In the cold winter, gathering with friends and going to hot springs together are very popular leisure and social ways at present.

There are many benefits of soaking in hot springs, which can not only relieve physical fatigue and mental stress, but also warm meridians and dredge collaterals, dispel cold and relax tendons, and smooth qi and blood. Especially for people who live and work in cities, it is undoubtedly a good choice for leisure and health.

Hot spring bath is also a natural therapy. After soaking in hot springs, some chemicals in the water will be absorbed by human skin, changing the pH of the skin, so it also has the functions of absorption, nourishment and removal. Chemicals in hot spring water can also slightly stimulate people's nervous, endocrine and immune systems.

Hot springs have been used for thousands of years in China. As early as the pre-Qin "Shan Hai Jing", there were records of "hot springs". In the Northern Wei Dynasty's Notes on Water Classics, it was recorded: "Koushui came out of the high-pressure mountain in Lingqiu County ... and merged with the hot spring water in the east, and the water flowed out of the noisy valley in the northwest. If the water temperature is like soup, it can make the disease worse, so it is called hot spring. " In the Han Dynasty, even more writers wrote an essay "Ode to Hot Springs".

For hot springs, there is a strict definition in geology: mineral water that naturally gushes from underground holes or cracks, the temperature of the spring mouth is 5 degrees Celsius higher than the local average annual temperature, and contains trace elements beneficial to human health can be called hot spring water. However, with the large-scale development of tourism, the concept of hot spring has been generalized in recent years. Natural hot spring water, underground geothermal water (groundwater with a temperature of 25℃ distributed in underground rocks) and mixed water composed of underground hot water and artificially heated water are often called hot spring water.

Geothermal water still conforms to the definition of "temperature" after all. It usually contains some minerals that are beneficial to health, but it is unnatural and does not conform to the concept of "spring". Artificial carbonated springs, or so-called "hot springs" directly heated by tap water, are a bit of a misnomer. People who go to this so-called "hot spring" can only be regarded as taking a bath, not taking a hot spring.

However, how to distinguish between true and false hot spring water? There are four simple methods, so try them: ① The real hot spring water has a slight sulfur smell; ② Real hot spring water has a greasy feeling after wetting the body; (3) The real hot spring water will make people feel slightly upward buoyancy; (4) After soaking in a real hot spring, people's hands and skin will not be chapped.

Hot spring bathing needs to prevent "hot spring disease"

Soaking in hot springs and staying healthy and comfortable is simply the best "standard" in the cold winter. However, before you go to hot springs, you must know your health and see if you are suitable for hot springs. This is very important and cannot be ignored. In addition, we should also pay attention to the ways and means of soaking in hot springs and make necessary protection to avoid health failure and illness.

Some people will have symptoms such as dry skin, itching and dizziness after soaking in hot springs, which is often called "hot spring disease". "Hot spring disease" refers to a series of adverse reactions caused by soaking in hot springs, including itchy skin, dermatitis, dizziness, palpitation and even syncope. If you want to enjoy the comfort of hot springs and avoid "hot spring disease", you should fully consider your skin quality, water temperature, time and frequency of soaking in hot springs and other comprehensive factors.

According to the different composition of water, hot springs can be divided into many kinds, such as carbonated springs and sulfur springs. Different hot springs have different precautions, which should be chosen according to personal physique. For example, carbonated hot springs have low water temperature, which can promote blood circulation and improve the function of the heart and blood vessels, and have less burden on the heart, but are not suitable for people with kidney disease and poor gastrointestinal function. Sulfur hot springs have a certain therapeutic effect on skin diseases, but people who are allergic to skin will cause diseases.

Are you really suitable for hot springs?

Elderly people with hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, emphysema and anemia should not soak in hot springs. Soaking in hot springs for a long time may lead to symptoms such as sweating and dizziness, but some elderly people, especially hypertensive patients, will also have symptoms such as sweating and dizziness after soaking in hot springs for a short time. Especially when the outdoor temperature is low and the hot spring water temperature is high, it is easy to cause vasodilation discomfort due to the stimulation of alternating cold and hot.

Diabetic patients should not soak in hot springs for a long time, because high water temperature may accelerate the absorption of insulin, increase the energy consumption of the body, increase the burden on the heart, and be more prone to accidents. Patients with severe arteriosclerosis and people with poor long-term hypertension control should not soak in hot springs. Because their vascular endothelial function and elasticity decrease, vascular fragility increases. When soaking in hot springs, hot and cold stimuli alternate, and blood vessels contract and expand frequently, which can lead to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents.

Children and pregnant women should not soak in hot springs for a long time. Because the hot spring water temperature is high, it is easy to lead to the acceleration of human metabolism, so it is best for children and pregnant women to soak in hot springs for no more than 30 minutes. Women in physiological period, people who are allergic to hot springs, and people with wounds, ulcers and serious infections are not suitable for hot springs. Especially people with infectious skin diseases, don't go to hot springs to avoid infecting others.

Soaking in hot springs for a long time may cause epidermal lipid thinning, resulting in dry skin, desquamation and itching. These skin reactions often vary from person to person and their severity varies. Some people may not feel uncomfortable after soaking for a long time, but allergic people may appear after soaking once. So people with allergies should be careful when soaking in hot springs.

The correct way to soak in hot springs

Taking a bath before soaking in a hot spring can wash away sweat stains on the skin, thus making it easier for the skin to absorb minerals in the spring water and "preheat" the body.

Before choosing a suitable hot spring in Tang Chi, you can learn about the pH value of the hot spring and the quality of the spring water, and soak in the pool selectively according to your physical condition.

Step by step into the pool to soak in hot springs, you can use the step-by-step bathing method. Before entering the hot spring pool, test the water temperature by hand, and then enter the water if it feels right. Soak your legs first, then slowly soak your chest, and then slowly soak your shoulders when you get used to it, so that you can avoid cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents step by step. Get up slowly when you leave the pool, and get used to it before you leave the pool.

Master the temperature and time. Generally, the temperature of hot springs should not exceed 45. Too high a temperature can easily cause skin problems. When soaking in hot springs, you should follow the principle of from low temperature to high temperature, and leave the pool for rest for no more than15 for 20 minutes at a time, or about 10 minutes. This will not only help the body to sweat and detoxify, but also take the opportunity to do stretching exercises and replenish water. If the temperature is too high and the time is too long, it will accelerate the skin aging and have a destructive effect on the skin.

It is not good to eat too much on an empty stomach. Don't drink on an empty stomach or soak in hot springs. Stimulated by high water temperature, it is easy to cause peripheral vasodilation, hypotension, hypoglycemia and even syncope. Eating too much will lead to indigestion and accidents.

Pay attention to skin cleaning and moisturizing. Generally speaking, after soaking in hot springs, you only need to dry your body and keep warm. If it is dry skin, you can apply some moisturizing lotion to lock in moisture, and try to use less skin care products containing chemicals. If you have soaked in sulfur or hot springs with high acid and alkali concentration, you need to rinse your body with clean water, clean your hair and use conditioner to avoid dry, knotted and tarnished hair.

Replenish water and rest in time. The most important thing is to pay attention to hydration and rest after soaking in hot springs. Because the hot spring water temperature is higher than human body temperature, sweat can not evaporate in hot spring water for a long time, and the skin protection function is reduced, which is easy to cause dizziness and other discomfort. Therefore, the hot spring soaking time should not be too long and the frequency should not be too frequent.

"No hot springs don't warm winter"

You who love hot springs.

Have you received these thoughtful reminders?

Author: Yuan Dingfen, director of dermatology, Sixth People's Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University.

Text finishing: Zhang Tiancheng

Audit expert: Lei Tiechi, expert from the National Health Science Expert Database, director of dermatology department of Wuhan University People's Hospital, and second-class professor.

Planning: Tan Jia