Well, who is taking 40 minute showers, or even 20 minute showers? That’s a long time! Also, since a shower does not immerse a site in water, does this data apply?
I have noticed my bs drop after a hot shower. Been experimenting with this due to a variety of comments. It does seems to be a great tool in bringing your sugar level down. But just like exercise, you have to be careful it doesn’t drop too much. I am grateful that I am now aware of this and will use it wisely.
haha!! Or a referral for a masseuse bc it helps my blood flow better, maybe twice or three times a week helps…
Absolutely, I usually go higher after a hot shower and I’m wondering what this science could be behind this. I know extremely hot water can dehydrate you. I do wear an Omni Pod so I know suspended insulin delivery is not the culprit. Any ideas?
Yes - I find that hot showers can often have dramatic results. When I take them, I’ll often end up with silky smooth hair and smelling like Irish Spring…
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I have found that if I’m low before going to shower, I feel lower afterwards. So I make sure not to shower with a low BG. (<100)
OMG the leprechauns must wash you when you pass out…and clean your hair too…LOL
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Well, one learns something every day. Although I doubt the comment about someone “going blind temporarily” from a drop in blood sugar in a hot shower, the idea that a hot shower might speed up insulin action is new to me and perhaps worth trying out when correcting a BG high. I’ve read that exercising or massaging the area the injection was given will speed up action and have tried that.
One concern I have read about is the possible drop in blood pressure from a hot tub bath or shower… I’ve used that idea at times to bring down a stress-related high blood pressure reading. The possible BP drops for those of us with postprandial hypotension (usually described as drops of 20 points systolic or more after eating) could be a serious problem if we timed our baths or showers wrong. Although I’m being treated for high blood pressure, within the past week, I’ve have postprandial drops to as low as 83/44 and 81/45, causing symptoms. If a poorly timed bath dropped the pressure even further, that would have the potential of a serious problem.
Here’s a link to a small study of people whose BP was tested after immersion in a public hot tub. Average drop in hypertensive subjects was 22 points systolic and in normotensive subjects was 20 points.
Been there and done that as well. I have also used a hot tub for the same purpose. What can happen is you speed up the rate of your insulin action. So it hits you harder faster but then it will tail out sooner… Works good for corrections on stubborn highs.
Kind of like if you were to drink alcohol in a hot tub; you can become intoxicated faster; but your body metabolizes the alcohol faster so you sober up sooner…
Same! Especially if I’m already on the higher side before I shower. I will sometimes do an increased temp rate for 15 minutes after my shower if I noticed an up arrow on my CGM. Diabetes is a weird thing.