We all can relate. The pressures of daily life provide a natural incentive to pace ourselves, and a warm shower or bath could act as a basic boost or relaxant, depending on the time of day.
According to Neil Morris, a psychologist at the University of Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom, bathing in warm water can significantly advance general psychological wellness. Morris studied 80 people who took a bath with warm water each day for a fortnight and found that it diminished feelings of depression and pessimism while developing a pleasurable, hedonic tone.
At night, the body’s core temperature naturally falls, triggering melatonin production. A warm shower or bath around bedtime then slightly raises the body temperature, causing it to drop steeply on exiting the bathroom. This prompts a heightened production of melatonin, and more likelihood of a good night’s sleep – the benefits of which are widely recognized.
Although not an enduring cure for pain, five minutes under warm water can considerably ease pain, spur healing and restrict inflammation. It’s a more convenient alternative than a massage and more organic than medical treatments.