The average adult should not spend more than 30 minutes in a hot tub. A very healthy adult might be able to push to 45 minutes, or even an hour.
A hot tub is not like a bath – it stays hot the whole time you’re in it. By using one, you’re risking more than just wrinkly fingertips.
What Happens If You Stay in a Hot Tub Too Long?
A soak in a hot tub has proven health benefits. But be careful not to spend too long in there!
If you’ve ever stayed out in the summer sun too long, you’ll know that higher temperatures can cause dehydration and overheating, sometimes leading to dizziness and even fainting. It’s the same in your hot tub, especially if you’re using it in summer. Spend too long in your tub and you can become dehydrated, dizzy, and then faint, which is dangerous enough on its own but even more so in water.
The NHS recommends pregnant women exercise even more caution around hot tubs, especially in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy, because they are likely to feel warmer than normal.
If you do feel light headed while enjoying a soak, carefully leave the tub and only get back in (if you want to) when you feel normal again. Protect against this by drinking plenty of water while you soak – it’s best not to drink alcohol.
Those with sensitive skin could experience burns during a long soak. These are often mild, like light sunburn, but can blister.
Anyone with heart problems should also be careful: the heat of the hot tub causes your blood pressure to lower and your heart rate to rise. This could lead to dangerous side effects if you have any sort of heart condition. Take care when using the tub in winter: your heart rate and blood pressure can spike on exiting the tub if the external temperature is too low.
Ultimately, you will be safest by limiting yourself to 30 minutes at a time. You may have to adjust your soak time to accommodate for external and water temperatures, but 30 minutes is a good guideline.
If you have any questions about hot tub safety, or about any of our products, contact us! We will be more than happy to help.
Buy Hot Tubs
