Sarah’s Health Notes: how baths banish the blues
We’ve never needed any encouragement to sink into a long scented bath at the end of the day so we’re very happy to learn from our longtime colleague and friend Suzanne Duckett, author of Bathe, that there is good science to show a hot bath can help banish the blues. (And January is one of the high times for low mood – fact.)
Bathe is all about how we can rediscover how to relax, rest and regroup from the pressures of this bonkers and busy world. Suzanne has been using ‘tub therapy’ for as long as she can remember, she tells us. ‘The ritual is addictive: the sound and sight of hot steamy water gushing from the tap, the smell of fragrant bath oils, candles casting flickering shadows on the tiles, towels warming on the heated rail and, not least, the “do not disturb” effect of that closed bathroom door.’
Suzanne cites one study from Yale University in America suggesting that chronically lonely people (in this case college students) tended to seek refuge in warm baths and showers. I remember that after a particularly hard break-up I immersed myself in hot baths up to three or four times a day. ‘Scientists concluded that the association between warmth and comfort is hardwired in our brains in infancy,’ Suzanne adds. Not surprising really when you think we spend nine months in the safety of a warm watery womb.
Lying in a warm bath can be a form of mindfulness, calming a racing brain. ‘When I’m feeling fraught, I just lie there staring at my toes pressed up against the end of the bath, occasionally glancing at the dancing candle to give my chattering mind something to follow and focus on,’ Suzanne explains.
As she says, medical sources say research shows that bathing in warm to hot water can have physical benefits too:
· The heat and steam may help you breathe more easily
· It can reduce pain and inflammation
· Soothe your muscles, joint and bones
· Make the blood flow more easily, improving circulation
· It can improve immunity, kill bacteria and relieve symptoms of colds and flu
As well as her book Bathe, Suzanne has launched Onolla, a must-visit website and shop in Barnes, London, dedicated to self care products and rituals. Her favourite products include:
Olverum Bath Oil /£36.50 for a generous 125ml
Quiet Bath Salts /£45 for 200g
Hungary Mud bath soak/face mask /£22 for 200g
PS For a real beauty steal bath, try tipping a cupful of Epsom salts (from your local chemist or pharmacy) into your bath with a few drops of your favourite essential oil.
