I'll never forget the day my not quite two-year old son said to me "You need to take a bath today, Stacey." And he was right!
It wasn't because I was smelly; it was because I was cranky and even at that age, he had the intuition of a 97 year-old woman. Baths are instant mood changers and despite the horrible rumor of baths being equivalent to 'splashing around in your own filth' (exactly how dirty are you people?), they are very therapeutic and beneficial to our bodies, whether using hot or cold water. The samurai warriors believed cold, clean water cleansed their spirit, helping them start their day fresh and spiritually cleansed from the day before.
Check out the awesome benefits of TUB TIME...
Balance Hormones - Bathing in warm water can increase your levels of serotonin, the chemical your brain produces which is associated with good-feels, happiness and well-being.
Improve Heart Health - Taking a warm bath makes your heart beat faster, which gives it a good little work out; improving circulation, lowering blood pressure and improving heart function.
Make Your Brain Happy - Sitting in water (especially water infused with healing salts and minerals) reduces pain, inflammation and calms the nervous system, which reduces the levels of stress and anxiety in the body, improving the mood.
Improve Your Gastro Health - Warm baths improve circulation which aids in digestion and according to a recent study, may reduce sugar levels in the blood.
Boost Your Immunity - A warm bath makes the blood flow easier and allows it to become more oxygenated by making your breath slower and deeper. A hot bath kills bacteria and improves immunity by creating more white blood cells.
You can make your bath even MORE powerful and beneficial by adding salts, minerals and essential oils - check out my 'Easy Bath Salt Recipes for Moody F'ers' post to really get your tub time on!