Top Health and Beauty Benefits of Bath Salts

Read on to discover the many bath salt benefits and where to find them. Hint: you’re in the right place.

Bath Salt Benefits

Slowly sinking into a warm, inviting bath is one of life’s simplest pleasures. It’s the perfect way to practice self-care, but what if you could improve your physical health while destressing? Two birds with one soothing stone. Enter: salt baths. With so many different varieties, including Epsom, Dead Sea salt, Himalayan salt, and more, salt baths are one the easiest ways to help our bodies heal and repair themselves. Salt, specifically sea salt, is gaining significant traction in the scientific community as an affordable way to ease aches and pains, promote better sleep, and even be used in place of some popular pain medications. 

Some of the most popular bath salts like Dead Sea salt and pink Himalayan salt are credited with a wide array of health benefits. Sea salt is a key mineral to our diets, but it also has numerous health benefits when used in skincare products like scrubs and our bathwater. It’s thought among the scientific community that our bodies can absorb the minerals found in sea salts, such as magnesium, iron, potassium, and more through the skin. Considering many of us our nutrient-deficient, the idea that minerals can be absorbed through the skin during our daily soak is an exciting concept. 

Promotes Relaxation and Better Sleep 

A sea salt bath is synonymous with relaxation and stress relief. Sinking into a nice warm bath after a long day at work or after an intense workout feels incredible. Why? In addition to the warm water, sea salt gives your bath a boost of stress-fighting power with magnesium. Magnesium is often recommended as a natural remedy for insomnia, restlessness, muscle pain, and more. 

Sea salt baths are also a great way to prime your body for a restful night’s sleep. Studies show that a warm bath about 90 minutes before turning in for the night helps regulate your core body temperature, which is crucial for a restful night’s sleep. After finishing up a hot bath, our body temperature will drop, which signals to our brain that it’s time for sleep.

Try lavender-infused bath salts for an extra calming soak to get even more sleep-friendly benefits. 

Soothes Aches and Pains  

Whether it’s from a good workout or just a side effect of getting older, sore muscles and joints are a part of most of our lives. But there’s a straightforward solution to rid yourself of those unwanted discomforts – a salt bath. Epsom salt baths have long been recommended by healthcare professionals and coaches alike to aid in pain relief. In addition to traditional Epsom salt baths, achy joints, tired feet, and even arthritis pain can be reduced by soaking in a sea salt bath. Sea salt has an array of anti-inflammatory properties and minerals that help ease the discomfort caused by stiff joints, muscle spasms, back pain, and other chronic conditions. 

If your stubborn muscle pain persists after your bath, try an essential oil like peppermint or eucalyptus. When applied directly to the skin, peppermint and eucalyptus oils are used as natural pain relievers.

Improves Overall Health 

Helps Alleviate Symptoms of Rheumatic Diseases

There have been several research studies on the efficacy of sea salt baths in helping alleviate some of the symptoms associated with rheumatic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Over the past several years, sea salt –particularly Dead Sea salt– has been studied as a possible treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. These studies are very encouraging for both the medical community and those suffering from debilitating illnesses. More research is needed, but it does look promising that regular sea salt baths may be a viable route for treating rheumatoid arthritis in patients with mild to moderate symptoms. 

Improves Skin Health 

One of the more surprising benefits of sea salt is that it is highly effective in improving skin appearance and health. Sea salt has been proven to aid in hydrating skin, removing skin impurities, and reducing the symptoms of skin conditions like psoriasis. Frequent salt baths can improve skin appearance and heal chronically dry skin. Sea salt is a natural skin exfoliator, helping the skin rid itself of old cells and encourage new skin cell growth. According to the National Eczema Association, a bath using high-quality sea salts has significantly reduced the redness, irritation, and flaking associated with eczema.  

How To Enjoy the Perfect Salt Bath

Sinking into a nice, warm bath is the perfect end to a stressful day, and it’s also a great way to reset and recharge when life gets overwhelming. Here are a few tips to get the most out of your salt bath: 

1. Start with a warm shower to remove any dirt, makeup, or oils from your skin. Taking a shower before your bath will also help your body start with a clean slate to absorb the salt bath’s nutrients.
2. Fill your tub with warm water to feel soothing but not too hot! 
3. Choose the perfect salt for your bathwater. Regular table salt is not suitable to use in your bath. Table salts have been processed and bleached, so they won’t give your skin the same benefits of a good quality sea salt. Salts credited with the best anti-inflammatory properties are pink Himalayan salt and Dead Sea salt. 
4. Add an essential oil to your bath water to enhance relaxation. Some essential oils credited with stress reduction are lavender and rosemary oils. 
5. Make sure you stay hydrated during your soak by keeping a cool glass of water handy to sip. 

Keep in mind that different grains dissolve at different speeds. If you don’t want to feel any grain or grit, choose a salt that has a fine grain or comes in powdered form. 

For even more tips on the perfect bath to heal what ails you, check out 5 Detox Bath Recipes for Relaxation. You can also discover more ways to live a happier, healthier, and more sustainable life on our Public Goods Blog.