There is nothing more satisfying than learning that an enjoyable activity, such as sipping whiskey or riding a horse, is also good for you. We are currently living in the age of bathfluence, thus there has never been a better moment. For good reason, long washes in the tub have never been more well-known or documented.
Prepare yourself for the best news of the day: taking a lengthy, hot bath to relax actually has health advantages. You may have seen its subversive effects because of our long-standing cultural traditions involving bathing, such as the Japanese bathing custom known as onsen, Roman baths, and even baptisms. What makes getting in the tub so fantastic, then? Here are eight justifications for taking a bath tonight.
1. Baths Can Elevate Your Mood
Naturally, getting into warm water is enjoyable, but that feeling lasts for a while. Dr. John Harcup, chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee for the British Spa Foundation, suggests that the closeness we experience when immersed in warm liquid “gives us connotations of being in the womb, and it is very comforting.” According to psychologist Neil Morris, who conducted an 80-person survey, bathing can lessen feelings of depression and pessimism. Overall, taking a bath makes you feel secure and cozy, which makes it possible for your mind to unwind and your body to follow.
2. They Can Help You Sleep Better
Although the advantages of restful sleep are well known, many people still struggle to get the recommended eight hours. One enduring theory contends that a colder core body temperature will aid in the induction of sleep, which explains why some researchers advise sleeping in a cool environment. However, taking a warm bath before bed can have similar effects. Our body temperatures naturally fall at night, which triggers the release of melatonin, or the sleep hormone. Soaking in a warm bath will raise your body temperature, and exiting will more rapidly cool it down, thus instigating the production of melatonin, and better preparing you for sleep.
3. A Hot Bath Can Help Relieve Muscle Pain
Heat will make your blood move, which is fantastic for circulation (more on that later) and can also aid in the relaxation of tense or aching muscles. It has been demonstrated that epsom salts added to a warm bath can help lessen joint inflammation brought on by conditions like arthritis or other muscular illnesses. People with metabolic illnesses like type 2 diabetes have been proven to benefit from the anti-inflammatory effects of salt baths.
4. Baths Can Make Your Heart Healthy
According to some studies, taking frequent warm baths can help lower blood pressure. This is important since lower blood pressure can aid in the prevention of more severe cardiac diseases like heart attacks or strokes. You are giving your body a mini-workout by applying heat to promote better blood flow and circulation. Hence, we arrive at…
5. They Burn Calories
While taking a bath won’t compare to water aerobics or active hydrotherapy, a good sweat from a hot bath can burn just as many calories as a walk.
6. Baths Can Relieve Cold And Flu Symptoms
Warm baths, along with oatmeal and some essential oils like coconut, olive, or lavender, can better hydrate and soothe dry or irritated skin, whereas scalding baths can aggravate already irritated skin. Additionally, aromatherapy is excellent for controlling your mood or lowering stress.
7. Baths Can Soothe Irritated Skin
Warm baths combined with specific essential oils, such as coconut, olive, or lavender, as well as oatmeal, can better moisturize and treat dry or irritated skin, but scalding baths can aggravate already sensitive skin. Additionally, aromatherapy works wonders for managing mood or lowering tension.
8. Baths Can Help You Feel More Awake
Shannon Vaughn, the creator of Pursoma, explains that taking a hot bath makes you perspire. Because eating is an activity in and of itself, “people tend to feel recharged afterward.” And even better: if you are feeling tired, taking a bath won’t make you feel drowsy, but it will help you sleep deeper once you do.
How To Draw The Ultimate Healing Bath
The temperature of the water shouldn’t be much higher than your own body temperature. A warm bath is better for your skin and immune system even though a hot bath feels wonderful. For your skin, combine oatmeal with oils like rose, lavender, calendula, oil, or coconut oil. Your muscles will benefit greatly from Epsom salt, which also lowers the risk of infection. To avoid overheating, keep a portion of your body out of the water, such as your face. Take a 10-15 minute soak, breath, and unwind.
I frequently feel bad when I sneak away for a long soak in the tub or a hot shower because I’m a working parent with little leisure time. Maybe it’s the impatient kid asking for dinner through the shut door on the other side. Or perhaps it’s because I just built an electric quick water heater that provides my aching body with unlimited hot water. Whatever the cause, I was relieved to see that there is credible medical evidence demonstrating that taking hot baths has advantages for our bodies, minds, and skin.
Here are 10 reasons to ignore the impatient kid, pour yourself a glass of wine, buy an electric instant water heater, and take a long hot bath or shower:
- Lowers blood sugar. Skip the walking. You might benefit from taking a hot bath to reduce your blood sugar and burn calories. In a recent study from Loughborough University, researchers looked at how taking a hot bath affected energy expenditure and blood sugar regulation, which is a crucial indicator of metabolic fitness (number of calories burned). They enlisted 14 males, who each spent an hour in a hot bath as part of the study. Following each trial, they tested their blood sugar for 24 hours and compared how many calories were burnt in each session. Bathing burns nearly the same number of calories as a 30-minute walk (around 140 calories). In all situations, the total blood sugar reaction was comparable. Bye, gym.
- Fall asleep faster. The body is soothed by hot water, which makes us more sleep-ready. A stressed body is relaxed when it enters a heated bath because the hot water raises body temperature. Muscle relaxation calms us mentally as much as physiologically. Having said that, only 20 minutes are required, and watch out not to nod off in the bathtub!
- Lowers blood pressure. According to studies, taking a hot bath helps lower blood pressure. Both people without cardiac issues and those who do will benefit greatly from this system. If you do have a cardiac condition, however, speak with your doctor before taking a hot bath because it will also quicken your heartbeat. If the doctor gives the all-clear, it’s a fantastic technique to lower your blood pressure.
- Relieves muscle tension. Warm showers help relax tense muscles and ease tension. Even better if you have a strong showerhead! Give your shoulders, neck, and back a mini-massage by letting the hot water do the work.
- Have cleaner, healthier skin. The pores in our skin can be enlarged by taking a hot bath or shower. Furthermore, if the water is clean, it can remove some of the toxins and dirt from our skin. Skin that is cleaner and fresher as a result.
- Moisturizes our skin. Although we may not like the wrinkled skin we develop after a hot bath, it actually benefits it. Warm water keeps the skin moist for a longer period of time and keeps it from drying out and developing the tiny cracks that frequently develop when it is dry.
- Improves blood circulation. It works out your blood vessels to immerse your body in hot water up to your neck. This is so because water enhances our heart’s capacity by exerting physical pressure on the body. In other words, the heart beats faster and harder when we’re in the water. Think of this as more of a light exercise, and a few dips a week will do wonders for your heart.
- Helps relieve cold/flu symptoms. Due to the moisturizing effects of the hot steam on the nasal passages, a hot shower also serves as a natural decongestant to ease cold symptoms. While your body is attempting to heal itself, taking a 10-15 minute hot bath break can really help you feel better.
- Reduces headaches. The majority of headache types are brought on by the constriction of blood vessels in the head. Hot water has a beneficial effect on our blood vessels, which can be used to relieve pressure and treat headaches.
- Helps us feel better about ourselves. After a difficult day, try to unwind with a warm shower. It is well recognized that when we feel better physically, we become more assured that we are up to the challenges ahead. We can feel better all around and minimize our everyday worries by taking a hot bath.
As you can see, routinely having a hot shower and bath may significantly improve our quality of life. Don’t have a portable electric water heater? Find out more information about our acclaimed MODEL 3 water heater here. Did I mention that it is 99% energy efficient? That gives you one less excuse to feel bad.