Five Reasons Why a Hot Bath is Good for Your Health
Whether you bathe every night (props to you), once or a few times a month, or maybe even once or twice a year, bathing (we’re talking full soak here, people) is far from pure indulgence, despite what some may believe. Sure, yes, it feels delicious, but it has a number of extraordinary health benefits — for your skin, for your internal well-being, and, best of all, for your soul.
It’s no secret that we’re fans of bath rituals. Our best-selling Coconut Milk Bath, packed with nourishing vitamins and minerals derived from guava, the rich, calming, and alluring smell of aromatherapeutic cardamom and jasmine, and, of course, silky-smooth, skin-soothing coconut milk, is a personal favorite over here. Altogether, these ingredients help to calm irritating skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, general sensitivity, and others, hydrate and soften skin all-over, and calm mind, body, and spirit from the inside out. And all that without the added benefits of literally just taking a bath!
And so, in that spirit, we’ve compiled a list of why taking a bath at all is so incredibly good for you — keep reading to learn why. (That being said, though, we always, always recommend adding that Coconut Milk Bath, or maybe our Oxalis + The Chloe Pink Salt Soak, into the mix.)
- Bathing calms and comforts any sore muscles: Seriously, is there anything better than taking a warm bath when you feel a bit achy? While ice baths post-workout have their own benefits, warm soaks encourage muscle-repairing, oxygen-delivering circulation.
- Bathing calms and comforts the mind: Bathing, known to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, is an opportunity to create space for yourself, slow down, and enjoy some meditative calm. We definitely don’t hate listening to music, reading a book, or watching a movie or TV while in the tub, though sometimes it’s really beautiful to light a candle, sit in the stillness, and just let your brain breathe.
- Bathing helps you get to sleep and stay asleep: If a nice, warm bath before bed makes you a bit drowsy, you’re not alone. Working a calming, stress-shedding soak into your evening routine helps signal to your body that it’s time to go to bed, especially if you keep up that practice consistently. Studies have also shown that bathing not only makes you sleepy, but can promote deeper sleep as well.
- Bathing improves mental health: Modern science has linked regular bathing with lowered rates of generalized anxiety and depression, anger, mood imbalances, and stress. As anyone who suffers from mental health illness or obstacle knows, a decrease in any of these afflictions = better quality of life.
- Bathing helps you breathe: A steamy bath can help open up nasal passages, especially when you’re clogged up with a head cold, sinus infection, or flu-like bug. But it doesn’t just help you when you’re already sick — sinking into a full tub, where the water goes past your chest, is believed to improve oxygen intake.