Hot spring bathing practices have a positive effect on mental health in Japan

Abstract

Hot springs have long been used for medical purposes throughout the world. Recently, the positive effects of hot spa-bathing on circulatory diseases have been reported, while there are few reports on the mental effects of hot spa-bathing. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between hot spa-bathing habits and mental health throughout Japan. We conducted a nationwide online survey, including questions on bathing behavior, subjective satisfaction, lifestyle, and illness. The results showed a significant positive correlation between hot spa-bathing habits and multiple subjective satisfaction levels regarding mental health effects. The factor analysis results indicated that hot spa-bathing habits tended to be associated with good mental health, high health consciousness, and disease. Our study revealed that subjective satisfaction was higher among individuals with hot spa-bathing habits, suggesting that the hot spring spa-bathing habit may have a positive influence on mental health.