Bath Time!!

I loved baths as a kid but as I got older, I grew out of them and then eventually grew to hate them. I tend to run on the warmer side and I didn‘t find sitting in hot water, dripping in sweat any fun. When I was first getting diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis last year, my pelvic pain was OUT. OF. CONTROL. and a friend from high school told me that really hot baths helped her pain tremendously, so I tried and my life was forever changed!! At the height of my ovary and bladder pain, I struggled to find any remedies that took my pain below a 7/10 on the pain scale. I had just had my 3rd ovarian cyst burst in less than 3 months and I felt like I was forming more as I waited for my Depo Provera shot to work it’s magic. My Interstitial Cystitis took a couple months to diagnose and get on treatment. Now, 6+ months later, I am still taking baths almost every day. They have become a vital part of my self care routine and contributed to my pain decreasing many times. I highly suggest (if allowed), incorporating a bath into your life! 

Here’s some things I have learned to make my baths next level! 

Music – We have an Alexa in each of our bathrooms- highly recommend. Finding the right bath music is key. ‘Evermore’ by Taylor Swift has been my main album. ‘Manic’ by Halsey is another good bath one if you’re a Halsey fan. The playlists ‘Pop Chill’ and ‘In my room’ on Apple Music are also great. Please comment your favorite bath jams!! Echo Dot (3rd Gen) – Smart speaker with Alexa – Charcoal

Epsom salt – THIS is a must. Whether you are chronically ill or not, Epsom salt is so good for your body and will leave you feeling so relaxed. You can find it many places… online, at drugstores, and some grocery stores. When Epsom salt is dissolved in water, it releases magnesium and sulfate ions. These particles are absorbed and provide many health benefits! We put a decent amount of the bag in while the bath is filling up. One bag lasts about 4-5 baths for me! Check it out or comment below any questions! If you are unsure if you are able to use this, please ask your doctor! Dr Teal’s Epsom Salt 4-pack (12 lbs Total) Soothe & Sleep with Lavender

Bubble bath – I have tried a couple now. My all time favorite is the Dr. Teal’s Lavender Foaming Bath! Dr Teal’s Foaming Bath with Pure Epsom Salt, Soothe & Sleep with Lavender, 34 Ounces, purple, 3030009  it also has Epsom salt in it! This bubble bath produces INSANE bubbles. Smells great and the bubbles last the entire hour in the bath. (I know that might sound weird but some bubble baths I’ve tried, the bubbles disappear within like 20-30 min… so an hour is great!)

I also tried the Kylie Skin Bubble Bath and I would give it a 6.5/10. You have to use a decent amount to get anywhere near the amount of bubbles of Dr. Teal’s. It doesn’t have a very strong fragrance, which was a major downside to me… I wanted it to be super duper rosey and it just wasn’t. So I highly recommend sticking to Dr Teal’s. There’s a deal on Amazon to get the bubble bath and Epsom salt together!  Dr Teal’s Epsom Salt Soaking Solution and Foaming Bath with Pure Epsom Salt, Lavender

Lush has what is called Bubble Bars and you break them up under the bath faucet to create big bubbles, colorful water, and an amazing scent! I use half a bar a bath and that is plenty! There’s so many different ones on Lush.

Bath bombs – I am just staring to dip my toes into the bath bomb world. I mainly have used Lush bath bombs and those are amazing!! One of my favorite people bought me SO MANY and it’s a lot of fun picking a different one out every bath. Highly recommend. I really want to try a CBD/THC bath bomb. Comment or reach out to me if you have any recommendations for bath bombs!!

I do not use candles in my bath routine. Because of my oxygen, it’s like a huge no-no to be around an open flame… I know I could put it far out of reach but I just don’t want to risk it! If you can use candles, I would! They definitely add to the relaxation experience.

Let’s talk about temperature of the bath for a second. There’s times where I can’t get the bath hot enough and others where I sit in luke warm water. My body temperature fluctuates drastically throughout every day and I just have to go with the flow. Sometimes I HAVE to take a bath because my pain is so so so bad… but I have a fever, so I will set up a fan on a chair to blow at me while I’m in the bath. Good trick, because your body gets the heat therapy from the bath but I can stay as cool as possible above water (even though a lot of times I’m dripping in sweat). So, about 2 weeks ago, I took a scorching hot bath (hotter than usual) and I had a terrible event occur. I stood up in the bathtub and started to dry off, I was even talking to my mom. Then, I got extremely nauseous and started to begin throwing up/dry heaving, I closed my eyes for 0.2 seconds and next thing you know I’m completely blacking out and my lower body gives out as I see black, scream for my mom, mom screams for dad, then I fainted, pulling a picture off the wall with me. It was honestly traumatizing. I had never fainted like that before so it was very scary. I just laid naked in the bathtub, trying to gather my bearings, and finally my parents helped me get out of the bath. SO all this to say… again, whether you are chronically ill or not, I would cool down your bath before standing up and getting out. Just let cold water into your bath and sit while the bath is draining with the cool water running. Just to be safe because I never want what happened to me, to happen to you!

If you have a larger bathtub, one of my favorite things to do is float. I get in floating position and close my eyes, and just take deep breaths, pray and let my body relax. I actually can get my back pain to a very low pain level. I learned this in the pool at physical therapy and luckily, we have a decent size bathtub so I’m able to get in a perfect floating position. My physical therapist always laughed at me because I’m such a good floater and I could do it for forever, I love it so much!!! Try it out!!

I found some websites with the top health benefits from baths. They listed the following:

1. Can improve heart health
2. May help you breathe easier
3. Your brain and nervous system can benefit
4. Can help your muscles, joints, and bones
5. Elevates your mood
6. Balances your hormones
7. Cleanses and moisturizes skin, hair, nails
8. Can improve sleep

So… baths have so many benefits and have really become such an amazing tool for me, mentally and physically. I’m so glad someone took the time to message me and say ‘hey this really helps me, it might help you too!’… I get a lot of these but this specific one was just really helpful! If you have any bath tools that you think I need to add into my routine, please comment or message me! Thanks for reading!!!

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This just means that when you purchase one of the above items through my link, I get a small commission.

Cite: Diane Kopman/ Lifehacks.org. Jan 2018

Cite: Silverman, L. (2019, November 6). 8 Reasons Why Baths Are Great For Your Health. Retrieved February 16, 2021, from https://www.townandcountrymag.com/