Larry the Legend and his wife Liz as they get ready to take a dip at the Arctic Circle on their trip to Norway.
Let’s Take A Bath
Written by Nichole Kribs
Show of hands: how many of you have taken a bath in the last month? My guess is that there aren’t many hands being raised. Baths can be time consuming, more work than they are worth, require set-up, etc…or is that just an idea we’ve perpetuated because we haven’t taken the time to really digest all the health benefits from a good soak? There are lots of great benefits from taking a dip in the tub, especially if you have been training hard. A bath would do many of you some good!
We know how important recovery is and how vital it is if we want to continue our strength gains, prevent injury, be mentally restored and give our bodies time to heal. A key part to allowing our bodies to recover is to get our bodies and minds relaxed. Taking a few minutes out of the day to totally disconnect and soak is a great way to relax, both mentally and physically. My suggestion would be to wait a few hours after training and, just before bed, take a bath to help you get really relaxed so you have a great night’s sleep (When the meat of your recovery happens. In all seriousness, if you have trouble sleeping then try taking a bath before bed and see if that helps your sleep quality.).
Read on for two tips to make your bath time the ultimate experience for relaxation and recovery:
Add 2 cups of epsom salts. This is especially true for those of you who are on a rigorous training schedule. Epsom salt is a pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate. Soaking for 12-15 minutes in an epsom salt bath will allow your skin to absorb depleted magnesium levels from strenuous training. Epsom salt also helps reduce inflammation, which is great for athletes trying to recover quickly and effectively.
Add 10-15 drops of essential oil. Using essential oils in your bath can help relax and calm you. I, personally, am a big fan of lavender but other essential oils, like arnica and peppermint, are great for helping with muscle soreness. Adding some drops of essential oils, like lavender, can help relax you by calming the parasympathetic nervous system, increasing blood circulation and reducing stress. Plus, your bath will smell so lovely!
Make some time in your busy day to unplug (literally, don’t take electronics into the bath) and absorb the benefits of taking a bath!
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