4 Tips for a Relaxing Bath

A little while ago I wrote a post about the 4 ways to create the perfect yoga environment. Today I want to talk about 4 ways to have a more relaxing bath.

I have to admit, I never used to enjoy baths. I always felt hot, sweaty and "bleh" after them. I now know the reason that I never enjoyed these baths was because I wasn't creating the right environment. After I realised this, I changed the way I approached my baths and have been loving them ever since!

Appropriate Lighting

I believe choosing appropriate lighting can help to create the right environment for a relaxing bath. I usually bathe at night, so I choose to use candles to light the room. They are not as bright as a normal light, and I find it much more peaceful.

The Perfect Water Temperature

This is really tricky to get right and I NEVER get it perfect every time. I usually get my partner to run my baths as he seems much better at judging water temperature than me! The key is to have a bath that is warm enough to stay warm for a while, but not too warm that it is going to burn you! I find that I feel really crappy if I am in a bath that is too hot.

Keeping Technology at Bay

I am not going to sit here and pretend I always turn off my technology when I am having a bath, however if you can leave your technology out of your bath routine, I can guarantee you it will be more relaxing.  I usually put my music on and make sure my phone is out of reach so that I am not tempted to touch it..

Music or No Music?

Speaking of music, I love listening to music whilst I am having a bath. Again, like yoga, listening to music whilst having a bath is a personal choice. For me, the music helps me calm down from a busy day and relax whilst keeping all of my thoughts at bay. I usually listen to meditation, indie or acoustic music.

Do you prefer showers or baths? I would love to hear about how you set up your perfect relaxing bath environment.

xx

4 Tips For the Perfect Yoga Environment

After practicing yoga for over 3 years, I have learnt a lot about how setting up the right space for your yoga session can benefit your practice. Here are the 4 things I believe are the most important factors to creating the perfect yoga environment, especially if you do not have a set yoga space.

Natural Light

To me, natural light is much more calming than bright lights and so I prefer to practice yoga with natural lighting. Bright, flickering lights can be distracting and with all the time we spend on technology, I find it is a nice way to reconnect with the outdoors.

If there is no natural light available, I light a few candles as a more natural alternative to turning on the lights.

Appropriate Music

I know that some people would feel that music during yoga can be distracting and take away from the practice. I personally find that it helps me to keep focussed and also find a good rhythm. My current yoga "playlist" includes:

- Clair de lune - Flight Facilities
- Gold - Chet Faker
- Stay High - Tove Lo

- anything by Jack Johnson

As I mentioned above, playing music is a personal choice and what music you play also depends on  the type of yoga session you have planned. I like more upbeat songs when I am doing a faster, sweatier yoga practice and slower, chilled out songs for a gentler practice.

Choosing the right space

When choosing a space for your yoga practice, you should ensure it is somewhere where you will be less likely to get interrupted. There is nothing worse than when you get into a really good rhythm and someone or something comes and interrupts you. One other thing to keep in mind when choosing an appropriate space is the temperature. You want to be warm during your session, so keep away from cold draughts and turn the heater on if need be. Keeping warm will also minimise the risk of any injury.

Keeping Distractions at Bay

Following on from the above, it is really important to keep away from any distractions during your yoga practice. Turn your phone off or on silent and resist the urge to check your phone throughout the session. If you use your computer during your practice (I sometimes use mine to watch videos on YouTube) ensure nothing is open that could distract you (social media, emails etc.)


I would love to hear what your perfect yoga environment is. Do you have a set yoga space? 

Namaste.

xx