The medicine of connection

If you’ve visited our Bath House with a friend or group, you’ll know it’s a perfect space to relax, reconnect and spend some quality time together. But did you know that social connection has the power to transform our wellbeing?

Research tells us that connecting with others is not only key to unlocking a range of physical and mental health benefits, but a wellbeing pillar so essential and profound it’s included in the third tier of psychologist Abraham Maslow’s famous Hierarchy of Needs (after safety and security).

The Harvard longevity study, which started in 1938 and tracked the health and happiness of hundreds of people throughout their entire lives, found that social connectivity is the number one determinant when it comes to living a long and healthy life.

“The surprising finding is that our relationships and how happy we are in our relationships has a powerful influence on our health,” says Robert Waldinger, the current director of the Harvard study. “Taking care of your body is important, but tending to your relationships is a form of self-care too.”

In other words, connection is medicine.

unwinding together at Peninsula Hot Springs

We sometimes think of relaxation as an activity best undertaken in private – but relaxation and socialisation are not mutually exclusive. In fact, combining the health benefits of unwinding with the health benefits of social connection offers a significant wellbeing boost.

While bathing in hot springs can improve circulation, back pain, sleep, mental health and a range of other aspects of wellbeing, social interaction can help control blood sugars, decrease cardiovascular mortality, relieve symptoms of depression and reduce posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.

On the other hand, lack of social interaction is reported to be more harmful than smoking cigarettes or avoiding exercise.

The importance of socialising is becoming so widely understood – especially amid the ‘loneliness epidemic’ sweeping the Western World – that medical professionals are now administering ‘social prescriptions’ to connect patients with different parts of the community and improve their health outcomes.

As noted in the study, “The Connection Prescription: Using the Power of Social Interactions and the Deep Desire for Connectedness to Empower Health and Wellness”, many psychiatrists include ‘connection’ alongside daily essentials such as food, water, vitamins and minerals.

the social history of bath houses

Throughout history, bath houses and hot springs have been enjoyed by groups or entire communities as places of social activity. In Ancient Rome, public baths held thousands of people at once. Japanese onsen and sento have offered regular community bathing for around 2000 years. And in countries such as Finland, where saunas are found in most homes, the historic ritual of sharing a sauna with friends, loved ones or business associates is woven into the fabric of daily life.

While bathing in all its forms is a restorative and rejuvenating experience, the culture of bathing is a culture of togetherness. This is why our Bath House is designed as a social, family-friendly bathing area: to encourage community connection in a relaxed atmosphere.

shoulder-to-shoulder activities

When catching up with others, we commonly go out for coffee or dinner – but there are plenty of other ways to connect. Shoulder-to-shoulder activities are those that involve standing beside your companion to engage in a shared task together – whether it’s walking, cooking or doing a pottery class. These kinds of activities can feel less emotionally demanding while significantly deepening connections.

Bathing together is another example of a shoulder-to-shoulder activity. A visit to Peninsula Hot Springs with a loved one offers a way to spend time together while experiencing hot springs, saunas, steam rooms, cold plunge pools, relaxation lounges and a range of other deeply relaxing rituals.

Even visiting our Bath House on your own can allow you to soak up the communal atmosphere and provide the opportunity for chance encounters and low-demand social connection: a five-minute conversation with a fellow guest in a pool, a chat with one of our friendly staff or simply a shared smile as you pass someone while wandering our grounds.

Of course, for times when solitude and seclusion is required, our Spa Dreaming Centre offers a tranquil, adults-only bathing experience.

planning a catch-up at Peninsula Hot Springs

While a coffee date might last an hour, it’s easy to spend several hours catching up in our Bath House. Your day might involve sitting down for coffee in the Bath House kiosk on arrival and then making your way to a hot spring to soak and chat. You might challenge each other to take a dip in one of our cold plunge pools, sweat it out in the sauna or hamam and then rinse off under a massaging mineral shower.

For lunch, head to the Amphitheatre cafe for nourishing dishes such as salmon soba noodle bowl or Thai chicken salad, or indulge in a grazing platter with a glass of wine. You’re also welcome to bring your own picnic lunch to enjoy in our shaded picnic areas.

Then, perhaps you take some time out reading while lying in a hammock under the trees – before more soaking and finally floating home, bonded and relaxed.

Whether you’re looking to relax and reconnect with a loved one or simply unwind in a friendly, communal environment, our Bath House offers an ideal place to experience the medicine of connection.