When a bath cares for you and when it doesn't
We live in an age of cleanliness. Depending on the season, we may shower or bathe several times a day. Beyond environmental considerations, such as water and energy consumption, it is also important to remember that the skin has its own natural oils and a protective layer formed by its microbiota.
Bathing too often, or not doing it properly, can disrupt the skin’s natural balance. We want bathing to be a ritual of care and wellbeing, so there are a few essential guidelines worth keeping in mind.
What makes a bath healthy?
A bath is, essentially, a moment of cleansing and relaxation, so it should always be a healthy practice for both body and mind. The factors that can interfere with this are usually related to excess or to the use of products that are unsuitable for the skin.
There are other habits that can take away from the caring nature of a good bath. One of them is turning the bathtub into a multipurpose space. Having a glass of wine while bathing, reading in the tub, listening to music through headphones or continuing to scroll through social media on your phone are all habits that go against the idea of bathing as a moment of care and wellbeing.
For a bath to become a true self care ritual, there are three key aspects to consider.
Duration: finding the balance between relaxation and damage
Uno de los fines del baño es abrir los poros de la piel para eliminar toxinas e impurezas. Esto se consigue en los primeros 5 a 10 minutos de inmersión. Durante este tiempo podemos aprovechar para realizar un buen masaje con un guante o una esponja de fibra natural.
Another purpose is to relax the muscles and ease tension, one of the most noticeable benefits of hydrotherapy when immersion lasts between 15 and 20 minutes. This effect can be enhanced by adding mineral salts rich in magnesium, potassium and calcium, such as Epsom salts or Dead Sea salt. A blend of eucalyptus and mint essential oils can also be added to the water to help open the airways.
A bath should not turn into a nap in the water. Beyond 20 or 25 minutes, the tissues begin to soften and blood pressure may drop too much, which can lead to drowsiness and tiredness. Spending too long in the bath can also disrupt the skin’s natural balance of moisture and oils, leaving it drier and more vulnerable.
Respecting the right duration is particularly important when it comes to steam baths. The recommended maximum time for a session should never be exceeded. Ideally, this should be between 15 and 20 minutes, divided into intervals of 5 to 10 minutes.
Temperature: the factor that determines whether a bath soothes or irritates
The ideal water temperature is between 36 °C and 38 °C for a bath lasting around 15 minutes. It can reach 39 °C, but should never exceed 40 °C.
Depending on each person’s physical condition, a long bath at a high temperature may cause dehydration, fatigue or dizziness, so it is essential to keep this under control. High water temperatures can also disrupt the skin’s natural oil levels and weaken its protective barrier.
A bath at 38 °C, for example, can be highly beneficial for easing stress and anxiety, especially when a bath infusion made with lavender and spike lavender is added to the water.
Frequency: when too much hygiene stops being care
It is largely a matter of common sense. Except in special circumstances, such as excessive sweating, swimming in pools or the sea, or exposure to polluted or dirty environments, there is no need to shower or bathe more than once a day.
In the same way, it is well known that washing your hands every five minutes can eventually lead to dryness, flaking or even cracks in the epidermis.
Excessive hygiene can weaken the skin’s microbiota and increase transepidermal water loss, which in turn weakens the skin barrier. The result may be greater dryness, tightness, irritation, blemishes or even recurring episodes of dermatitis.
If certain circumstances require more thorough hygiene, as may be the case for people working in healthcare, industrial or chemical environments, it is essential to use extra gentle soaps and cleansing gels, as well as regularly applying highly moisturising and nourishing products rich in plant oils and other skin friendly ingredients.
Any product rich in extra virgin olive oil, or EVOO, can be an excellent ally in helping to maintain healthy, supple skin.
Bathing as a self care ritual
A good bath is at the heart of a good self care ritual. Purifying the skin, removing impurities and relaxing the muscles, particularly in areas where tension tends to build up, is an everyday practice that can help care for both body and mind.
Bathing, with its sequence of gestures, aromas and sensations, can be a highly effective ritual for easing stress, anxiety and lack of rest.
Preparing the bathroom so that it is perfectly clean, at the right temperature and softly lit with warm light is already part of the experience. Using the right products, such as soaps, oils or salts, turns the bath into an opportunity to enjoy time devoted entirely to care and wellbeing.
There is no need to add much more to transform a bath into a perfect self care ritual. Simply pay attention to each gesture, to the sensations in your body and to the thoughts passing through your mind.
There is a counterproductive tendency to layer too many stimuli at once. Bathing with candles, music, a glass of wine and other distractions can easily become the best way not to fully enjoy any of them. There is a time for bathing, another for relaxing with a glass of wine or a cup of tea, another for listening to music and another for reading. There is no need to do everything at once.
A self care ritual is, above all, a practice of attention and mindfulness.
Signs that your bathing routine is caring for you, or not
A good bathing routine relaxes the muscles and tones the skin. If your skin feels smoother and softer, looks brighter and feels more hydrated, your routine is working. If you also sleep better, feel less tension and have more energy, it means the ritual as a whole is right for you and that you have found a genuine source of wellbeing.
If, on the other hand, your skin feels drier and less firm, or even becomes flaky or irritated, something may not be working as it should. In that case, it is worth reviewing the temperature of your bath, how long you stay in the water, how frequently you shower or bathe, particularly if this happens too often, and whether you are using the most suitable products for your skin type.
Other signs that your bathing routine may not be caring for you include an unusual feeling of tiredness or even irritability. Both can result from poor habits, such as rushing through the ritual or trying to do several things at once.
It is better to postpone your self care ritual than to try to fit it in while other unfinished tasks are still demanding your attention. In the end, the result will not be greater relaxation, but quite the opposite.
