Bath or Shower – What’s best for you
Traditionally, our homes all had a bathroom with a bath in – if you were even lucky enough to have a bathroom- showering was something reserved for a quick rinse after sport or swimming.
Showers became more popular with the advent of the en-suite bathroom, where there often was not enough space for a bath, so a shower had to suffice. Most homes now have bathrooms that offer a choice of showering or bathing, even if, in some smaller bathrooms this may be limited to a shower over the bath.
So which is best for us?
Well, there is no doubt that showering is certainly more environmentally friendly, using less water, and often fewer resources to heat the water. The temperature of a shower can be adjusted instantly, so it is possible to:
• wash your body with hot water – allowing the pores open and oil and grime to be washed away
• wash your hair with lukewarm water - a lukewarm shampoo is perfect to clean your hair without being so hot that it causes your scalp to sweat and become greasy again, and not so cold that it is tricky to lift the oil from your scalp.
• Finish off (if you are brave enough!) with a cold shower – to help close the pores again. Some people do advocate cold showers for a variety of health benefits:
• Stimulates circulation, helping the body release toxins, and promoting energy and a sense of well-being.
• Increase heart rate, and contracts muscles, which then take in fresh blood and release toxins.
• It also prompts a release of chemicals from your brain, helping to wake you up.
• Help build immunity to colds and flu.
While I am sure that there are enormous health benefits to a shower, there is nothing nicer that easing the stress of modern life by soaking in a bath. A bath offers the following benefits:
• The deep muscle relaxation associated with a good hot bath can help to reduce cramps, tension and headaches.
• A bath can also help release emotional and psychological tension. A long soak with some background music or a good book can be as beneficial as a massage.
• Adding oils and other aromatherapy products offer extra benefits - from clearing a stuffy nose to reducing cellulite - depending on the oils you use.
Bathing does use more water, and can be more expensive to run, but there are some times when a shower just won’t do – bathing is perfect for small children and pets , and for washing a variety of household items.
So ultimately, having a bath or a shower is a personal choice, and if you can have both, then you certainly should.