4 Reasons Why A Bath Is Always A Good Idea

If there is a ritual that has stood the test of time, it is the humble bath. Tracing back to the Ancient Egyptians to the Romans - the Roman baths were infamous for a reason - from Asia to Africa, bathing was a significant part of every culture, past and present. The pandemic has only served to highlight the joys of small gestures of the everyday, exhibit A the bath. Name one thing better than a hot bath at the end of a long taxing and cold day, we’ll wait? Reduced to a pure act of indulgence or ritualised self-care, a bath can feel too luxurious for the everyday. But for many people, a daily or weekly bath creates a moment of tranquillity and balance.

In highly stressful times, aka pandemic life, we find ourselves seeking out tools of relaxation and moments of calmness. Pinterest found an increase in searches relating to bathing in 2020 after the official government-enforced lockdown. Sinking your body into hot water is a form of therapy, be it for your mental wellbeing or health. And it’s not just an old wife’s tale, the science is there to support the psychological and physiological benefits of the routine bath. Now discover exactly why a bath is so much more than a luxurious dip, here are 4 reasons that will see you ditch the shower for sure.

Bathing For Heart Benefits:

Recently, the University of Coventry found that taking a hot bath can be as beneficial to the body as exercising would be. In that, it also offers a lowering of blood pressure and inflammation to a reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease. A study published in Journal Heart found that a daily hot bath was associated with a 28% lower risk of heart disease and a 26% lower risk for stroke. In a process known as vasodilation, the heat of the water causes the expansion of your blood vessels and arteries, which decreases damage to the layer of cells that line the inside of the blood vessels. Like we needed any more convincing to fully submerge in a hot bath, now there is scientific support.

Bathing for Better Sleep:

King’s College London reported that over 63% of individuals experienced a disturbance in their sleep, since the start of the lockdown. The pandemic has increased stress and anxiety, which undoubtedly has had a huge negative impact on our sleep. A warm bath can be a vital part of good sleep hygiene. Studies have found that having a bath, one to two hours before bed in 40°C to 42°C water, worked to help people sleep better -the individuals reported a higher quality of sleep and falling asleep faster. So how does it work? Sleep occurs when the core temperature drops in a normal circadian rhythm. In the lead up to sleep, the body’s temperature starts to fall and this is linked to a reduction in the time it takes to fall asleep. Getting into a hot bath increases your body temperature, while you soak. Naturally, your body temperature drops as the heat disperses, as you get out of the bath. This signals for the circadian rhythm to slow down your heart and breathing rates, priming you for optimal sleep, incorporating a bath acts as sort of an accelerator for the process. A sure way to fire up the process even further would be to add a splash of our Into The Deep, Dreem Distillery bath oil. Formulated with the highest grade broad-spectrum CBD and lavender oil, well known for their sleep-inducing properties, this aromatherapeutic soak helps to nourish the body and relax the mind, to get you in a state of sleep in no time.

Bathing for a good mood:

You probably don’t have science to tell you that having a hot bath is good for the soul. Have you ever had a bath that didn’t leave you feeling good? But if you did, a German study found that participants with depression reported a boost in mood after a 30-minute hot soak. The study also found that regular baths are an effective aid for depression, more so than exercise. In another study, it was reported that baths also helped with the balancing of serotonin (Marzsziti et al.,2007). Like we needed any more reasons to commit to a regular schedule of baths.

Bathing for Blood Sugar Regulation:

Who would’ve thought that our baths had an effect on our blood sugar levels? If your blood sugar levels are imbalanced, it could result in many issues, including fatigue and weight gain. New research has found that a pre-meal bath can reduce spiking of blood sugar by 10% and they also reported that energy expenditure levels can be increased by 80 per cent, burning 126 calories per hour. Now there is no excuse not to get into a warm bath.

We don’t know about you but we are truly sold on the idea of regular baths. Now take this as your sign to run yourself a warm inviting bath and let yourself soak, until you feel completely serene and blissful. Most importantly, don’t forget your splash or two of the Dreem Distillery bath oil, Into The Deep, to ensure you reap the full benefits of that bath.