Elderly’s relaxation effects by hot spring bathing and a climatotherapy

Abstract

This study examined the relaxing effects of a hot spring bath as part of climatotherapy on the elderly based on psychological stress and sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous system activity. As indices of these items, salivary CgA and amylase activity levels were measured, and assessment was conducted using a short form of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire, involving 5 males and 5 females with a mean age of 71.4 (SD = 5.4), all of whom lived in the Kansai area. After the hot spring bath, a sense of refreshment was developed, supporting the effectiveness of this method to reduce stress. Although fatigue was also observed after it, this was likely unrelated to stress. Furthermore, for the elderly aged 65-74, the hot spring bath as part of climatotherapy was also suggested to be psychologically effective.