January 8th is bubble bath day: it is good for your body and mind. But how do you prepare the perfect bath?
Not too hot
A warm bath is meant to relax you. That is why a bath of between 36 and 38 degrees is recommended. The bath water should not be warmer than this: if it is warmer, the hot water can strain your heart and circulatory system. It is also a fact that the hotter the water, the more moisture you lose in your skin. In addition, a cool bath is also good for your health, for example to cool down. The temperature may not be lower than twenty degrees. The body then has to use a lot of energy to maintain the body temperature. Water with a colder temperature causes the blood vessels to constrict, which means that the body can no longer cool down. This causes heat build-up, which is actually anything but productive when it comes to cooling down.
Duration of the bath
So taking a bath for too long can strain the blood circulation and dry out the skin. A warm temperature of 36 to 38 degrees is the ideal temperature, for (ideally) a bath duration of fifteen to twenty minutes. However, a five-minute bath is enough to benefit from the soothing and relaxing effects of the bath. It is also recommended about twice a week to get through the week fresh and rested.
Oil, bath salt or bath foam?
A bath is not complete with just warm water. You’ll want to add all kinds of things to it: bath salts, bath slants, bath pearls, or oil. Depending on what you want to achieve with the bath, you can choose. Oils, such as lavender oil or eucalyptus oil, smell very nice and are also good for the skin. Bath salts and bath foam also smell wonderful, but these can dry out the skin, so after the bath it is wise to moisturize well with body lotion. Herbs or flowers can have a healing and refreshing effect in a warm bath, but do your research beforehand.
Atmosphere makers
To really give your bath a nice atmosphere, you can put on soothing music. This does not have to be a soft relaxing sound, but could also be your favorite song. In addition, a nice movie is always nice, but make sure that the electrical device you are watching is far enough away from the water. Thirdly, candles are almost indispensable for a relaxing atmosphere: Turn off the bathroom light and let the warmth of the (scented) candles guide you.
