Five tips to enjoying a relaxing bath

Baths are a great way to help relax your tired and stressed body. A perfect bath can relieve you stresses and leave you feeling calm and mellow. Most may think that it is obvious how to take a bath and if you’re bathing simply to clean then I suppose it is. However, not all of us know how to create that perfect bath, that bath that takes you to another place, a place of serenity and relaxation. We have put together five handy tips to help you achieve the ultimate relaxing bathing experience. Follow these handy tips and you could find yourself taking baths more often!

Cleanliness

No matter how much of a clean freak you may be, it is always a good idea to give your bath a clean before you start to run it. Nothing can be less relaxing than lying in a bath with grime, dirt, fluff, hair or the worst case a spider! Stepping into a perfectly clean bath will help you to relax and feel at ease whilst you bathe.

Temperature

Many people often get the temperature of their bath completely wrong. Most of us either run a bath that is far too hot or is barely warm. Neither of these are going to be enjoyable never mind relaxing. If you’ve always thought you’ve hated having baths then temperature could be the issue. If the bath is too hot then it could leave you feeling nauseous, dizzy and weak but if it is too cold then it could leave you dithering and feeling like you can’t get warm. It is recommended that you get into your bath at a medium temperature. Test it with your forearm and if it burns then it is too hot. It is best to get into a warm bath and add more hot water if it is needed.

Bath scents & oils

Bath scents & oils can be a great way to help you relax. There are various aromatherapy oils and scents available such as lavender, chamomile, sandalwood, cedarwood, ylang ylang and rose, all of which can create relaxing scents in your bath to help calm and de-stress you. They can also be good for relaxing strained muscles or just everyday aches and pains.

Atmosphere

Creating a relaxing atmosphere is key to the perfect bath. It’s not going to be relaxing if the kids are running around or someone is nagging at you to quickly vacate the bathroom. Plan your relaxing bath for a time when nobody is around or make sure everyone understands you are not to be disturbed.

Try lowering the lighting or possibly using candles dotted around the room to give the feeling of a spa like experience. Candles or lower lighting is a great way to soothe tired eyes and will help you relax into your bath.

Why not pop your favourite cd or playlist on the i-pod player, something calming, slow and chilled. Chillout albums are great for listening to in a relaxing bath. They will remind you of a spa or being on a tropical beach somewhere.

Bath comforts

Buy yourself some typical bath comforts to aid you relaxation. No bath is complete without plenty of bubbles but not so much that they become an irritation. There are various bubble bath products now on the market that are aimed at relaxing and soothing you. Whether it’s aching muscles, stress relief or wanting to sleep better, there is a bubble bath to aid it. Finally to add to your comfort, buy yourself a bath pillow, these make relaxing so much easier and stop you from having to rest your head against a cold bath.