As busy people with lots of daily commitments we’re used to taking showers: they’re fast, they’re efficient, and they give you a certain amount of relaxation even though they rarely last more than 5 minutes. However, if you’re lucky enough to have the opportunity to take both showers and baths, but forgo baths for quick showers, you may be missing a lot. Find out 7 biggest reasons why taking a hot bath is good for you, and maybe take one today after you’re finally home from work.
1. Relax your body
No matter what you do all day – work in an office, work around the house, watch your kids, or visiting friends – there is no doubt that at the end of the day your body doesn’t feel as good as it does in the morning. You’re feeling tense, your muscles ache, and your whole body can’t wait to get some rest. This is where a nice warm bath comes to the rescue. The ability of warm water to relax your body is well-known to anyone who’s ever taken a bath. And when you add salts and essential oils, the effect doubles!
2. Free your mind
While baths are extremely good for your body, they benefit the mind too. What can be better than having 30 minutes just to yourself? Let the worries and the troubles of the past day go, forget the anxiety over what is coming next, and simply learn to enjoy yourself. Give your mind the rest it needs so much by running a hot bath, lighting up a couple of candles, adding your favourite essential oils, and pouring yourself a glass of delicious wine – the worries will simply disappear.
3. Increase blood flow
Bad blood flow negatively affects every part of our bodies. When our internal organs and other body parts don’t get enough blood, we feel our limbs getting cold, the organs displaying signs of wear, and our skin not looking as healthy and glowing as it used to. Here’s another reason why you need to run a hot bath today. By warming up your body and improving the blood flow a bath will make your heart work better and deliver the vital, nourishing blood to every part of your body. Do it regularly and do your health a favour.
4. Improve your sleep
Most of today’s adults regularly experience trouble falling asleep or maintaining their sleeping schedule. There are a lot of remedies for that condition, from medication to pillows filled with soothing herbs, but what you should definitely try in case you have trouble sleeping is taking a warm bath. By easing your mind and relaxing your body hot water helps you get into a sleepy mood, which is why running a bath and spending 20-30 minutes in the water is the perfect way to end an exhausting day and make sure you get a good night’s sleep.
5. Lose weight
A lot of recent studies show that in addition to being generally good for your body, a hot bath also helps normalize your weight. Thanks to the ability of warm water to lower the levels of glucose and blood sugar, not only do you reduce the risk of suffering from diabetes, but you also help your body get rid of the excess weight that stands in a way between you and your flawless figure. The latest research actually found that a 20-minute bath 6 days a week helped the participants shed 2 kilos a month.
6. Help your skin
We all know and use dozens of skin care products in a hope that they will make our skin look better, but the truth is that skin doesn’t only need to be nourished and moisturized – it needs to be deeply cleaned, and there is no better way to cleanse your whole body and face skin than with the help of a hot bath. By opening up your pores and cleansing them from the inside out, warm water works better than the most famous skin scrub or cleansing gel, leaving your skin soft, smooth, and incredibly clean.
7. Finish a good workout
If you’ve spent the last few hours doing any kind of sports, from hitting the gym to driving around the neighbourhood on a bicycle, chances are your body aches right now. Sore joints, burning muscles and other minor injuries are not at all rare in sports, but there is a way to quickly ease your condition – run a bath full of warm water and get in. End your day of physical activity on a high note by giving your body as many opportunities for relaxation as possible.
