People have mixed views on taking a bath. Some consider it unhygienic and time-consuming while for others it’s an essential part of their daily grooming and self care.
For me, a bath is not a quick dip. It’s a long soak spending at least 30 mins immersed in hot water.
Staying in the bath long enough to be fully wrinkled and having to top up the hot water several times is heavenly.
Peace of mind is my top value in life, and a relaxing bath is one of the best and quickest ways to achieve it, therefore, I consider a good long soak in the bath a vital part of my self care practice.
Here are my 5 essentials for the ultimate relaxing bath:
1. Essential oils
I’ve read several articles over the years promoting the benefits of adding essential oils to your bath.
However, as I have very sensitive skin, and have never been able to use bubble bath, I’ve always been hesitant about doing so.
So instead of adding the oils to the bath, I add some drops to a small dish at the side of the bath. The steam from the hot water fills the bathroom with the scent of my chosen essential oil.
There are so many essential oils to choose from, each with its own unique benefits so as always, experiment to see what works best for you.
If you decide to add essential oils to your bath water, be careful as they can irritate the skin. Some people advise mixing the essential oils with a carrier oil before adding them to your bathwater.
As with any skin product, do a small patch test beforehand to ensure you’ll have no adverse reactions, and always use high-quality oils.
2. Candles
While the bath is running you want to set the scene.
The ultimate relaxing bath is all about self-love. It’s about treating yourself like a queen.
Scented candles are the next essential you need.
As with essential oils, there’s an abundance of fragrances to choose from, so simply pick a fragrance that takes your fancy and light them.
3. Music
Next, you want some relaxing background music.
Most days I listen to Neo-Soul or Lo-Fi tunes.
Spotify has some really great playlists, however, I’m a premium user so I don’t have adverts, which would probably affect your listening experience.
You can always create your own bath time playlist or dust of your one of your old school CDs.
There are days when I choose to listen to a podcast or audiobook instead of music.
4. Put electronic devices on flight mode
We spend most of our time using an electronic device and our brains are constantly stimulated.
In order to truly relax, we also need to give our brains some downtime.
Where possible, I’d encourage you to leave all electronic devices out of the bathroom.
However, because many of us use our smartphones for almost everything, it’s likely that you use yours to listen to music or read.
Flight mode will allow you to use your smartphone or electronic device only for the purposes of relaxing in the bath and minimise other distractions.
5. Turn out the lights
If you’ve never had a bath in the dark, you’re seriously missing out.
Not only is the flicker of candlelight somewhat meditative helping you to relax further.
Additionally, your other senses will be heightened meaning you’ll benefit even more from any essential oil you choose to use.
Following these steps will not only ensure the ultimate relaxing bath, but you’re also likely to have a great night’s sleep.
The benefits of taking a bath have been recognised throughout the ages. However, due to our fast-paced lifestyles, many of us, including myself, have forgotten just how beneficial having a regular soak can be.
A bath offers so much more than a way to get clean.
Baths help you unplug and escape the outside world. They are also a great way to relieve stress, improve blood circulation and soothe muscles.
Taking a bath gives you a moment in your day where you don’t have to do anything but lie back and relax.
Now doesn’t that sound heavenly?
In my mind, taking an ultimate relaxing bath is a massive act of self-love and one that we all deserve and should make time for.
