Baths and Mental Health
BY: Neighbors’ Consejo|
Taking a bath is a daily activity, thanks to it, we can stay clean, wake up, relieve pain, etc., and it is important to highlight that this is not an activity of this century, as many think. “The ancient Greeks were the first to develop showers, where water actually flowed through lead pipes over people’s heads. The Romans expanded on this pipe system, creating expansive aqueducts that supplied indoor plumbing and bathhouses with water. Public bathhouses were essentially the ancient spas, offering massages, exercise, and entertainment, while also being the meeting place to socialize [1] .”
Therefore, it is it is important to remember the benefits that this ritual has for our body and mind. According to Cleveland Clinic,[2] there are three reasons to take a bath:
- Warm baths improve mental and emotional health: They are linked to decreases in stress hormones and more balanced serotonin levels, which help regulate mood. How about accompanying it with essences or candles? Nothing more relaxing to “get away from the world” for a moment.
- Warm baths soothe muscles and joints: If you soak in hot water with Epsom salts for 15 minutes, a couple of times a week you will feel how your pain and muscle tension can be relieved.
- Baths can help heal wounds: Soaking in water along with some kind of solution recommended by your doctor can soothe some wounds, even to the point of drying them out.
On the other hand, the study “Effects of hyperthermic baths on depression, sleep, and heart rate variability in patients with depressive disorder: a pilot randomized clinical trial [3] ” found that hypothermic baths, or ice baths, can relieve stress and improve people’s sleep, especially for those struggling with depression. And, in other study made by the American Physiological Society [4] , we can determinate that hot water immersion “may help reduce inflammation and control blood sugar levels in much the same way exercise does”.
So, after reading this short article, go take a shower or a bath, you will be able to reduce your stress, your tiredness, increase your energy, think more calmly, plan your next day or, analyze your next answer [5] .
References
[2]https://health.clevelandclinic.org/reasons-to-take-a-bath/
[3]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5371197/
[4]https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00407.2018
[5]https://www.wellnessworkdays.com/post/four-surprising-benefits-of-your-daily-shower