-1-2026)
[The Hidden Costs of Cheap Indoor Furniture (and How to Avoid Them)
](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/hidden-costs-cheap-indoor-furniture)
September 30, 2025
[Read Now
→](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/hidden-costs-cheap-indoor-furniture)
[Luxury Hot Tub Features You Didn’t Know You Needed
](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/luxury-hot-tub-features-you-didnt-know-you-needed)
August 20, 2025
[Read Now
→](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/luxury-hot-tub-features-you-didnt-know-you-needed)
[7 Things You Should Never Do in a Hot Tub (And Why)
](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/7-things-you-should-never-do-in-a-hot-tub-and-why)
August 19, 2025
[Read Now
→](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/7-things-you-should-never-do-in-a-hot-tub-and-why)
## Posts By Tags
- [Spas and Hot Tubs (98)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/spas-and-hot-tubs)
- [Outdoor and Patio - Furniture (89)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/outdoor-and-patio-furniture)
- [Indoor Furniture - Living Room (58)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/indoor-furniture-living-room)
- [Pool - Above Ground Pools (57)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/pool-above-ground-pools)
- [Outdoor and Patio - Accessories (35)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/outdoor-and-patio-accessories)
- [Outdoor and Patio - Firepits (24)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/outdoor-and-patio-firepits)
- [Pool - Chemicals (23)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/pool-chemicals)
- [Spas and Hot Tubs - Supplies and Equipment (21)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/spas-and-hot-tubs-supplies-and-equipment)
- [Outdoor and Patio - Grills and Brick Ovens (20)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/outdoor-and-patio-grills-and-brick-ovens)
- [How to (16)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/how-to)
- [Outdoor and Patio - Umbrellas and Bases (15)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/outdoor-and-patio-umbrellas-and-bases)
- [Pool - Supplies (14)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/pool-supplies)
- [Spas and Hot Tubs - Swim Spas (14)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/spas-and-hot-tubs-swim-spas)
- [Games and Rec - Foosball (13)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-foosball)
- [Indoor Furniture - Home Theater Seating (11)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/indoor-furniture-home-theater-seating)
- [Saunas and Steam Rooms (11)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/saunas-and-steam-rooms)
- [Games and Rec - Pool and Billiards (10)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-pool-and-billiards)
- [Learn more (10)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/learn-more)
- [Pool - Equipment (10)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/pool-equipment)
- [Brand Spotlight (9)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/brand-spotlight)
- [Indoor Furniture - Dining and Kitchen (9)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/indoor-furniture-dining-and-kitchen)
- [Pool - Semi-inground Pools (9)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/pool-semi-inground-pools)
- [Games and Rec - Shuffleboards (7)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-shuffleboards)
- [Games and Rec - Arcade Games (6)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-arcade-games)
- [Games and Rec - Poker and Game Tables (4)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-poker-and-game-tables)
- [Home Decor - Accessories (4)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/home-decor-accessories)
- [Indoor Furniture - Bar (4)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/indoor-furniture-bar)
- [Games and Rec - Air Hockey (3)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-air-hockey)
- [Games and Rec - Dartboards (3)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-dartboards)
- [Games and Rec - Ping Pong and Table Tennis (3)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/games-and-rec-ping-pong-and-table-tennis)
- [Home Decor - Bar Accessories (3)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/home-decor-bar-accessories)
- [Fireplaces - Electric (2)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/fireplaces-electric)
- [Home Decor - Tableware (2)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/home-decor-tableware)
- [Ideas (2)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/ideas)
- [Insider (2)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/insider)
- [Life's Best Moments (2)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/lifes-best-moments)
- [Pool School (2)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/pool-school)
- [Home Decor - Rugs (1)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/home-decor-rugs)
- [Media Consoles (1)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/media-consoles)
- [Product Announcement (1)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/product-announcement)
- [new product (1)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/new-product)
- [sale (1)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/sale)
- [winter (1)](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/tag/winter)
[Show More](https://blog.watsons.com/blog/6-science-backed-ways-a-hot-tub-helps-with-sore-muscles#)
**Never Miss out on a Deal!**
Be the first to receive updates on new arrivals, promotions and special events
Cincinnati Store 2721 E. Sharon Road Cincinnati, OH 45241 513-326-1100
Change Store
- #### Find Us
- -
-
-
-
-
© 2018 Watson's - Life's Best Moments Start Here! All Rights Reserved.
[](https://www.watsons.com/)