By Claire Nickerson
There’s a moment — somewhere between slipping into the water and letting out that first slow exhale — when everything that was knotted up inside you begins to loosen. You probably know exactly what we’re talking about. That feeling isn’t just your imagination. It’s your nervous system doing something it rarely gets the chance to do in modern life: fully letting go.
But here’s the thing most people don’t realize. That relief? It compounds.
Coming to the springs once is a gift you give yourself. Coming consistently is a practice — and the difference between the two is where the real magic happens. In this post, we’re going to walk you through why regular soaking is one of the most grounded, research-backed things you can add to your self-care routine, and why the mineral waters nestled here in the Animas Valley have been earning that trust for over a thousand years.
The Ancient Tradition Behind Your Modern Wellness Routine
Before we get into the science, it’s worth pausing on the history, because it matters.
The springs beneath Durango Hot Springs Resort & Spa have been used since approximately A.D. 1000–1200, when Ancestral Puebloans settled the Hermosa Cliffs above the Animas River Valley. The Ute people and other nomadic tribes followed, recognizing what the land was offering and building ritual around it. These weren’t people with cortisol tests or clinical studies. They had something we’ve largely lost: the intuition that warm mineral water, taken regularly, heals.
In 1874, a man named Frank Trimble arrived in Durango suffering from rheumatism and injuries sustained during the Indian Wars. He began bathing in the springs and, by his own account, declared himself healed within a month. He eventually opened a hotel on the grounds — what became the beloved Trimble Hot Springs — and the tradition of seeking restoration here never stopped.
Over a century later, with more than $14 million invested in a thoughtful renovation, that same tradition continues. What’s changed is that we now have the science to explain what Trimble and the Ancestral Puebloans understood by instinct.
What’s Actually Happening in Your Body When You Soak
Let’s talk physiology, because understanding what’s happening under the surface makes it easier to appreciate why consistency matters so much.
Your Nervous System Gets a Much-Needed Reset
Most of us are running in sympathetic nervous system overdrive — the “fight or flight” state that modern life keeps us stuck in. Deadlines, screens, noise, constant connectivity. Our adrenal glands are working overtime.
When you lower yourself into warm mineral water, something shifts. Research published in Current Psychology (Springer, 2024) confirms that immersion in warm water reduces sympathetic nervous system activation and increases parasympathetic activation — your body’s “rest and digest” mode. This is the state where healing, digestion, and emotional regulation actually happen. Most of us visit it far too rarely.
And a 2023 multicenter randomized controlled trial across six medical spa centers in Lithuania (published in Brain Sciences, 2025) found that balneotherapy — the therapeutic use of mineral water soaking — produced significant reductions in distress intensity, measurable improvements in wellbeing, and a meaningful drop in salivary cortisol levels. These weren’t anecdotal reports. They were measured outcomes.
The Mineral Equation
The waters at Durango Hot Springs contain 32 minerals found naturally in the human body — and notably, without the sulfuric odor common to many springs. The resort is also the only hot springs in the world to infuse its pools with nano-meter and micro-meter oxygen bubbles using the AquaGen system, which supports skin repair and cellular recovery.
Here’s why those minerals matter:
Magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including muscle function, nerve transmission, and sleep regulation. Magnesium deficiency has been linked to anxiety, insomnia, and muscle cramping. Research published in the Journal of Investigative Medicine suggests that transdermal magnesium absorption — through the skin — can bypass the digestive limitations that often prevent oral supplements from being fully utilized.
Silica has been shown to stimulate collagen production, supporting skin elasticity and the integrity of connective tissue.
Calcium plays a role in blood pressure regulation, and studies have shown it can help reduce the risk of hypertension.
Lithium, present in trace amounts in many geothermal springs, has demonstrated mood-stabilizing properties, with some research suggesting benefits for individuals experiencing mild anxiety or depression.
Sodium bicarbonate makes the water slightly alkaline, which has been associated with improved circulation and a more balanced physiological state overall.
A 16-week Korean spa trial published in PubMed (2025), involving biweekly 20-minute immersion sessions in naturally mineralized hot spring water, found significant improvements in skin hydration, reduced transepidermal water loss, and lower scores on the Stress Response Inventory — all in the intervention group, compared to controls who didn’t soak.
The Sleep You’ve Been Missing
This one deserves its own paragraph, because poor sleep is quietly behind so much of what ails us.
When you soak in warm water, your core body temperature rises. When you get out, it drops — and that drop mimics the natural decline in core temperature that signals to your brain it’s time to sleep. Evening soaking is particularly effective for this reason.
A 2023 systematic review of fibromyalgia patients found that hydrotherapy and balneotherapy show measurable promise for improving sleep quality compared to standard care alone, drawing from data across 311 patients. And a study cited by the Natural Medicine Journal found that regular warm-water bathing reduced cortisol levels, improved stress resilience, and enhanced sleep quality over time — with bicarbonate-rich water amplifying the effect.
We hear this from guests constantly: I slept better than I have in months. Now you know why.
Why “Consistent” Is the Word That Changes Everything
Here’s where we need to have an honest conversation about self-care culture.
We’ve been sold the idea that wellness is something you purchase in a moment. A single massage. A one-time facial. A “treat yourself” afternoon. And while any of these things are genuinely wonderful, they are not a practice. They’re a pause.
Research consistently shows that the benefits of self-care are cumulative and behavioral — meaning they build with repetition. A 2023 longitudinal study published in Anxiety, Stress, & Coping (PubMed) tracked mental health professionals over 10 months and found that consistent self-care practices predicted measurable increases in wellbeing and reductions in both anxiety and depression at follow-up. The keyword there is consistent.
A 2024 study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reinforced this, finding that interfering with a healthy routine — even small disruptions — negatively impacted mental wellbeing. Our bodies and brains crave rhythmic rituals. They respond to them with trust.
Balneotherapy works the same way. A 2017 Australian study from RMIT University surveying over 4,200 hot springs users found that regular soaking provided significant relief for chronic back pain, arthritis, depression, anxiety, and insomnia. The operative word in that sentence is regular.
The science is telling us what ancient cultures already knew: it’s not about the single dip. It’s about making the water part of your life.
Building Your Soaking Practice: What to Know
Incorporating regular soaking into your wellness routine doesn’t require a complete lifestyle overhaul. Here are a few grounded guidelines to help you get the most from your time in the water.
Temperature and Duration Most experts recommend sessions of 15 to 20 minutes at temperatures between 100°F and 104°F for optimal therapeutic effect. Soaking beyond 30 minutes — particularly at higher temperatures — can lead to overheating or dehydration. At Durango Hot Springs, pools range from 99°F to 112°F, giving you full flexibility to find what your body responds to on any given day. Moving between a warmer pool and a cold plunge is an excellent way to extend your session while stimulating circulation and lymphatic flow.
Hydration Mineral water immersion causes your body to work harder to regulate temperature. Drink water before, during, and after your soak. The resort has multiple refill stations throughout the property — bring a reusable bottle and use them.
Timing If sleep improvement is a priority, aim for an evening soak 1–2 hours before bed. If stress reduction and mental clarity are your goals, a midday or morning session can help recalibrate your nervous system for the rest of the day.
Pairing With Other Treatments Consistent soaking pairs beautifully with the spa services at Durango Hot Springs. All spa guests receive complimentary hot springs access with their treatment — and that’s not accidental. Massage and bodywork performed after soaking works on tissue that is already warm, pliable, and receptive. The therapeutic outcomes are meaningfully enhanced when the two are combined.
Frequency There’s no single prescription, but the research suggests that biweekly sessions — twice a week — are enough to produce measurable physiological and psychological benefits over time. For locals, this is entirely achievable. For visitors, a multi-day stay with daily soaking can create a genuine reset.
The Durango Difference: Why Place Matters
Self-care doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The setting in which you practice it matters — more than we often give it credit for.
Located 8 miles north of downtown Durango in the scenic Animas Valley, Durango Hot Springs sits at the base of the Hermosa Cliffs, surrounded by ponderosa pines and the jagged outline of the San Juan Mountains. The views from the terraced pools are, frankly, hard to believe until you’re sitting in them. There’s something qualitatively different about soaking outdoors — steam rising, mountain air filling your lungs, sky going amber at sunset — that amplifies every physiological benefit we’ve discussed.
Research on nature exposure consistently shows that time spent in natural settings reduces cortisol, lowers blood pressure, and improves mood independently of any other activity. When you combine the thermal mineral water, the outdoor environment, the altitude, and the stillness of the valley, you’re not just soaking — you’re engaging every available pathway your body has toward restoration.
The resort has been intentionally designed to honor that experience. There are 32 outdoor mineral pools, two cold plunges, five private Japanese-style cedar ofuro tubs, a reflexology walking path through botanic gardens, and a full spa offering a number of massage, facial, and body treatments. The adults-only section provides genuine quiet. The family side ensures that soaking is accessible for guests at every stage of life.
This is a place that has been caring for people for a very long time. It knows what it’s doing.
A Note on Who This Is For
Hot spring soaking is one of the most broadly accessible forms of wellness therapy available — but it’s worth noting a few practical considerations.
Research published in ScienceDirect (2025) reviewing hot spring hydrotherapy across multiple conditions noted it is “generally well-accepted” and safe, while also acknowledging it is not suitable for all conditions. If you are pregnant, have cardiovascular conditions, or are managing a specific health condition, please consult your healthcare provider before soaking. The resort’s team is also available to answer questions and help you find the right experience for your needs.
The Invitation
We live in a culture that has made rest feel like it needs to be earned. That rest is the reward after productivity, not a condition for it. That self-care is indulgent rather than intelligent.
But the research is clear, and so is the thousand-year history of these springs: taking care of your body — consistently, intentionally, and with presence — is not a luxury. It’s a practice. And it works.
The water is here. The mountains are here. The stillness is here.
Come soak. And then come back.
Sources & Further Reading
- Rapolienė, L., et al. (2025). Balneotherapy as a Complementary Intervention for Stress and Cortisol Reduction: Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial. Brain Sciences, 15(2), 165. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/2/165
- Kim, J., et al. (2025). Effects of Repeated Balneotherapy on Skin Hydration and Psychophysiological Stress: Findings from a 16-Week Korean Spa Trial. PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12689661/
- Antonelli, M., & Donelli, D. (2024). Effectiveness of Hydrotherapy and Balneotherapy for Anxiety and Depression Symptoms: A Meta-Analysis. Current Psychology (Springer). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-024-06062-w
- Brillon, P., et al. (2023). Associations Between Self-Care Practices and Psychological Adjustment: A Two-Wave Cross-Lagged Analysis. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 36(5), 603–617. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36794327/
- RMIT University / Global Wellness Institute. (2017). Hot Springs Found to Relieve Chronic Pain, Depression and Insomnia (survey of 4,265 hot springs users). Summarized via Global Wellness Institute Hydrotherapy Spotlight. https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/wellnessevidence/hydrotherapy/hydrotherapy-spotlight/
- Zhou, Z., et al. (2023). The Impact of Hot Spring Hydrotherapy on Pain Perception and Dysfunction Severity in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10658949/
- Chen, Y., et al. (2025). The Progress and Application of Hot Spring Hydrotherapy in Medical Fields: A Narrative Review. ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229925001888
- Natural Medicine Journal. Daily Bathing in Bicarbonate Water Baths Improves Stress, Sleep, and Immune Function. https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/daily-bathing-in-bicarbonate-water-baths-improves-stress-sleep-and-immune-function
- Nawrin, S.S., et al. (2024). Twenty-Four-Hour Physical Activity Patterns Associated with Depressive Symptoms. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 1254. (Referenced via City of Bridgeport / NHANES analysis.) https://www.bridgeportct.gov/news/consistency-key-research-shows-healthy-daily-routine-may-improve-mental-health
- Psychology Today. (2023). Understanding the Mental Health and Self-Care Connection. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/a-deeper-wellness/202302/understanding-the-mental-health-and-self-care-connection
Durango Hot Springs Resort & Spa is located at 6475 County Road 203, Durango, Colorado 81301, 8 miles north of downtown Durango in the scenic Animas Valley. Open daily 9:00 AM–10:00 PM. Reservations recommended. Spa guests receive complimentary hot springs access with their treatment.
The information in this blog is intended for general wellness education and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider before beginning any new wellness regimen, particularly if you have a pre-existing health condition.
