溫泉泡湯已成為國人重要的休閒活動之一，多數民眾肯定浸泡溫泉有舒緩壓力及促進健康的效果，但對於個體相關生理機能影響的研究並不多見。本研究目的在於探討溫泉浸泡對生理參數的影響，由40位18至30歲自願者，分別浸泡在溫泉及溫水中(各20人)，並採用不同水溫(36℃與41℃)及浸泡深度(半身－肚臍以及全身－頸部)來比較其效應。浸泡時間為15分鐘，生理參數(體溫、脈搏、收縮壓、舒張壓)測量間隔為5分鐘，直到浸泡結束後15分鐘，比較各浸泡方式前、中、後的變化。以獨立樣本t檢定(t-test)比較溫水組與溫泉組兩組之間差異。浸泡前、中、後之比較則以單因子變異數分析(one-way ANOVA)進行統計分析，並以P值小於 0.05為顯著水準。
研究結果顯示，全身浸泡於41℃的溫泉或溫水中，較易引起體溫、脈搏明顯增加，半身浴或36℃的溫泉或溫水則無法使體溫、脈搏明顯上升。故溫度越高、浸泡部位面積越多，對於體溫及脈搏的影響越大。無論是全身浴或半身浴，36℃或41℃、溫水或溫泉浸泡期間，收縮壓及舒張壓皆明顯下降，並於浸泡結束後回復。因此本研究結論為浸泡時的水溫與深度會影響體溫、脈搏，且血壓亦有下降現象，在泡湯模式選擇與安全顧慮上可提供業者與泡湯者參考。 Hot spring had become an important leisure to Taiwanese. Most of people affirmed that the hot spring can release stress and facilitate health. But there were not much research for the hot spring on physiological influence. The object of this study was to investigate the physiological effects of the hot spring soaking. Forty volunteers (age from 18 to 30) were assigned to two groups: 20 volunteers soaking in the hot spring and the other 20 volunteers soaking in the warm water. Different soaking temperature (36℃ and 41℃) and depth (half body and most body) were performed to compare the effects. Physiological parameters (body temperature, heart rate, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure) were determined in an interval of 5 minutes during 15 minutes soaking time and 15 minutes recovery. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze differences before, during and after soaking. As comparing the effects of temperature, depth between hot spring and warm water, t-test was used. The significant level of P value was set 0.05.
The results showed that the body temperature and heart rate increased as soaking to neck (most body) in hot spring and warm water with a temperature of 41℃ but not 36℃. Both of the systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly during soaking period and recovered after the end of soaking. There was no statistical difference between hot spring and warm water, 36℃ and 41℃, half and most body. It was concluded that the body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure were influenced by the soaking mode relating with temperature and depth. The results may offer soaking reference for populations.
