Healthy Living

5 Reasons Taking a Bath Is Good for You

5 Reasons Taking a Bath Is Good for You
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Updated on February 18, 2025
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5 Health Benefits of Taking a Bath

Taking a bath can improve your health in more ways than one.
5 Health Benefits of Taking a Bath

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Which is better — taking a shower or a bath? The answer to the age-old debate comes down to personal preference, but it’s no secret that most Americans prefer showers. Roughly two-thirds of Americans shower on a daily basis.

 

It can be a good idea to squeeze in some tub time, though. Bathing provides serious health benefits for your mind and body. Ready to take a dip? Here are five benefits to soak up during bath time.

5 Health Benefits of Taking a Bath

Yes, a bath can be good for you. Here are some of the reasons why.

1. Warm Evening Baths May Improve Sleep

Sleep is one of the most important aspects of overall health, but it’s also one of the most neglected. An estimated one-third of Americans don’t get enough sleep.

 But a nighttime soak may be just what the doctor ordered for a healthy night’s rest.
“Taking a warm bath before bed can actually help you sleep better,” says Raj Dasgupta, MD, an internal medicine and sleep medicine physician at Huntington Health in Pasadena, California. One meta-analysis suggested that participants who took a warm bath one to two hours before bedtime reported that they fell asleep more quickly and had higher-quality sleep than usual.

One possible reason: Your body temperature is connected to your circadian rhythm, which regulates your sleep cycle.

 As bedtime gets nearer, your body temperature dips naturally, says Dr. Dasgupta. Taking a bath before bedtime can help elevate your body temperature, forcing it to drop when you get out and mimicking the natural decrease that happens at night, better helping your body shift into sleeping mode. “Besides mimicking the circadian rhythm, a bath can also help you relax your muscles and reduce stress levels, which are crucial for falling asleep,” he adds.

2. Lukewarm Bath Water Hydrates the Skin

Soaking in warm or even hot water is extremely satisfying, but it may not be the kindest option for your skin. “Baths can help hydrate the skin, soothe irritation, and promote relaxation,” says Hannah Kopelman, DO, a dermatologist at Kopelman Aesthetic Surgery in New York City.

When drawing your bath, use warm water. If the water is too hot, bathing can also strip the skin of natural oils, leaving it dry.

 Lukewarm temperatures are just right — and limit baths to 10 minutes or less.
Moisturizing after a bath when skin is still damp will help lock in the moisture.

 Look for a fragrance-free moisturizer that contains hydrating ingredients like ceramides or hyaluronic acid.
Illustrative graphic titled Health Benefits of Taking a Bath shows may help you sleep, soothes muscle/ joint pain, may help lower blood pressure and helps reduce stress/ anxiety. Everyday Health logo
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3. Baths Soothe Joint and Muscle Pain

Stress, tension, injuries, and exercise can all cause muscle pain — as can certain conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus that are also associated with painful muscle and joint inflammation.

Warm water can help soothe joint and muscle pain thanks to the temperatures and the gentle water pressure on your skin. “The buoyancy of water reduces gravitational pressure on joints and muscles, decreasing physical tension,” says Kristine Profeta, MD, an integrative physician in Morristown, New Jersey.

Hot baths are an example of thermotherapy (or passive heating), which some research suggests offers some of the same benefits as exercise, including improvements to cardiorespiratory fitness, vascular health, and chronic low-grade inflammation.

A quick ice bath can also help ease sore muscles and decrease inflammation.

 Check with your doctor before trying it — especially if you’re managing a chronic condition like heart disease or diabetes — and aim to keep your dip around five minutes. Cold-water shock can lower heart rate and raise blood pressure.

4. Taking Baths May Help Lower Blood Pressure and Support Heart Health

Passive heat therapy and hot water immersion shouldn’t replace exercise, but (as mentioned above) they can have some of the same cardiovascular benefits for those who may not be able to exercise, such as certain elderly men and women. According to another study, Japanese men who bathed in a tub more frequently (daily or almost daily) had a lower risk of heart disease compared with those who bathed less frequently (once a week).

But take note: Warm baths and saunas cause blood vessels to dilate, making it easier for blood to flow. For people with low blood pressure, this may be dangerous because the effect can lower blood further, which can lead to dizziness and lightheadedness.

 This effect may be helpful for those with high blood pressure, on the other hand, because of the blood pressure–lowering effect.

5. Being Immersed in Bath Water Helps Reduce Stress and Anxiety

“Warm water stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, often referred to as the ‘rest and digest’ system, which promotes a state of calm and reduces stress responses,” says Dr. Profeta. “This occurs as warm water dilates blood vessels, improving circulation and reducing blood pressure, which signals the body to relax,” she explains.

Warm baths also help release endorphins to improve mood, Profeta adds. So, yes, there is some science behind why a warm bath feels like mental self-care.

And there’s some evidence, too. Two weeks of hot water immersion bathing has been associated with an improvement in the severity of depression symptoms, according to one study.

 The boost in body temperature from the bath may help improve your circadian rhythm and sleep and act on the brain to improve mood, according to the researchers.

Which Is Healthier: Bath or Shower?

Baths may evoke a greater sense of calm and tranquility.

A small study that looked at bathing versus showering found that daily bathing over the course of two weeks was better than showering for fatigue, stress, and general health measures.

But both the bath and shower provide a source of warm water immersion that can be beneficial for your sleep, stress levels, and overall health (as previously explained). So pick whichever you prefer.

Tips for a Healthier Bath

Taking the plunge? Here’s how to make your bath even better:

  • Consider the Timing Any time you have the opportunity for a bath can be a good one, but if you’re looking to maximize the benefits to your sleep, Dasgupta recommends taking a bath one to two hours before bedtime.
  • Watch the Water Temperature Keep baths warm — not hot — which is more gentle on skin, says Kopelman.
  • Sprinkle in Extras Add Epsom salts or magnesium flakes to the water. “Not only do they support muscle relaxation, but they can also help neutralize some water impurities,” says Profeta.

The Takeaway

  • Bathing in warm water offers numerous benefits, including better sleep, reduced stress, and even cardiovascular health.
  • Baths and showers share some of the same benefits, so choose the bathing option you prefer.
  • For a bath that will boost sleep and keep skin hydrated, take it one or two hours before bedtime and keep the water warm — not hot.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Shmerling RH. Showering Daily — Is It Necessary? Harvard Health Publishing. August 16, 2021.
  2. About Sleep and Your Heart Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 15, 2024.
  3. Haghayegh S et al. Before-Bedtime Passive Body Heating by Warm Shower or Bath to Improve Sleep: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews. August 2019.
  4. Do You Need to Reset Your Circadian Rhythm? Cleveland Clinic. December 17, 2021.
  5. Ludmann P. Dermatologists’ Top Tips for Relieving Dry Skin. American Academy of Dermatology. May 16, 2024.
  6. How to Pick the Right Moisturizer for Your Skin. American Academy of Dermatology. January 25, 2022.
  7. Cullen T et al. The Health Benefits of Passive Heating and Aerobic Exercise: To What Extent Do the Mechanisms Overlap? Journal of Applied Physiology. December 2020.
  8. The Benefits and Risks of Cold Plunges. Cleveland Clinic. December 24, 2024.
  9. Cold Water Hazards and Safety. National Weather Service.
  10. Ukai T et al. Habitual Tub Bathing and Risks of Incident Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke. Heart. May 2020.
  11. Hot Baths and Saunas: Beneficial for Your Heart? Harvard Health Publishing. October 1, 2020.
  12. Naumann J et al. Effects and Feasibility of Hyperthermic Baths in Comparison to Exercise as Add-On Treatment to Usual Care in Depression: A Randomised, Controlled Pilot Study. BMC Psychiatry. November 11, 2020.
  13. Goto Y et al. Physical and Mental Effects of Bathing: A Randomized Intervention Study. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. June 7, 2018.
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Grant Chu, MD

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Grant Chu, MD, is an assistant clinical professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Chu is also the associate director of education at the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine, using technology to further medical education.

He is board-certified in internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a diplomate of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

He received a bachelor's degree in neuroscience from Brown University, where he also earned his medical degree. He has a master's in acupuncture and oriental medicine from South Baylo University and a master's in business administration from the University of Illinois. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles and a fellowship at the Center for East-West Medicine at UCLA.

He has held academic appointments at the University of California in Irvine and the University of Queensland in Australia.

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