There is always a new product to buy that will solve all of your problems. Recently I was watching YouTube and an advertisement came on trying to get me to buy something that exercises my jaw. The strange device is the perfect example of the random products that appear and disappear quickly. Yet why do we always feel the need to find some new expensive solution when there have been so many things that have been tried and tested and are known to work.
One of the best-known home remedies is a bath. Everyone knows a bath is a great place to relax and unwind. If you have had a long day taking a long soak is the perfect way to unhinge from the world and ensure a great night’s sleep as well. If you have a bath the cost of taking one is incredibly low. You can add some bath salts and lavender at a low cost and make that bath a light spa treatment. Yet we don’t do it.
Exercise too is a great way to treat stress. Simply putting on our shoes and going for a run outside is shown to make people happy. Yet many people don’t do it. It sometimes feels like if I asked someone to pay me $30 for the permission to go running they may pay it and start to see the benefits more clearly.
A recent study looked at the impact the exercise and baths have on depression and the results were incredible. While exercising is an excellent way to fight depression and stress it only caused participants to fall in three points (on a scale of stress). People who bathed regularly fell by six points. The scall is used by mental health professionals to examine depression severity and shows that while both approaches are very good, bathing is the best.
Bathing is also great for your long term health. Studies have shown that the more your bath the longer you will live. One study looked at a group of 30,000 people over a 20 year period. People who took fewer than two baths a week had a higher chance of heart disease and stroke. Those who took three to four baths a week had a 25% lower chance of heart disease and a 13% lower chance of stroke. Those who bathed every day had a 35% lower chance of heart disease and a 23% lower chance of stroke.
While there have been no proven reasons why baths are so good for you it likely has to do with the heat it creates, how it makes it easier to sleep, and your overall circadian rhythm. It has been proven that people who suffer from depression have a much weaker circadian rhythm. They show very little difference in body temperature during the day and night. This means they are likely not getting the same quality of sleep as others. A bath at night can help to cool off and release melatonin making you ready for sleep. In a similar way going outside in the sun in the morning will do the same thing, making you more alert during the day.
The benefits of baths are evident. It can relieve stress, relax tired muscles, get your body ready for sleep, help you live longer, and fight depression. They also make you cleaner. A bath is definitely one of the most inexpensive ways to improve your well-being. Purchase some bath salts, grab your book, and nestle into a big bath for a nice long soak. You will come out feeling better about any problem you have.