3 Major Health Benefits of Taking Baths

Posted May 20, 2017

It used to be that people made time for the little things, and they seemed happier. Taking walks during the day and literally smelling the roses, eating dinners with the whole family gathered at the table sans cell phones and tablets, and taking nice warm baths. Nowadays treadmills have taken the place of the great outdoors, TV dinners or fast food have removed our need for placemats, and standing only showers occupy all of the bathrooms in our homes.

This leaves one to wonder, were there any benefits to the “old” way or was the lack of advanced technology the only reason people did those things? What if we told you that there are, in fact, health benefits to doing things like taking a warm bath? Would that surprise you? It shouldn’t. The Turks, Romans and Greeks get it. The health benefits of water, steam and cleansing have been some of the benefits that these groups receive from their traditional bathing – and we at Hydro think it’s high time we joined in on the fun.

BATH HEAT CAN HELP TO ALLEVIATE MUSCLE PAIN

Probably the most obvious of all the benefits, a warm to hot bath has been known to help sooth aching muscles and minor pains. “The heat in your bath increases the temperature of aching muscles, blocking pain sensors and producing pain relief.”

Did you know, however, that athletes have been known to take cold baths in order to lower the levels of lactic acid in their bloodstream? This actually aids in their physical performance. Whichever fits your needs, it is clear there is a theme here – baths help your muscles.

WARM BATHS BEFORE BED CAN IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP

There are countless health benefits for getting a good night’s sleep. Benefits like mental performance, immune system strength, and an increased metabolism are just a few. The New York Times has dedicated multiple articles to getting a good night’s rest (see links below).

What if we told you that a warm bath at night could help make all of these benefits a reality? It’s simple really. While bathing, your body temperature will decrease and start to produce a hormone named melatonin. This hormone, among other things, helps to induce sleep. Ultimately, your decrease in body temperature can last for 6-7 hours – talk about a good night’s rest!

BATHING RELIEVES MENTAL STRESS AND IMPROVES YOUR MOOD

Let’s not forget the mental benefits of bathing. It’s commonplace to envisage a warm bath and a glass of wine while in the midst of a stressful day. Well, we are here to tell you that this is a logical daydream. In fact, English studies show that a warm bath at the end of the day improved the optimism and mood of bathers. Reasons for these improvements range from body positioning, comfort, and isolation. Whatever the reason, we are just elated to know, for a fact, that there is a possible solution for the Monday blues!