Skip the shower and let yourself be pampered with a bath. Why? Because a relaxing bath is the best stress reliever!
In today's frenetic world, relaxation seems to have fallen far to the bottom of the priority list and a relaxing bath is one way to prevent this. Stress can take a toll on our mental and physical health, and a bath is a way to disconnect and indulge in some relaxation.
"When you're in the bath, you can't really do anything else, and it forces you to clear your mind and be calm," Jessie Violet Larson, a medical massage therapist, told Reader's Digest, adding, "Bath time can be really great exercise for mind, body and spirit as it restores your energy.”
A 2018 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that it can a hot bath has the same effect in reducing inflammation and controlling sugar levels in the blood as exercise. If that doesn't convince you to take a bath, a series of studies that have shown a link between hot baths and better sleep might.
Babies are often encouraged to splash around in the tub before bed and enjoy the effects of the water. Why not adopt their enthusiasm for the bath yourself? Check out some tips for an adult bath.
How to prepare a relaxing bath?
The bathroom should become your room for the soul during bath time. Be alone, light the candles and lock the door. Enjoy a cup of tea before or during your bath. At the end, you can also have a glass of good wine. Turn off the lights and bathe by candlelight instead.
Play soothing music that has incredible relaxation power. Different playback programs even offer you playlists with the title Bath. Leave your phone outside, turn off the sound and unnecessary beeping. If you use it to play music, set it to airplane mode.
If you want, you can also read a book while bathing or take advantage of the quiet time for meditation. Leave the bubbles to the kids and add essential oils or bath bombs instead.