At the end of the day, few things feel better than relaxing in the hot tub. The warm, swirling water has a way of melting the stress away. However, while hot tubs can feel luxurious, they can also present a few risks. Follow these rules (and make sure others follow them, too) in order to ensure your safety when using the hot tub.

Don't bring glasses into the hot tub.

Yes, it's nice to have a cool drink in hand while you're relaxing in the hot tub. However, if you put that drink in a glass and you accidentally drop the glass, it could break, sending sharp shards into the water. It's nearly impossible to clean broken glass out of the hot tub without draining it, and in the meantime, while you're getting out of the tub, the broken glass could swirl around in the moving water and cut you. Use plastic cups only when in the hot tub, and you won't run into this issue.

Don't drink too much alcohol before or during a hot tub session.

There's nothing wrong with enjoying a cocktail or beer (in a plastic glass) while you're soaking, but do stop at one. If you get too drunk, you may overlook your body's signals that you're getting too hot, and you may overheat and pass out in the tub. If you're planning on having friends over to party and drink, have everyone spend time in the hot tub at the beginning of the party while they're sober, rather than later at night when they're not.

Don't get in the hot tub if you have had diarrhea recently.

You might assume that the swirling water and warmth will soothe your sensitive stomach, but really if just serves as a breeding ground for germs that may be causing your illness. By bathing in the hot tub when you're ill, you're risking passing those germs onto someone else -- or reinfecting yourself with them later on. While the bromine or chlorine in your hot tub is meant to kill germs, it does not work instantly, and if the pH of your tub is a little bit off, your disinfectant may not be killing as many germs as you'd hope.

By avoiding the hot tub when you're sick or drunk and by avoiding the use of glasses while you're in it, you can make bathing in the hot tub a much safer experience. Remember, if you start to feel lightheaded or too warm, get out and take a break. The tub will be there when you're ready to warm up again. For more tips on getting the most out of your hot tub, check out websites like http://www.anchorpools.com.