8 Reasons Why Baths are Great for Your Health

For some of us, a hot bath can be a soothing way to end a particularly tough day. And while it may not seem like there are inherent benefits to hot baths, there are actually more than a few reasons why taking hot baths regularly can be a good thing.

So, the next time that you go for a soak in the tub, think about these eight things. These are eight benefits to taking hot baths that you may or may not have known about. When you go for a soak, you’ll feel comfortable knowing that you are getting the benefits that can help you.

Without further ado, here are eight reasons why baths are great for you.

Baths can help you sleep better

The importance of quality sleep cannot be understated as sleep is linked to many different neurological and biological factors. A lack of quality sleep can make it difficult to focus, remain alert, and can have drastic effects on your memory.

So, to improve the way that you sleep, taking a hot bath can help. There are studies that show that having a warm bath just before bed will raise our body temperatures, allowing them to drop naturally and at an accelerated rate.
When the temperatures in our body drop at night, this is thought to induce sleep. That is why some doctors and scientists recommend going to sleep in a cold room. That cool down produces melatonin in your body, making you better prepared to fall asleep at night.

A nice soak in a hot bath can not only provide you with a little bit of relaxation during the bath, but allow your body to naturally cool down and allow you to sleep into an easier sleep.

Baths can help to improve your mood

Taking a warm bath doesn’t have to be an occasional thing that you do at the end of a particularly hard day. Settling into that warm water can induce pleasure in the brain which can hang around even after the bath has ended.
Surveys have shown that hot baths can actually diminish feelings of pessimism and depression. This is because the bath provides a warm setting of quiet, isolation, and comfort. And there is actually a much more subconscious thing to note: being submerged in a warm liquid can invoke feelings of being in the womb, that subconscious feeling we look for whether we realize it or not.

Taking a hot bath can help induce feelings of easiness and comfort. This is what helps to ease the mind and body to slip into a state of relaxation. If you don’t have a hot tub – or you can’t fix the leak for hot tub – you can use the bathroom tub instead.

Baths can improve heart health

Taking warm baths can not only have impactful effects on your demeanor and sleep, they can also have benefits for your heart, too. Taking warm baths on the regular can help to reduce blood pressure. This reduction of high blood pressure can help to prevent more serious heart conditions. It can even help to prevent strokes and heart attacks.
The heat of the water helps to better the flow of blood and improve your circulation. It is essentially akin to giving your body a mini workout. That can make taking baths beneficial even if it were to do nothing for your mood or sleep.

Baths can reduce muscle pain

Since the heat of the bath can get your blood moving, improving your overall circulation, it can be quite beneficial to help your tight or sore muscles relax. Try adding some Epsom salts to your bath. This has been proved to reduce the inflammation in joints that is caused by muscular diseases like arthritis.

Bath salts also have anti-inflammatory properties that can have positive impacts on those suffering from metabolic diseases. These are diseases like type 2 diabetes. Keep in mind: this won’t make those things go away, but can help make them feel much better. It also helps if you are using a chemical-free hot tub.

Baths can be a cold and flu remedy

If you are feeling particularly under the weather from a cold or flu, taking a nice hot bath can help to alleviate some of the symptoms. The steam from the bath can be great for bad coughs and stuffy noses in particular.
If you have congestion in your nasal passages, the steam gets into the blood vessels that are in your face and gets them moving. This loosens your mucus and helps to alleviate that congested feeling. Not only that, a temperate bath can also help your immune system to fight off viruses in a better way.

Baths can burn calories

Keep in mind that a hot bath is not going to make you lose a ton of weight or counteract a poor diet with little to no exercise. But a soak can induce a good sweat, which can in turn burn as many calories as talking a nice little walk.
You can even take it up a notch by doing some water aerobics if your bathtub is big enough (but watch out for splashing).

Baths can help your mind feel sharper

While baths have benefits when it comes to reducing irritation and inflammation, they can also have an impact on mental fatigue. While baths can reduce stress, it can also help your mind to feel a bit sharper as well.
Baths are about relaxing and allowing your mind to focus, be it on a specific thing or something a little more open like the concept of relaxation. In any event, it helps take the stress out of our minds for at least a little while. And when your mind is sharp, you can get adventurous and build your own hot tub.

Baths can help soothe skin irritation

If the bath is scalding hot, it will actually irritate your skin even more. But a warm bath with some essential oils can leave your skin feeling hydrated and help to heal irritated or dry skin.

Another great thing about adding a bath bomb, soap, or essential oil is that it can help to regulate your mood, reduce stress, and provide a more calming impact than just a bath.

Article By:

Peter Rossi, a professional hot tub designer and founder of ByRossi.