Soaking your feet is very beneficial for your physical and mental health, so many people now consider it a way to stay healthy. Can you soak your feet after exercise? What are the benefits of soaking your feet after exercise?
Can you soak your feet after exercise?
Yes, you can soak your feet after exercise.
Soaking your feet can promote blood circulation, improve metabolism, and relieve fatigue. However, it is recommended to wait for at least 30 minutes after exercise before soaking your feet, especially after running. During exercise, your feet become warm and your pores expand. Soaking your feet immediately after exercise can easily cause injury to the tibia.
Soaking your feet after exercise promotes blood circulation
Body temperature is closely related to blood circulation. When body temperature is low, blood circulation is also low, and vice versa. Soaking your feet in hot water after exercise can expand the blood vessels in your feet and increase the temperature of the skin, promoting blood circulation in your feet and throughout your body. This improves heart function and reduces the burden on the heart.
Soaking your feet after exercise promotes metabolism
Soaking your feet after exercise promotes blood circulation in your feet and throughout your body. Increased blood circulation regulates the secretion of various hormones by the body's glands, such as thyroid hormones secreted by the thyroid gland and adrenal hormones secreted by the adrenal glands. These hormones play a role in promoting body metabolism.
Soaking your feet relieves fatigue
After prolonged exercise, the body feels fatigued, mainly due to poor blood circulation in the feet, leading to the accumulation of metabolic byproducts such as lactic acid microcrystals and calcium salts. Each kilogram of blood contains about 30 milligrams of lactic acid. Soaking your feet in 43°C hot water for 30 minutes can reduce the amount of lactic acid in the blood, thereby relieving fatigue.
Soaking your feet improves sleep
After exercise, the body is in an excited state and feels very tired. Soaking your feet can promote blood circulation and metabolic circulation, providing good stimulation to the nerves and capillaries. This warm stimulation is reflected in the brain cortex through the feet, which has an inhibitory effect, transforming the excited sympathetic nerves into parasympathetic nerves. At this time, a person will be in a calm state, effectively improving sleep.
Should you use hot or cold water to soak your feet after exercise?
Use cold water for excessive or intense exercise
After excessive or intense exercise, such as after a marathon, soaking your feet in cold water can allow the overheated and fatigued muscles to return to normal temperature, effectively eliminating fatigue.
Use hot water for general exercise
After general exercise, soaking your feet in hot water can easily dilate blood vessels and relax tense muscles, helping to accelerate blood circulation throughout the body and relieve muscle soreness.
What is the appropriate water temperature for soaking your feet after exercise?
The water temperature for soaking your feet should not be too hot, generally around 40 degrees Celsius is most suitable, and the maximum temperature should not exceed 45 degrees Celsius.
If the water temperature for soaking your feet is too high, the blood vessels in your feet will excessively expand, causing more blood to flow to your lower limbs, which can easily lead to inadequate blood supply to organs such as the heart and brain. Moreover, if the water temperature is too high, it can also damage the sebum film on the surface of the skin, causing the stratum corneum to become dry and cracked.
