Hot water therapy is a popular solution for alleviating muscle soreness and tension, increasing blood flow and reducing stress. While all this can lead to a better night’s sleep, you may be surprised to learn another reason why you feel ready for bed after a relaxing nighttime soak.

Sleep.org describes how changing temperatures guide us into sleep. While 98.6 degrees is a normal baseline body temperature, your body temperature actually fluctuates by a couple of degrees throughout the day. During times when you feel alert very awake, your body temperature is higher. As your body temperature falls, you’re more likely to feel drowsy.

As you drift off to sleep at night, your temperature naturally cools down. Your body’s temperature drop after leaving the warm water of your hot tub mimics this cooling that occurs while you are falling asleep. Simulating this cooling can ease you into sleepiness so that you fall asleep quicker.

To make the most of your nighttime soak, plan it for after you’ve finished all work, chores and tasks around the house for the night and just before bedtime. Dim the lights in your hot tub area, or simply let the backlit LED Waterfall illuminate your soak.

Enjoy a fifteen to twenty minute soak in the warm water as the massing jets release tension in your muscles. This is a great time to ignore any distractions and to help ease your mind in to relaxation. Try keeping your phone in another room, the TV off, and listen to the sounds of the night around you or gentle soothing music.

When you’re ready to get out of the spa, you can rinse off and head to bed with your body already prepared to fall asleep.

Incorporating this nightly soak into your routine whenever possible is a great way to develop the habit of preparing your body for sleep. For more on the health benefits of hydrotherapy, visit http://dreammakerspas.com/why-dream-maker/health-benefits/