Positives

• A long-hauler used hot baths to raise heart rate as part of a mitophagy protocol, mimicking aerobic activity, and contributing to progression from housebound to 65–70% recovery Reddit.
  
  
• A long-hauler found hot baths helped a lot with inflammation, describing it as a useful symptom management tool despite some post-bath fatigue Reddit.
  
  

Negatives

• Multiple long-haulers reported hot baths trigger worsening, with one experiencing severe fatigue the next day and another going to the ER after a 45-minute warm bath with dissociation and near-seizure symptoms Reddit.
  
  

Hurdles & Side Effects

• Heat intolerance is a major barrier, with one patient needing help from their partner to get out of the bath due to lightheadedness and racing heart, having switched to lukewarm showers for over a year Reddit.
  
  
• The physical effort of bathing itself is a hurdle, with one long-hauler describing crying while trying to get into the bath because of the sheer energy required Reddit.