The benefits of bathing
Now the nights are most certainly drawing in, I love nothing more than wallowing in a long, hot bath with a good book. For me, having a bath is very much a self-care ritual but there are actually some scientifically proved benefits of having a bath…
Humans have been bathing since the beginning of time, using natural springs and rock formations both for cleansing and also spiritual rituals. Public ‘bathouses’ were all the rage in the 15/16th century (although shortly fell out of favour with the spread of disease) and in to the 18th century, bathing was seen as very much a medical treatment for a whole host of issues.
Studies have shown that bathing in a warm (although not too hot!) bath increases your heart rate giving it a healthy workout. A warm bath will also dilate your blood vessels and increase oxygen in the blood stream which in turn can help boost immunity. Deep, slow breaths of steam can help clear blocked sinuses and aid cold symptoms too.
Submergence in warm water can reduce pain and inflammation and also calm the nervous system, reducing the levels of stress and anxiety in the body and improving your mood. This can be particularly helpful after a strenuous workout or a stressful day at work.
One of the more unusual benefits of warm baths seems to be related to circadian rhythms, (biological processes that run to a 24 hour internal clock and are influenced by our environment.) One of these processes is body temperature. Before sleep, we tend to cool off by a few degrees. Counterintuitively, taking a hot bath speeds up this process by drawing all your blood to the surface where it can easily be dispersed. So while you may feel warm in the bath, you're actually cooling your core temperature after you get out, which signals that it's time to sleep.
Baths are often said to be ‘bad for the environment’ due to the amount of water that is used compared to having a shower, but that very much depends on how long you shower for! On average, a bath uses 80 litres of water, whereas an average ‘8 minute shower’ uses 62 litres. However, if you have a fast flowing shower head this increases to up to 80 litres in 4 minutes and power showers can use up to 136 litres! So, basically, don’t feel bad about having a bath once in a while!
To enhance your bathing experience try opting for an all natural, essential oil based bath salt, like our Lavender, Mint and Rosemary British bath salts. Salt has been used for centuries to improve circulation and skin health, (read more about it here) and opting for natural essential oils will help relax your mind and body for ultimate ‘me-time’ self-care bathing experience.
