If our body has an ideal temperature why is it nice to sit in a hot bath above that temperature?
In: Biology
Water is a far better conductor of heat than air[.](http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Tables/thrcn.html) Therefore, you’ll dissipate a lot more heat more quickly in water than in air. That’s why room temperature water feels colder than the rooms temperature, it’s literally pulling the heat from your body quicker than the surrounding air. A hot bath, where the water is at body temperature/ slightly higher feels amazing because it’s wrapping your body in it’s ideal temperature with little escape except from the air. Your body will quickly absorb the heat though when the water is warmer, and you’ll need to add more warm water to the system to keep yourself from feeling uncomfortably cold.
Hot water is relaxing to us because warm water breaks up tension in the muscles. When your muscles are tense, your body is actively working to keep those muscles tense, so hot water lets your body release that energy and gives you a calming sensation. Ever notice how raw meat is super tough, but cooked meat is generally really tender and easy to cut through? That’s the same process here, except you’re not putting your body in temps hot enough to cook it.
I’ll just add to the first comment by saying that our bodies warm themselves constantly. We’re at the ideal temperature because we made it that way. It makes sense that being in warm water would reduce or eliminate the burden of constantly heating ourselves.
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