I love anything warm, especially in the winter. We have a nice big tub in our home, and one of my favorite things to do at the end of the evening is to take a bath.
Bathing actually has its roots in history – think of school, where you learned of the Roman Baths. In current times, bathing can be a very healthful pastime.
Some health experts, backed up by studies, feel a hot bath can be as beneficial as a workout because the heat of the warm or hot water increases your heart rate, which then makes your circulatory system get to work. Likewise, a nice hot bath can be very stress relieving.
I advise clients to take a warm bath with added Epsom salts as many nights as possible. Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate. While we soak, we absorb these minerals – a really good thing - as many of us are deficient in magnesium, and the sulfates are great for our brains; hence the relaxing, stress relieving benefit. Likewise, the warm water opens up our skin surfaces, and allows impurities that our skin really doesn’t want to float away.
I like to add a few drops of essential oils, depending upon my mood or “relief” goals. If I want to relax and get a good night’s sleep, I might add lavender. If I feel like I’m coming down with a cold or virus, I might add eucalyptus or peppermint. If my muscles are sore, in addition to utilizing the magnesium in the salts, I might add eucalyptus and some powdered ginger. And if you have dry winter skin, add a little olive or avocado oil to the water! You can even simply add some sea salt to your water and indulge.
Think about taking a nice bath tonight! Keep your phone out of the bathroom, think positive thoughts, and just relax. Aaahhh….
To Your Vitality!
