This is a neurotransmitter, thanks to which a person feels cheerfulness and good mood. Despite the fact that a person sits in a bath in warm water, after this procedure, his body temperature decreases, which helps to fall asleep. To feel the effect, experts advise taking a bath one and a half hours before bedtime.
“There must be misfortunes in the world that the hot bath is not able to heal, but I hardly know such people,” wrote the American poetess and writer Sylvia Plath in her novel Under the Glass Cap.
And it’s hard to argue with her: a recent study showed that if you take a hot bath at least a couple of times a week, it will significantly alleviate the symptoms of depression.
- choose a time when no one will distract you, peace and quiet will help to relax;
- use essential oils that help relax, such as lavender oil;
- water temperature should be slightly higher than body temperature – 40–45 degrees;
- take into account the temperature in the bathroom – if you want to sleep soundly, it is better to maintain the air temperature not higher than 18 degrees;
- if you have heart problems, a sharp increase in temperature can cause a deterioration in well-being. Therefore, go on a shower on cold days.
The study involved 45 people with diagnosed depression. Scientists from the University of Freiburg divided the participants into two groups. The first was offered twice a week for half an hour to take a bath with a water temperature of 40 degrees, and then sit for another 20 minutes, wrapped in a warming blanket. People from the second group did various aerobic exercises for 40–45 minutes, also twice a week.
Two months later, warm baths “beat” the training: in the test for determining the severity of depression, people from the first group scored an average of six points less than before the experiment. And the participants from the second group – only three points less.
Taking a warm bath improves sleep. The fact is that body temperature plays an important role in regulating circadian rhythms that “tell” the body when it is time to sleep and when to wake up. Body temperature is a signal for the production of sleep or wake hormones.
Usually it is slightly higher during the day and lower at night. It is lowering the temperature at night that helps to sleep – this is a signal for the production of melatonin. Accordingly, a higher temperature in the morning is a signal for the production of serotonin.
