How hot should my bath be?
As I’ve mentioned in several of my previous articles, I am a huge fan of a bath. In my mind, a hot bubble bath at the end of a day is absolute bliss. How anyone relaxes without this, is completely beyond me. But how hot should my bath be? Am I causing myself harm by sitting in a bath that leaves me looking like a lobster? Does anyone actually know how hot they have their bath water? I definitely don’t!
So, what is the ideal temperature for your bath water? It seems this depends on a variety of factors.
A bath between 32-35C is great for a little detox. A bath at this temperature opens pores, encouraging sweating which in turn releases toxins. It can also help to lower blood sugar levels as well as relieving achy joints and muscles.
If you are under a lot of stress (and you’re feeling brave), a cold bath could be the answer. A short sharp 6-30 second dip in 12-18C water can thin the blood and increase blood sugar levels. All of this is a great way to relieve tension. It’s probably not advisable if you have health issues or (like me) you’re a bit of a wimp!
Pregnant women are likely to feel warmer than usual and as a result the advised water temperature is around the 25C mark. A person’s ability to withstand a higher temperature dwindles with age so the elderly do not need their water to be too hot either.
Frequent hot baths or showers where your skin becomes red, can lead to dry, itchy skin or even rashes. It’s advisable that you don’t sit in the bath until your skin becomes wrinkly like a prune (this happens as water gets between the layers of your skin. It’s your body’s natural way to help you grip things in water, which is very clever, but it can lead to an increased risk of infection.) and you should also pat yourself dry with a towel after your bath rather than going for a vigorous rub!
To help put all of this into perspective, the typical temperature for a hot tub is 40C. Personally, I think this sounds good!
I guess the real question is how many of us keep a thermometer in the bathroom? If you have a baby, you probably do. As for the rest of us, an element of common sense is required here. Don’t get into a bath without checking the temperature before hand and if you’re sat in the bath on the brink of passing out, the water is too hot!
In conclusion, it is definitely worth checking out the recommendations if you have any health problems. Aside from this, the temperature that you have your bath water is pretty much down to personal preference.
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