A daily routine for almost everyone, taking a shower seems like a no-brainer when it comes to staying clean and fresh. Did you know, however, that there are easy upgrades you can make to your ho-hum routine that can benefit your health? Don’t miss these 5 smart ideas for taking your shower experience to a healthier (and happier) level:
Listen to Music
If you are a morning shower person, listening to music while you wash up could be just the mood booster you need to help you wake up in the morning alert and positive. Not only have multiple studies shown that listening to music can help relieve stress and fight anxiety and depression, but a recent September 2017 report is revealing how music can boost creativity as well. Researchers found that listening to happy music resulted in more original and useful output from participants compared to silence. That could be just the key to kickstarting your workday!
Exoliate
Did you know that an estimated 30,000+ skin cells die no the surface of your body every minute? This natural process of skin cells dying and replacing themselves helps to protect and shield your body and the largest organ you have, your skin, but sometimes that process can use a little support. Exfoliation, or the scrubbing and clearing away of built-up dead skin cells and impurities, helps to improve skin tone, texture, and clarity. Exfoliating your face, arms, and legs might be easy, but when it comes to your back, using a shower back scrubber can help you hit those hard to reach spots.
Use Essential Oils
Essential oils have been used for centuries as alternative remedies that can stimulate cognitive activity, boost memory, provide relaxation, improve focus, and much more. You might think of essential oils as being best used with diffusers or in a bath, but showers are a perfect place to generate aromatherapy as well. Place 10 to 12 drops of your choice essential oils on a washcloth and place on the shower floor where it will get wet but not soaked, so not right under the faucet. The steam will help transport molecules into the air to safely smell and absorb. Oils like lavender, sandalwood, and rosemary can help reduce stress while peppermint has been shown to improve focus.
Take a Bath Instead
If you have the time, and the tub, think about turning your evening shower into a soothing soak in the bath instead. Warm baths can play an important role in helping relieve muscle tension, reduce stress, clear sinuses, and even help you sleep better at night. When you sit in a warm bath, your body temperature increases helping you to sweat out impurities and toxins, while your heart rate raises slightly as well. Steam can help reduce inflammation of nasal passages, and the warm boost in blood circulation can relax tense, achy muscles. Pour a few droplets of an essential oil in the water as the bath tub fills, or drop in a bath bomb with a scent you favor.
Install Grab Bars
Especially important for older adults, even those with no current mobility problems, fall prevention upgrades like installing grab bars, non-slip tape on the floor, and even a shower chair or stool can mean the difference between a successful and safe shower, and a potentially dangerous one that results in injury. An estimated 1 out of 4 seniors experiences a fall each year, most in their own home. Because of the slicker nature of bathrooms (water, tile floors, etc), this environment is ripe for potential injury so installing helpful equipment to prevent falls is not only smart, but potentially life-saving as well.
