What are the benefits of soaking your feet after exercise? Should you use hot or cold water to soak your feet after exercise?

I believe that friends who like sports have a deep understanding that after exercise, the body is in an excited state, but also feels very tired. Soaking feet can dredge blood, promote metabolic circulation, and have a good stimulating effect on nerves and capillaries. Soaking feet at this time will improve the quality of sleep after exercise and make our bodies healthier!

Contents of this article

1. What are the benefits of soaking your feet after exercise?

2. Should I use hot or cold water to soak my feet after exercise?

3. What is the appropriate water temperature for foot soaking after exercise?

What are the benefits of soaking your feet after exercise?

Soaking your feet after exercise promotes blood circulation

Human body temperature is closely related to blood circulation. When the body temperature is low, the blood circulation is also low. Conversely, when the body temperature is high, the blood circulation will become vigorous. Soaking your feet in hot water after exercise can expand the blood vessels in the feet, while raising the temperature of the skin, promoting blood circulation in the feet and the whole body, thereby improving heart function and reducing the burden on the heart.

Foot bath promotes body metabolism

Soaking your feet after exercise promotes blood circulation in the feet and the whole body. With increased blood circulation, the functions of various hormones secreted by various glands in the body are regulated, such as the thyroid gland secreting thyroid hormones and the adrenal glands secreting adrenal hormones. The secretion of these hormones all promotes the body's metabolism.

Foot bath to relieve fatigue

After long-term exercise, the human body will feel tired, and the feet will first experience poor blood circulation, which will lead to the deposition of metabolic end products, lactic acid microcrystals, calcium salts and other substances. There are about 30 mg of lactic acid per kilogram of blood. After soaking your feet in 43°C hot water for 30 minutes, the lactic acid in the blood will be reduced, thereby relieving fatigue.

Foot bath improves sleep

After exercise, the body is in an excited state, but also feels very tired. Soaking your feet can unclog the blood, promote metabolic circulation, and have a good stimulating effect on nerves and capillaries. This warm stimulation is reflected through the feet to the cerebral cortex, where it has an inhibitory effect, converting the excited sympathetic nerves to parasympathetic nerves. At this time, people will be in a quiet state, thereby effectively improving sleep.

Should I use hot or cold water to soak my feet after exercise?

Excessive exercise, too much cold water

After strenuous or prolonged exercise, such as a marathon, soaking your feet in cold water can restore the heated and fatigued muscles to normal temperature and effectively eliminate fatigue.

Generally use hot water after exercise

Generally, soaking your feet in hot water after exercise can easily dilate blood vessels, relax tense muscles, help speed up blood circulation throughout the body, and relieve muscle soreness.

What is the appropriate water temperature for foot bath after exercise?

The water temperature for foot soaking should not be too hot. Generally, 40 degrees is most suitable, and the maximum temperature should not exceed 45 degrees.

If the temperature of the water for foot soaking is too high, the blood vessels in the feet will dilate excessively, and more blood will flow to the lower limbs, which may easily cause insufficient blood supply to the heart, brain and other organs. Furthermore, if the water temperature is adjusted too high, it will damage the sebum film on the surface of the foot skin, causing the stratum corneum to dry and crack.