As far as wellness fads go, sitting in a warm pool being massaged by jets is quite pleasant when you compare it to popular longevity treatments like NAD+ drips and breath restriction exercise. Despite being a buzzy concept in the modern longevity movement’s quest to live longer and age slower, hydrotherapy—or using water to help treat common concerns like muscle aches, stress, and fatigue—has been around pretty much since the start of human history. The ancient Romans famously had their public bathhouses, while ancient Greeks are considered the inventors of contrast therapy.
While you might be familiar with, or even partaken in a sauna and cold plunge, it turns out there are a few things experts say we’ve been getting wrong when we submerge ourselves. I know, it’s just water, how complicated could it be? While you will still see some benefits if you just dunk yourself in cold water and call it a day, you won’t get the full scope of what hydrotherapy has to offer, says Marcus Coplin, ND, medical director at Murrieta Hot Springs Resort and The Springs Resort, and chief medical director at Bastyr University. Everything from how long you spend in the water to the type of water and even the order you do your treatments will influence how effective that treatment is, he says.
