A hectic lifestyle usually provokes the instant ‘let’s shower instead’ response, but Ramona Depares finds a luxurious soak is just as good as a break.
When I was first planning my home, properties had recently taken the trend where everything got smaller and smaller, until most first homes pretty much contained only the basics.
Turns out I’m not alone in firmly believing a bath a week keeps the stress levels at bay
Forget lovely, wide hallways. Forget an extra guest room for your visiting friends or relatives. And, in most cases, also forget a good, old-fashioned bath as the latter was ditched in favour of the space-saving shower.
It is easy to see why showers came into such favour. It’s not just a question of space; it’s also a question of time. In today’s world – and, let’s face it, with utility bills being what they are – we are more used to jumping in and out of the shower to maximise on time than we are to spending an hour luxuriating in the bath.
Me, I decided from the get-go that I wanted to do things the old-fashioned way. So I made sure I installed a bath. Complete with jacuzzi, of course, because that is how I roll.
If I used this blessed bath five times in the first year, well... that is probably pushing it. Like everyone else had warned me, the expedience of a quick shower won out and I started thinking that I may as well have used the space taken up by my bath for something else.
Until, that is, I rediscovered the pleasures of the prolonged bath, which I now make a point of enjoying at least once a week. It didn’t take me too long to realise that convincing myself that I can’t spare at least one hour of winding down me-time once a week is ridiculous.
And so, I armed myself with all the essentials for a luxurious soak and re-discovered just how relaxing it is to disappear from the world, book in hand, lovely scents filling my nostrils, and just let the cares of the week float away.
Today, it’s a ritual that I wouldn’t like to miss...
Turns out I’m not alone in firmly believing a bath a week keeps the stress levels at bay. A cursory look online revealed myriad advocates in favour of the ritual:
The most obvious benefit: You give the brain cells a break. True relaxation is difficult in this day and age. Somehow, people – and the problems they tend to bring with them – will find you anywhere. Well, not if you’re submerged in water behind a locked door, they won’t! Make sure you switch off your mobile; after all, you don’t want it to suffer from an unexpected swim now, do you? Take your favourite music with you (steer clear of anything too rousing), or use it as an excuse to catch up with your reading. Alternatively, why not just close your eyes and let your mind wander. You’ll emerge feeling refreshed.
Add some steam for instant detox: We are all familiar with the benefits of using a sauna regularly. Only trouble is, few of us have regular access to one. And even those of us who do (most gyms and spas usually include sauna access) rarely devote the time to it.
The good news is that creating your own sauna experience at home is easily done. Fill the bath with hot water (as hot as you can stand it, and lower yourself gradually in it), cover the surface of the bath with the biggest towel you possess, and let the steam flow over your body. Obviously, this is not one for the summer months, but as soon as the warm season is over, it becomes viable once again.
So, the benefits of a steam bath include the following: you relieve tension build-up and relax the muscles; you soothe the stress away; you experience relief if you suffer from joint pains and, from my point of view, most importantly, it leaves you with your skin looking oh-so-wonderful.
How does this work? Simple – the steam acts as a deep cleanser, opening up your pores big time so that the grime that accumulates deep down comes out. If you want to do this the proper way, start out with a good exfoliation using a dry brush. This will open up your pores and remove the superficial dirt in preparation for the sauna.
Enjoy your steam bath after you’ve exfoliated for about five minutes (always start from the feet upwards, using upwards strokes). When you’re done, proceed with a deep cleansing, using a scrub lotion. If you don’t feel like buying one, you can also add some sea salt to your usual bath gel or to some olive oil and use that as a home-made scrub.
Finish off with a good moisturising lotion, et voilà – skin that glows and that feels as smooth as the proverbial baby’s bottom.
Promoting restful sleep: If you’re one of those poor souls who have trouble sleeping, or who sleep fitfully, then a nightly bath is really the answer to your problems.
Chances are that, like most insomniacs, you usually rely on sleeping pills to ensure you get your required eight-hour fix. We all know about the side effects of using these, so there is no need to go into that here. The good news is that a more natural remedy is available. I’m not saying this will work in all cases, however, it will work for those whose main problem is ‘switching off’.
Make sure the water is not too hot or too cold – warm is what we are after here. Add some drops of essential oil, if you’re into that sort of thing. And even if you’re not, everyone enjoys the lovely smell. Lavender and neroli oils are reputed to be particularly beneficial for insomniacs.
Don’t overdo the length. In this case, 30 minutes in silent bliss should do it. Don your favourite jammies and, with any luck, you should be snoring in under 30 minutes.
You will smell fabulous: Yes, I’m well aware that soap fulfils this purpose just as well under the shower. But does it really? Sure, it may get you as squeaky clean as a long bath, but in my experience it definitely doesn’t leave you smelling as fabulous.
Somehow, when you give yourself time to luxuriate in scented water, your skin tends to become infused with the scent you’re using. The lovely smell will stay with you all day (or all night).
Besides the automatic feel-good factor that nice smells tend to trigger, the constant scent will also be associated with the relaxing feeling of bathing, which, in turn, triggers the same sensations in your mind.