{"id":57755,"date":"2021-11-11T05:15:19","date_gmt":"2021-11-11T10:15:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=57755"},"modified":"2021-11-11T07:58:00","modified_gmt":"2021-11-11T12:58:00","slug":"muscle-soreness-recovery-bath","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/lifestyle\/muscle-soreness-recovery-bath\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Surprising Ingredients for a Muscle-Soothing Recovery Bath"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sure, coloring and meditation<\/a> are ways you can practice self-care<\/a> every day, but nothing can take you to next-level<\/a> zen quite like a hot bath. Slipping into a steamy tub can help ease muscle aches<\/a> and pains, reduce stress<\/a> and soothe irritated skin, among other benefits.<\/p>\n

\u201cBaths have been used since ancient times for healing and purification,\u201d says KG Stiles, Oregon (South) director for the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy and author of The Essential Oils Complete Reference Guide.<\/em><\/a> \u201cAncient cultures like Greece and Rome were renowned for healing scented baths.\u201d<\/p>\n

But we\u2019re not just talking about a basic bubble bath here. From hoppy IPAs (yes, you read that right) to Epsom salts, these new bath ingredients tout some surprising benefits. Ready to take a dip?<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>7 Self-Care Rituals to Practice Every Day<\/a><\/p>\n

7 Soothing Recovery Bath Ideas You Haven\u2019t Tried Yet<\/h2>\n

1. Beer<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Hop into a tub of hops? According to Dr. Joshua Zeichner<\/a>, director of cosmetic & clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, soaking in beer byproducts can help relieve stress and anxiety. Hops \u2014 the flowers used to infuse flavor into beer \u2014 have antioxidant properties that help calm inflammation, Dr. Zeichner says. He adds, \u201cBrewer’s yeast, which is also used to make beer, contains B-complex vitamins<\/a> that soothe and brighten the skin.\u201d Beer baths are starting to pop up in spas. To create this experience at home, Dr. Zeichner suggests adding 1-2 cups of beer to a half-filled tub.<\/p>\n

2. Oatmeal<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This breakfast favorite can help you not only glow from the inside out but through your nightly soak. The grainy texture of oatmeal can help exfoliate dry skin and help ease symptoms for conditions, like eczema, which causes skin to lose hydration and become inflamed, Zeicher says. \u201cSkin-calming ingredients like colloidal oatmeal can help soothe the skin, improve hydration and repair the skin barrier, \u201d Zeicher notes. He recommends Aveeno Oatmeal Soothing Bath Treatment<\/a> or you can DIY with this homemade\u00a0oatmeal and brown sugar facial scrub<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Hygge, Fika and How Getting Cozy Can Make You Happier<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Essential Oils<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Studies<\/a> have shown that aromatherapy can help lower blood pressure and stress levels. Stiles recommends eucalyptus oil to relieve stress, anxiety<\/a> and tension; orange oil to get an energy boost; peppermint oil to help ease stomach issues; and sweet marjoram oil to help soothe body aches and pains<\/a>. Her pro tip: Add a few drops of your essential oil blend to a suitable carrier (Epsom salt, sea salt, honey or cream) before adding it to your bath water. \u201cBecause oil and water don\u2019t mix, your carrier will act as a dispersant for blending your essential oils into your bath water,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>8 Annoying Workout Injuries (You Can Totally Avoid)<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Milk<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We know that milk can do your body<\/a> good. Plus, it contains proteins that help soothe irritated skin, Zeichner says. Soaking in beauty products made with milk byproducts will take your bath from sudsy to creamy \u2014 and your skin will thank you. \u201cIt is commonly used to treat sunburns, but it may be useful in rosacea as well,\u201d Zeichner adds. But don\u2019t just grab your milk jug and start pouring. Milk-based powders, liquids soaps or bars are the way to go.<\/p>\n

5. Epsom salt<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A fan favorite among athletes, Epsom salt baths can help ease post-workout<\/a> aches, pains and muscle tightness. \u201cEpsom salt is rich in magnesium salts which provide soothing and exfoliating properties to the skin,\u201d says Zeichner. \u201cIt can also help reduce the inflammation in a variety of skin conditions, such as psoriasis,\u201d he adds. Zeichner recommends it for soothing bunions<\/a>, plantar fasciitis and inflammation to the joints.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Is Forest Bathing the New Meditation?<\/a><\/p>\n

6. Fresh flower petals<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking to capture some of the peaceful scents and sights from the outdoors, grab some flowers and shower the petals on top of your bath. Studies have shown that being around nature can help you de-stress and boost your mood. Colors like blue, lavender and green are also soothing to the eyes.<\/p>\n

7. Bath bombs<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

No frills kind of bather? Try bath bombs instead. This all-in-one product includes essential oils, powdered minerals, baking soda, body butters and dried flowers. You can make your own bath bomb at home, or buy them at stores.<\/p>\n\n\n

Not a Daily Burn member? Sign up at\u00a0dailyburn.com<\/a>\u00a0and start your free 30-day trial today.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally published on April 15, 2017. Updated on November 11, 2021<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All images via Shutterstock <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Looking to relieve stress or soothe sore muscles? A recovery bath with Epsom salts, beer, milk and other unlikely ingredients might do the trick. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":97,"featured_media":67607,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,12,15],"tags":[135,82,88,282,341,360],"class_list":["post-57755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","category-mental-health","category-stress","tag-post-workout","tag-recovery","tag-soreness","tag-stress","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2stress-management"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57755","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/97"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57755"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57755\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67607"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57755"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57755"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57755"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}