5 Stress-Busting Bathroom Relaxation Tips

Modern life in the fast lane is so exciting, right? Work, family, constant internet connectivity; meaning we’re available and accountable almost 24/7!

Wait! Hold on… that’s not natural surely? Whatever happened to “me-time?” Whatever happened to the simple pleasures in life such as reading from a book made of paper (as opposed to on an electronic reader), or having to physically go to the office in order to work? It seems that in the last few years the advance of technology and the pressures of modern living have caught us between a rock and a hard place. Sure, it’s great to be connected to your friends by social media, and it’s convenient to be able to read that urgent email in bed at 1.00 am; but at what point did this become the norm?

If you feel like there’s no escaping the pressures and you find it difficult to unwind and de-stress then we have the perfect solution for you. Dedicate your daily bath or shower time, as a little relaxation time just for you. Follow these five simple steps and you will definitely begin to feel a sense of calm and greater ability to cope with the rest of your day. (One rule: you must leave the phone, the iPad, whatever, outside of the bathroom!)

1. Scent the scene!

Olfaction (sense of smell) is inextricably connected to our emotional sense of well being. “Odor information is stored in long-term memory and has strong connections to emotional memory.” According to Wikipedia; however I don’t think any of us need a science lesson to know and agree that some scents, like fresh-baked bread; evoke feelings of comfort and memories of childhood. Or scented sharp pine carried on the breeze might evoke memories of summer camp and sunsets around a camp fire.

Use scented candles or potpourri, to scent your bathroom with relaxing scents to calm the mood. Of course as olfaction is closely related to emotional memory there is some element of personal choice here, but comforting and relaxing fragrances include lavender, Rose, bergamot, sandalwood and chamomile.

2. Play music

Be honest; how often do you really get to listen to music? I mean really listen? If you drive to work you’ve got to put up with constant commercials and interruptions from the traffic report and if you take the metro you can barely hear your music over the screech of the train (unless you’re a little anti-social and have the volume way-high).

Our first music tip is to play something meditative and very relaxing. Perhaps acoustic or traditional instruments or even whale song could be worth a try. Personally if I really want to unwind, and meditate and clear my might of all the stress and negativity of the day I listen to Deva Premal and Miten (anything by them really), but in particular the Gayatri Mantra may change your life.

3. Sing your heart out

Our second music tip comes at this from a slightly different angle. Instead of playing deliberately relaxing music, play whatever gets you going! Pick the cheesiest power-ballad, blast it high and sing for all you’re worth. Singing like this releases endorphins, which is the bodies’ natural mood-high. So go on people… make some noise!

4. De-clutter

A cluttered environment leads to a cluttered mind. Who needs clutter in the bathroom anyway? Surely all we need are a few products and a few scented candles. Keep your towels neatly folded away on a heated towel rail to save shelf space. Get a good size bathroom mirror cabinet, so that you combine a functional closet to store all your products out of sight, with a requisite mirror. Keep your bathroom space clean and clear, as this is your most important personal space.

5. Lock the door!

I know this one is almost too obvious, but be honest (particulalrly the parents) how many of you take a hurried shower with the door ajar so you can bark out insutructions as to where the school books are and on which shelf to find the cereal? I am going to be firm and honest with you… the world will not end if you do not answer them for fifteen minutes! Do yourself a favor, tell your family that you are going to take a bath or shower and that the door will be locked and that you will not take kindly to shouting through the keyhole. Be selfish, take that complete time-out for yourself and trust me, you will be much more productive afterwards anyway.

So there we have it! A few ways to bring a little peace and focus into your morning routine, to help you relax and de-stress before your day starts. Let’s face it; those few precious minutes in the bathroom is for many of us the only remaining sanctuary in any modern household.

Rob Watson is head of Marketing for BathEmpire.com. Rob writes on a range of topics from how to clean your bathroom in an environmentally friendly way; to how to design your bathroom to suit modern living. Mostly Rob is passionate about the bathroom as a space for privacy and relaxation which is so hard to find in today’s high-pressure always connected world. Rob writes the BathEmpire blog and contributes to a range of other well-known blogs on global websites such as Yell.com and ReviewCentre.