It’s no coincidence that the first Eureka moment happened from the comfort of the tub. As Archimedes lowered himself into a relaxing hot bath he found the clarity of mind to solve the problem he faced.
The bath has always been a source of peace and relaxation and in the modern world, we are more than ever looking for ways to clear our minds of the stresses and strains of daily life.
So why is a long hot soak such a good way to improve our mental wellbeing?
Studies have shown that taking a bath can activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which is the part of your body responsible for relaxation. As your nervous system adjusts to the warming effect of the water around you, you begin to experience lowered levels of stress. If you are feeling anxious, a bath can physically force your body to change how it processes that anxiety.
Bathing has been shown to have a direct effect on chemical changes in the brain. In an article published on PsychologyToday.com, Peter Bongiorno, ND, LAc writes: “Decreases in stress hormones (like cortisol) have been reported with water bathing. It has also been shown that water bathing may also help the balance of the feel-good neurotransmitter, serotonin.
Throughout history, bathing has always been about more than just personal hygiene. It is an opportunity to find solitude, practice self-care and treat yourself to a little luxury and as so many of us struggle to maintain our mental health and wellbeing who would have thought that the solution may be found in a long, hot bath filled with relaxing BAVE soak and soothing salts.
