Nowadays, many people see stress as a normal part of everyday life. But it’s not as casual as it sounds: stress affects sleep, concentration, mood, and physical health. More than that, over time stress can also influence how the brain recovers from illness or injury.


Most stress management advice that is available today focuses on exercise, therapy, mindfulness, or lifestyle changes. But modern research is also turning to natural therapies, which could become a new way of dealing with stress.

A recent study initiated by researchers at Klaipeda University explored if and how balneotherapy – treatments based on mineral water, therapeutic mud, salt therapy, and hydrotherapy – could reduce stress and improve well-being.

Balneotherapy has existed for centuries and is often associated with health resorts and medical spas. It uses natural resources like mineral-rich water, geothermal baths, therapeutic mud, and salt treatments to support relaxation and recovery.


In this study, participants were exposed to different combinations of treatments, including mineral and geothermal baths, sapropel mud applications, salt therapy, light water exercises, and, in some cases, nature-based therapy: forest walks, breathing exercises, and mindfulness practices.

The study involved nearly 400 participants across six Lithuanian medical spa centres. Researchers measured not only how stressed people felt, but also how their bodies responded to treatments. To do this, they analysed cortisol levels from saliva samples. Cortisol is often called the “stress hormone” because the body releases it during periods of physical or emotional strain.

One finding stood out almost immediately: winter treatments consistently produced stronger results than summer programmes. Participants reported lower distress levels, better emotional well-being, and improved ability to manage stress after treatment. Cortisol levels also decreased significantly in several groups.


The strongest effects appeared during winter programmes lasting around two weeks. Participants reported improvements in fatigue, anxiety, concentration, pain, and overall well-being. Summer programmes still helped, though their effects were noticeably weaker.


This matters because long-term stress is increasingly linked to conditions such as stroke recovery, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. Stress management is therefore no longer viewed only as a wellness issue – it is becoming part of broader discussions around long-term health and rehabilitation.


Researchers cannot yet fully explain why winter interventions performed better. Part of the effect may come from stepping away from work routines and daily stressors more completely during winter stays. Seasonal psychological differences may also influence how people respond to restorative therapies.


The findings also revealed something important about stress itself: biological stress markers and emotional experience do not always move together. In other words, stress is more complex than a single hormone measurement.


The study also highlights the growing scientific interest in how natural environments affect health. Forests, mineral waters, salt therapies, and thermal treatments are no longer viewed only through the lens of wellness tourism as researchers are beginning to investigate how these environments may influence nervous system regulation, recovery, and long-term resilience.

Reference:


Rapolienė, L.; Rapolis, D.; Bredelytė, A.; Taletavičienė, G.; Fioravanti, A.; Martinkėnas, A. Balneotherapy as a Complementary Intervention for Stress and Cortisol Reduction: Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial. Brain Sci. 2025, 15, 165. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15020165