There are numerous benefits of a sea salt bath, physical, energetic and spiritual.
When I started taking regular sea salt baths it was after running, especially as I got up to running half marathons. My regular routine was long run, straight in the bath and my body felt so much better afterwards! I especially noticed a difference after running in the cold, which in Scotland is often the case! As with everything the best way to find out if something works for you is to try it and see.
There are different types of sea salt and most big pharmacies sell large bags of it now or there’s always Amazon.
Sea salt is basically named after the different oceans that it originated from.
French Sea Salt
Atlantic Sea Salt
Celtic Sea Salt
Himalayan Sea Salt
There is something about the sea that draws humans to it, something primal, a knowing we are part of something deeper and greater than us. Sea swimming or dipping has become really popular lately and is another way to get some time in salt water but that’s not for everyone and going for a dip in the sea isn’t always possible so a relaxing sea salt bath (with heated water!) is a great alternative!
Sea salt:
Can relieve psoriasis
Can relieve arthritis
Is a natural antihistamine (there are sea salt nasal spray’s available)
Can help to strengthen the immune system and correct electrolyte imbalance
Can help remove lactic acid from your muscles, your skin is your largest organ and while you relax in the bath the sea salt is absorbed through your skin and into your bloodstream. From there it helps to remove excess lactic acid in your muscles, which is why I found it so benificial after running, lactic acid makes our muscles feel achy and sore so removing the excess makes a big difference to how we feel and how our bodies feel after strenuous activity. Remember to drink lots of water after your bath to flush out any toxins, cleansing and detoxing the body.
Sea salt is naturally alkaline so can help to reduce the acidity of your body while you soak in it. Infections and diseases cannot thrive in alkaline environments so this is a great benefit of soaking in sea salt water.
These are a few of the physical benefits but there are also many energetic and spiritual benefits to be had.
You can if you wish add a sense of ritual to your bathing experience. A spa day at home, an energetic cleanse. Allowing the sea salt water to cleanse you energetically, washing away stale and negative energy, so that afterwards you feel refreshed, rejuvenated and have a deeper sense of inner peace.
If there is something that you really wish to let go of energetically allow it to be washed away when you drain the water from the tub around you, consciously letting go and watching and feeling it flow away.
When preparing your space for an energetic sea salt bath it’s important to create a space that you can relax in and feel nourished and safe. So set your space up with all that makes you feel happy, energised and loved.
Before bathing you could light a candle, smudge some sage to clear any stale or negative energy from the space and helping to create a sense of ritual to your energetic cleanse, then run a nice relaxing sea salt bath.
The addition of essential oils can add another level of relaxation also. Lavender is my personal favourite and it’s super relaxing, you can also buy ready made oil blends for your bath or experiment with your own blends, listening to your own intuition and what smells draw you in, our bodies and minds tend to instinctively know what we need.
Adding rose water to your bath is ideal for boosting mood and enhancing feelings of self love. Rose water can be made by boiling rose petals until all the colour drains out of them, let it cool completely then add the rose water to your warm bath. For a real spa at home experience you could also add fresh or dried rose petals to your bath water.
You can also choose crystals to place around the tub or even in the bath water with you for their energetic properties. A few crystal possibilities are (there are many more to choose from):
Clear Quartz: The master healer. It can be used to purify the space, absorb or amplify energy.
Rose Quartz: The love stone. Enhancing self love and self worth as well as drawing love from others.
Moonstone: New beginnings. Promoting strength and inner growth. Especially useful if you are planning big changes and wish to let go of and release anxiety and worry.
Obsidian: Ideal for protection. Helps to block out negativity and release physical and emotional blockages.
Selenite: Channel your inner goddess with this stone. Bringing the cycles of the body into balance and harmony.
If working with the cycles of the moon is something that interests you then the Full Moon is the ideal time to create the time and space for yourself to have a sea salt bath, submerging your body in water, cleansing the body physically and energetically, allowing yourself to clear away negative energy and be more in tune with with energy of the full moon. It is said that the capacity of the body to absorb minerals is also heightened at the time of the full moon. The full moon is also the ideal time to surrender, relax and let go. I personally love a relaxing sea salt bath, candles lit and maybe some chilled out music in the background, providing that you have a bath tub it’s a great way to treat yourself to some relaxing time for you.
However you choose to practice sea salt bathing there are numerous benefits to be had.