This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
I absolutely love taking a long hot bath. It’s a ritual that has been taking place for millennia. As you know it was popular with the ancient Egyptians, if you were wealthy enough. Cleopatra was said to prefer asses’s milk – 700 donkeys were required to provide enough milk for her daily bath. Well there’s a shortage of that where I live, however that doesn’t stop me having a long hot soak!
A nightly bathing ritual is something I am really relishing at the moment. The short cold days of January and the long dark evenings provide us with an opportunity to take our time and languish in some soapy hot water.
The benefits of bathing are well researched and are enormously beneficial to both our mental and physical wellbeing.
10 Reasons to Take a Hot Bath or Shower
- Lowers blood sugar
- Fall asleep faster
- Lowers blood pressure
- Relieves muscle tension
- Cleaner, healthier skin
- Moisturises our skin
- Improves blood circulation
- Helps relieve cold/flu symptoms
- Gives you time to think creatively
- Helps us feel better about ourselves
There are numerous soaps, bath salts and oils on the market to pour into your hot bathing tub. Annabel and Grace often recommend some wonderful products. I personally really love the traditional brands like Radox. The benefits of using and bathing in Epsom salts are also numerous because they:
- Soothe the skin. Epsom salt can soften rough, dry skin and exfoliate dead skin cells
- Reduce soreness and pain
- Reduce stress
- Promote foot health
- Draw out splinters
- The magnesium in Epsom salts helps contribute to a healthy immune system.
Whist bathing, light one of your fragrant candles, with a soothing aroma such as Lavender, which promotes sleep and relaxation.
I like taking my time over my bathing routine. In the past I know we all often just took a quick shower as time was in short supply for many with our hectic lifestyles. However now most of us have plenty of time during lockdown, use it wisely and spend it on self-care. Self-care is so important especially now as we need all of our inner strength to cope with this virus and keep ourselves uplifted, healthy and strong.
Here are my ultimate bathing ritual steps. You may not get time for all of these everyday but try and follow a few, and on those days where you do have time, indulge.
My ultimate bathing ritual
All this takes me about an hour and a half and I usually bathe around 8.00pm in the evening after supper.
- Pour in bath salts and bubbles into warm water
- Whilst running the bathwater, dry brush your body with a soft natural bristle body brush
- Light a fragrant candle, dim the bathroom lights.
- Immerse into the foaming bubbles
- Read a book or just close your eyes and dream that you’re on a Caribbean island.
- Give yourself a good scrub with some lovely soap or cleansing cream. This is also a good time to use an exfoliating body scrub
- After a long soak remove yourself and pat dry with a warm fluffy towel
- Massage yourself all over with a good thick body cream or body oil, also coat your face in your favourite cream and massage, I use Hayou, one of A&G’s recommended products.
- Clean pyjamas are a must after a lovely bath
- Lie in a quiet, dark and warm place in a semi supine position to meditate and realign the spine and spinal fluid for 17 minutes, at least.
If you follow my steps then grab yourself a lovely drink (mine’s currently a turmeric latte made with oat milk) and read a good book, I promise you, you will drop off into a deep sleep before 10.30pm!
Let me know how you get on in the comments below. I love your feedback.
Meanwhile take care, keep going, stay safe stay at home, everything passes eventually… Lesley x