**Please note that I am NOT a doctor and this post is strictly personal opinion. I am in no way offering any type of treatments or medical advice. Always check with your doctor if you have ANY questions regarding the safety of baths and your health. Thanks and Bathe on!**
As a grown-up I don’t think of myself as having many vices in life. I don’t drink often, I eat fairly healthy, and the only addiction I claim is to caffeine, however if I’m being honest with myself, I must admit that I have one guilty pleasure…. hot baths. There is something in me that truly craves the relaxation and release that comes along with a hot and steamy bath.
If I’m stressed, I take a hot bath to unwind. Tired? A hot bath revives me. Struggling with going to sleep? A hot bath relaxes me. Achey or feeling sick? A hot herbal bath strengthens me. Heck, I even took a hot bath directly before going to the hospital to deliver all 3 of my boys. In my opinion, there are few things in life that a hot bath can’t improve.
If you are like me and find baths to be truly necessary, read on to find a guide to some of my favorite baths, If you’re someone who is on the fence when it comes to baths (my husband calls baths hot dirt-soup~the nerve!) then I encourage you to keep reading and try some of these baths out for yourself. Maybe you’ll be converted to the bath-lovers anonymous club!
The Relaxation Bath
If you are a busy mom, or just busy, or just a mom, or pretty much anyone who carries stress, then you need to try a relaxation bath! Hot water passively heats the body which aids in relaxation and stress relief. Studies have shown that hot baths can actually reduce blood pressure and boost the production of stress-fighting hormones! How is that for a good excuse to hop into the tub! In order to truly gain the relaxing benefits from a hot bath, it is important to create the right mood.
Start by banning all technology from the bath. No cell phones allowed during this bath! Now, it is time to create a relaxing atmosphere. Soft music, low lighting, floating flower petals, and aromatic fragrances are welcome. I like to incorporate scented bath salts into my relaxtion baths as they help to reduce tension in the muscles. Dead sea salts are especially well suited for this purpose. In order to gain the best results, aim to bathe for a minimum of 20 minutes, but no longer than 45 for optimal relaxation.
These bath salts are some of my favorites as they promote deep relaxation with the addition of pure essential oils including lavender, cedarwood, chamomile, and marjorim. The salts themselves are 100% pure dead sea salts so they are loaded with minnerals our bodies need. To purchase Click my Affiliate link Here:“ULTIMATE RELAXATION” -100% Pure Dead Sea Bath Salts / Calming, Soothing, Tension Relief / Healing Aromatherapy / Organic Essential Oils of Lavender, Cedarwood, Chamomile & Marjoram
**Products in post are Amazon affiliate links. They cost you nothing additional, however they help support this blog and the content I provide**
The Beauty Bath
This bath is one of my favorites for when I’m feeling a little less-than-lovely. Sometimes being a mom sucks all of the life right out of you and you need a little escape to focus on looking human again. The focus for this bath is exfoliating, moisturizing, and smoothing. When you step out of this bath you will feel more like the princess you’re supposed to be, and less like the ugly-step-sister!
The secret to looking your best it to start by removing all of the built up skin particles that are hanging around in order for your skin to be able to soak up all of the moisture we are getting ready to pamper it with. I personally recommend using a different exfoliant for your body than your face as you need to be gentler with the skin on your face. These are some of my favorites:
For the Body: An all natural and organic option that nourishes and moisturizes while it exfoliates.
Once you have exfoliated, it is time to do some deeper treatment since your skin is clean and prepped. I have a load of different face masks that I turn to depending on the needs of my skin at that particular moment, but there are a few that I turn to time and time again because they bring the best results.
The Pamper-Me Bath
This is the bath that I highly recommend for when you are feeling down in the dumps, or simply, out-of-sorts. This bath is designed to lift your spirits and brighten your outlook on life! For a positively posh, pamper-me bath, you need to gather a pile of your favorite things. Cue up your favorite song list, grab a favorite book or magazine, and snatch a handful of chocolates. Now fix yourself a cup of hot tea or a nice bottle (I mean glass!) of wine and settle in for a nice long soak.
The Immune Booster Bath
Whenever I feel even the slightest twinge of an impending cold, I take a run for my bathtub and get the hot water started! Hot bahts have been shown to improve blood flow to the lymphatic system which can boost immunity and help destroy viruses before they get a chance to take hold. I credit hot baths with the prevention of many of the colds that I am able to fight off before they get bad! My favorite Immuno-boosting bath is a simple home remedy of 2 TB dried ginger, 1/2 cup of baking soda, and 1 cup of epsom salts. This combination draws out toxins and raises the internal body temperature which aids in killing viruses. **Do not try this if your are already running a fever or are prone to heart conditions, fainting or high blood pressure as you can raise your internal body temperature too quickly and cause unsafe reactions!**
The No-More Aches and Pains Bath
While I would like to say that the only time I need this bath is after a strenuous workout, but I would be fibbing. As the years go up, the aches seem to increase as well. Now it seems like anytime I work in the garden, haul the baby-chunk around, or even clean house all day, I’m left with some aching joints and tight muscles. Well, never fear, a hot bath is to the rescue yet again! Hot baths reduce the inflammationf effects that come from physical activity and as such, are useful aids in reducing aches and pains.
Now that you have learned about 5 different types of baths and been given the inside scoop on all of my favorite products, I hope you will take the time to indulge in one and let me know how it goes! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some hot water to run!
~Cassie
I, too, am a “long, hot bath ” advocate! Always have been. When I worked, my husband would tell me to go take a hot bath and relax while he cooked dinner. I used my favorite bath oil, a positive attitude book, soft music, and I was settled in. Soon Joe would bring me a nice glass of wine with a kiss, and then leave me there to relax. It was my idea of heaven! The hot meal after was an added bonus. I still enjoy the baths, but they aren’t as good as they were with him here. I miss that, but wonderful memories!