Your daily shower can be more than just a get-clean affair. Lynn Cardy shares some simple ways to help wash your worries away
You may already think of a soak in the bath as a wellbeing holy grail – it’s relaxing, soothing and time just for you. But baths require a lot of water (and patience while you fill them up!), so you might reserve them for an occasional treat.
And, it turns out, that a quick and efficient shower could provide just as much of a self-care boost – if you do it right.
Wellbeing experts agree that taking small bursts of time for yourself every day can make a big difference. ‘Small moments are what it’s all about – they all add up,’ says Margo Marrone, homeopath and natural health specialist. ‘Showering is a great opportunity to feel good: no phone, no talking; nothing but you, the water and your thoughts.’
It starts with how you view it. Stop thinking about showering as a brisk must-do, and start viewing it as a me-time moment that can help you turn inward. Whether you want to feel energised for the day ahead or soothed for a good night’s sleep, your shower can do it all.
Read on for our top tips to help you transform your daily habit into a self-care ritual.
CLEANSE NEGATIVITY
For some spiritual guides, showering goes beyond simply keeping clean. ‘The shamans in Ecuador and Peru use a shower as part of a spiritual and energetic cleanse,’ Margo says. ‘There, they use flowers with the power of water to rid the energetic body of negativity and stagnation. So, the next time you shower, think of it as not only cleaning the physical body but also the mind and energetic body.’
Margo recommends using a rose body wash and, as the water flows over your head, imagine that you’re releasing any negative thoughts such as anger, sadness and doubt. Visualise the power of the flowers and water washing it all away. TRY: The Organic Pharmacy Rose Shower Gel (£25.95, theorganicpharmacy.com), with rose and calendula.
INHALE SOME MAGIC
Essential oils can help with all kinds of wellbeing glitches, and allowing them to steam up your shower can be a great way to feel the benefits. ‘Just add six to 10 drops of essential oil on a flannel placed at the opposite end of the shower tray to where you’re standing and the water, steam and heat will help the oils do their thing,’ suggests aromatherapist Glenda Taylor. ‘Breathed in, the tiny molecules of essential oil enter the blood stream via the alveoli in the
