Relaxation bath

A Relaxation bath is a wellness application using bath water with relaxing substances. Essential oils and nourishing substances are added to the bath water as bath additives; in addition, other relaxing wellness methods can be used in the relaxation bath.

What is a relaxation bath?

Most relaxation baths have little or no medical benefit. The relaxation bath mainly comes from the area of ​​wellness applications and is used for physical and mental relaxation. The emotional component is covered by pleasant scents that can be transformed into aromatherapy. For example, many relaxation baths use lavender and other similar scents that are said to have a relaxing effect. While the person lies in the relaxation bath, he breathes in these scents intensely.

The bath additive of the relaxation bath also often contains nourishing ingredients for the skin, which are intended to regenerate it and offer it recovery from typical everyday influences. The relaxation bath is an application that anyone with the right bath additive can do at home. It is also offered as a service in wellness studios and wellness hotels, where it is mostly combined with other wellness treatments.

Skin care, peelings before or after the bath as well as various massage techniques can be used to accompany a relaxing bath. At home everyone can enhance their relaxation bath with music, candles or a glass of wine.

Function, effect & goals

One area of ​​application in the medical field is the relaxation bath in obstetrics. As part of a natural birth, the midwife offers women in clinics, hospitals and birthing centers the relaxation bath during their first contractions, if she so wishes. The relaxation bath helps relax the muscles thanks to the warmth of the bath water and can alleviate labor pains.

In the case of tension, sore muscles or illnesses such as rheumatism, a relaxing bath due to the warm bath water is also recommended to alleviate pain at home without medication or to support the administration of medication. In the case of existing illnesses, however, the attending physician should be consulted about how long the bath can go and whether it is even advisable. Relaxation baths with suitable bath additives are also recommended for people with a cold. Corresponding cold baths usually contain essential oils with which the respiratory tract can be cleared well together with warm steam.

Such relaxation baths enable better sleep and easier breathing during the day and, depending on the ingredients, can even be used in babies. In addition to the medical or at least medically recommended applications, the relaxation bath is mainly used for wellness treatment. It is ideal for aromatherapy, for example, as fragrant ingredients can easily be distributed throughout the room in a relaxation bath. In addition, the fragrances remain on the skin for a while after the relaxation bath and can be inhaled. Many people use the relaxation bath at home as an opportunity to relax in the evening after work, when they need relaxation techniques.

In this regard, a bath can even be recommended by psychologists or alternative practitioners when a patient is under treatment due to stress. The simple relaxation bath at home can efficiently reduce stress. Ultimately, a relaxation bath is of course also used for personal hygiene and cleaning. Thorough cleaning can be done in the bath water as well as in the shower, hair washing can be done in the relaxation bath and shaving under water is often easier depending on the thickness of the hair.

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Risks, side effects & dangers

Since the bath additive for a relaxing bath usually does not contain any pharmacologically active ingredients, there are hardly any major risks, dangers or side effects. Basically, a full bath for adults should not last longer than until the skin on the fingertips is slightly wrinkled, rather shorter. About half an hour is recommended as the maximum. For children it should be 10-20 minutes, depending on their state of health.

On the bath additive for the relaxation bath, a recommended length of the bath is usually indicated, which should be adhered to, as this also depends on the ingredients. Cold baths and aromatherapy in particular should not be enjoyed for hours, even if the bath water is pleasantly warm to the touch for a long time. Since the active ingredients can penetrate the skin, they can also irritate it after a while in the bath water, even if that rarely happens - to prevent it completely, you should never stay too long in the bath water. Furthermore, in rare cases and with high concentrations of the active ingredients, allergic or sensitive reactions to the relaxation bath on the skin occur.

This can be recognized by redness, slight swellings and itchy skin. It is best to test the bath additive beforehand on a small area on the skin - if nothing happens, you can use the relaxation bath without hesitation. In also rare cases, bath additives for a relaxing bath can also slightly color the skin if the active ingredients are contained in particularly high concentrations. This is especially the case with cold baths. It usually helps to shower the skin after a full bath in order to remove any residues of the bath additive.

Oily additives in particular could otherwise feel uncomfortable on the skin. Slight discolorations of the skin will disappear on their own over time, usually they can no longer be seen on the skin at the latest one day after the relaxation bath. In any case, they are harmless.