Hot Baths May Have Similar Benefits As Working Out

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There's new research that suggests taking a hot bath can have the same benefits on your body as a workout.

Researchers at the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine at the University of Loughborough in England found that participants who cycled at a moderate speed for an hour burned the same amount of calories as those who bathed in 104-degree water.

Both groups also had lowered blood sugar levels - a sign of a bump in metabolism.

They say the reason why is because extreme heat or cold increases heart rates and put the circulatory system to work.

But don't be too quick to quit the gym, doctors say the hot baths are not a replacement for exercise. Although, they are a great way to de-stress.

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