WRITTEN BY INNERGY TEMPLE | PUBLISHED AUGUST 14, 2020

I am a long time advocate of using bath time as my me time. There was a time in my life where I had a full-time job in corporate America, husband, and children. I felt like I was living on a hamster wheel every day. Wake up at this time, get myself ready for the day, get kids ready for the day, make breakfast for the entire family. After this I would have to rush out the door to drop kids off at daycare or school, fight traffic to get to work. Then spend the day dealing with a stressful job and stressful co-workers. Make a mad dash to the parking garage to go fight traffic again to pick up the kids on time, go to the grocery store, cook dinner, do homework, comb hair, give baths, send the kids to sleep and now finally it’s the time of the day just for me. Time to take my bath. Yes! Taking a bath became my official me time appointment. It was the only part of my day where I had the opportunity to take care of myself. 

Taking a warm bath at the end of a stressful day became the ultimate treat. There is nothing more satisfying to me than sitting in a tub filled with hot water and bath salts to help wash away the energy of my day. Spending time alone and transporting myself into a state of zen. This simple act alone left me feeling refreshed and relaxed. Like many, I have had many emotional struggles in my life. My salt bath became a safe haven for me to restore balance in my life.

Things truly changed for me when I started working on my inner self. This did not occur overnight. This has been a 20-year plus journey, which continues for me daily. One area of self-study I have been drawn to is how we as humans live in a world in which we cannot see with our sense of sight.  There have been so many advances in science and technology when it comes to the art of being human. We now know our emotions truly play a central role in our lives, the lives of others, and the environment.  According to heartmath.org “Research has shown that the heart communicates to the brain in four major ways: neurologically (through the transmission of nerve impulses), biochemically (via hormones and neurotransmitters), biophysically (through pressure waves) and energetically (through electromagnetic field interactions). Communication along all these conduits significantly affects the brain’s activity. And Emotions and resilience are closely related because emotions are the primary drivers of many key physiological processes involved in energy regulation. We define resilience as the capacity to prepare for, recover from, and adapt in the face of stress, adversity, trauma, or challenge.[53] Therefore, it follows that a key to sustaining good health, optimal function, and resilience is the ability to manage one’s emotions.”

This is basically a form of balneotherapy or hydrotherapy. According to the Journal of Molecular Sciences “Balneotherapy is a clinically effective complementary approach in the treatment of low-grade inflammation- and stress-related pathologies. In Medical Hydrology and Physical Medicine, spa therapy consists of multiple techniques based on the healing effects of water, including balneotherapy and hydrotherapy. Balneotherapy is the set of methods and practices which, based on scientific evidence, use medically and legally recognized mineral-medicinal waters, muds, and natural gases from natural springs for therapeutic purposes inside the facilities of thermal spa centres.”  

In conclusion, according to heartmath.org “When internal energy reserves are depleted, normal capacity to maintain self-control is weakened, which can lead to increased stress, inappropriate behaviors, lost opportunities, poor communication, and damaged relationships. Despite the importance of self-directed control, many people’s ability to self-regulate is far less than ideal.” 

Source: Figure 2.1 Domains of Resilience. heartmath.org

The way you feel internally and your internal self-talk can either heal you or destroy you. You can create your healing salt bath at home. Soaking in bath salts and taking time to relax will lower your stress levels, which will help contribute to the state homeostasis/ regulation within your body. Take time to take care of you. Make it a routine to do something special for your body, mind, and spirit weekly. Improve your eating habits, exercise, and be mindful of your inner world.  Incorporating holistic self-care techniques can help support and improve your quality of life.

To find out more about how your emotions affect your health, please visit heartmath.org for more information. 

About the Author:

Innergy Temple is a trained Aromatherapist, Herbalist, Certified Mindfulness Practitioner, a Certified Natural Healer with Natural Healers (Australia), and a Certified Chakra Healing Practitioner with the International Association of Therapist 

Sources Used:

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6032246/

https://www.heartmath.org/research/science-of-the-heart/resilience-stress-and-emotions/