Is sleep eluding you? Whether its from stress (I mean, who ISN'T stressed with the world as crazy as it is?), sickness, or just insomnia, did you know that your body and sleep habits can greatly benefit from Epsom Salt baths?
Yes, these are the bath salts that grandmas and great-grandmas suggested when we were sick, tired, sore, or just off. We thought it was just an old wives tale back then and shrugged off the advice. But they were wise before we understood it.
Epsom Salts are technically magnesium sulfate. Magnesium is a mineral that our bodies NEED. Really. Its one of the top 3-4 most abundant minerals in our bodies. It's that important. Here are just a FEW of the bodily functions that magnesium is involved in:
* Deeper and more restful sleep patterns
* Formation of proteins and energy
* Regulating the nervous system
* Maintaining gene creation and repair
* Moving sugar to your muscles and disposing of lactate (if you exercise at all, this one is super important!)
* Maintaining mood and brain function...in fact, low levels can be linked to depression
* Decreasing inflammation - low magnesium can mean chronic inflammation
* Stress management
* Regulating blood pressure
* Maintaining proper digestion - if you have sluggish bowels, you might be low in magnesium
Can we agree that magnesium is crucial? Typically, we should be able to get magnesium from our food sources. If we ate properly (hello, processed foods!). And if our soil wasn't depleted of it. And if we ate the right amounts of said whole foods. But we don't. And generally, our soil is depleted. So what now? Our bodies need this mineral and up to 50% of the American people are deficient, so what should we do?
You could be diligent about increasing your consumption of whole foods that are high in magnesium (think leafy greens, fish, avocado, nuts, quinoa). This is really the best bet, but many people find it hard to consume enough of these foods to make up for their deficiency. You could also take a supplement, but the absorption rate for oral supplements is low. The other option is topical application. This can be done with sprays, bath (or foot soak), or lotions. We prefer the bath/foot soak method for a few reasons. First, its relaxing (anyone for some personal care?). Second, its absorption rate is higher than oral supplements. Third, the warm water opens your pores, which can increase absorption. Fourth, you can doubly benefit from the essential oils added to the bath.
We love to take Epsom Salt baths weekly, but around here we call them Detox Baths. No, this isn't the crazy stuff that turns the water colors. But it is relaxing and does provide tons of health benefits. And when we want a more restful night's sleep (or when the kids are crazy and need to relax), Detox Baths are the way to go!
Which health benefit of Detox Baths would you most like to take advantage of?
Rachel Bartels
Author