Study: Hot Baths Are As Good For You As Exercise

There’s no arguing with this, ladies. IT’S SCIENCE.

Yes, new research shows that hot baths can be as good for you as certain exercise. A researcher at Loughborough University recently decided to study the health benefits of what’s called “passive heating,” (meaning: lying around while being heated up) by comparing the calories burned in an hour-long hot bath to those burned in an hour-long cycle. What he found: a one-hour bath burns as many calories as a 30-minute walk. Which sounds like reason enough for all of us to eschew the gym in favor of a long, hot bubble bath after putting the kids to bed tonight!

In addition, peak blood sugar was lower in those who took to the tub after eating than it was in those who went for a bit of exercise. Passive heating, the study also concluded, may help reduce inflammation—in other words (well, in our words), it’s essentially spinach and exercise soaked in bubbles. And we all know red wine is good for the heart, so might as well drink a glass or two of that while you’re in there.

So if your husband and kids ask why you’re spending all day in the bath with a Pinot Noir, tell them it’s for your health. It’s all for your health.