Detox Bath

The past few months I have been making a real effort to take better care of myself.  At a certain point all of those nasty habits I developed in college were really taking a toll on me.  A person can only live on junk food and crazy sleeping habits for so long.  I felt exhausted—physically and emotionally.  Since then I have made a lot of changes, the best of which has been replacing my nightly hour of TV with a detox bath.

Every night I fill up the tub, turn the lights low, and relax.  Sometimes I journal, sometimes I (very carefully) bring my iPhone in with me to get on Pinterest, but mostly, I do nothing.  The benefits have been amazing.  I fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply than I ever did before, my complexion is clearer, I experience less everyday achiness, and emotionally I feel much more grounded. 

I have tried a few different types of detox baths.  Baking soda made me itchy.  Apple cider vinegar didn’t really seem to make a difference and made my towel and my hair stink like vinegar until the next wash.  Oatmeal baths smell lovely and made my skin really soft.  But, my absolute favorite is Epsom salt.  After a bath with Epsom salt I feel extremely tired and relaxed, much more so than with any other bath. 

Here’s how I do it:

Run the bath water as hot as you can possibly stand it.  Add about 2 cups of Epsom salt and let it dissolve.  I also like to add essential oils.  My favorites are lavender (which promotes relaxation and sleep) and eucalyptus (which has an earthy smell and is good for respiratory illnesses like colds).  I also like to turn the lights down low and listen to relaxing music, but that’s optional! Make sure to stay in the tub for at least 20 minutes, longer if you can stand it.  I also like to drink a cup of chamomile tea while I soak (which also promotes relaxation!)

Make sure you don’t have anything left to accomplish in your day, because after soaking you won’t want to do anything but curl up in bed!

Cheers!