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Hot water bottles are increasingly used in these cold times (and energy-saving times!).
Are hot water bottles only beneficial in keeping you warm? Not only!
Stay with us and read about the multiple benefits of hot water bottles. We've listed 4 for you.
For all of the advice below. Make sure you're hot water bottle is safe for use. Read our article on how to use your hot water bottle safely.
4 important benefits of hot water bottles
Hot water bottles are very useful to keep you warm and help with the relief of many aches and pains. In addition, they are also used to alleviate lower back pain typically experienced by pregnant women. Hot water bottles as a source of warmth also offer comfort and reassurance to people experiencing mild stress and anxiety. They can also help reduce energy costs by substituting higher levels of heating.
1. Keeping you warm
While working
Perhaps your managers have turned the heat down in the office to save on energy bills. Perhaps you simply need to work in a warmer environment than your colleagues! If you can't use the thermostat yourself and you don't want to wear your jacket in the office, a hot water bottle can help keep you warm and productive.
Fill your hot water bottle and place it on your lap or behind your back to keep warm at the office. Do not sit on it!
To fall asleep
Hot water bottles are great sources of warmth as you go to bed, especially in the winter. Placing it on your belly may help you relax your muscles and warm up before going to sleep. The chances are, the bottle may still be lukewarm when you wake up, what a treat! Make sure you only use the hot water bottle before you are going to sleep, not while you are sleeping. Sleeping with it can be dangerous as you may roll over it and burst it.
If you're camping and have access to water and fire, it's also a great source of warmth to place in your sleeping bag! Again, make sure to take the hot water bottle out before falling asleep.
While driving
Living in a cold country and needing to drive to work early in the morning? Unless you have a very fancy car, it will take time for you to heat it up.
Place a hot water bottle behind your back to keep you warm. Ideally, stick to the hot water bottle to keep you warm during the whole trip and avoid using car heating (both to save on gas money and the environment.
We recommend you do not place and use a hot water bottle on your lap while driving. This is a potential hazard as the bottle may slip from your lap and land on or below the car pedals.
This is why we recommend placing it somewhere it won't move and there is not too much pressure: behind your back! We do not recommend you sit on your hot water bottle as it may burst.
2. Aches and pains relief
Whether very active people or more sedentary, we all face aches and pains from time to time. These can occur from a wrong movement, a radical change in temperature or simply after a challenging workout.
Applying a hot water bottle where the pain is located is a great way to alleviate the pain and relax your muscles.
Neck pain
Getting a stiff neck in periods of stress or radical temperature changes is common, and can be very painful. Applying heat to your muscles may help alleviate some of your neck pain and make it less stiff. This is commonly known as heat therapy.
Stomach pain
Just like muscle pain, using a hot water bottle on your stomach can help relieve pain from indigestions or your period for example. Place the bottle on your stomach to keep you warm and make sure to take the hot water bottle off your belly if this increases the pain.
Cold water for muscle pain relief
Whether you are new to working out or working out on a regular basis, muscle aches and pains will be a part of your journey. If you still have muscle pain 2 days after your last workout, apply a cold water bottle to the affected muscle area to ease the pain.
Ideally, place the cold water bottle directly after your workout or 24 hours after for optimal muscle pain-reducing results. It is also suggested, in some cases, to apply heat hot water bottle to the affected area in order to stimulate blood flow and ease the pain. In this case, hot and cold both work!
Aches during a pregnancy
During various stages of your pregnancy, you may experience pain in your lower back, under your bump, or between your thighs.
The NHS advises applying warmth to painful areas while being cautious not to apply heat directly on your skin (NHS, 2022). Make sure you wrap the hot water bottle in a cloth or in a towel.
3. Decrease stress and anxiety
Research shows that increased body temperature can help alleviate stress and anxiety. If you don't have a sauna or a steam room and don't wish to take baths too often (better for your energy bills and the environment), a hot water bottle will do the trick.
You can either sleep with or cuddle it as you sit on your couch eating comfort food and watching your favourite film. Give it a try!
For some people experiencing anxiety, a cold feeling helps more. So consider using hot and cold water bottles depending on your preference.
4. Save on energy bills
This is one of the indirect benefits of hot water bottles. Energy costs have risen considerably these past few months (time of writing, November 2022), whether you're heating your house with gas or electricity.
While wearing more clothes is a great solution to keep warm in your home, a hot water bottle will add additional warmth and comfort during the winter and perhaps substitute the reflex of turning the heating up.
