The Top 5 Health Benefits of Using Epsom Salt
Soaking in a warm relaxing bath is one of life’s simplest pleasures, and putting a little Epsom salt in the tub makes it even better. But why? Why is it that so many people swear by this natural mineral? Are there any health benefits of using Epsom salts?
The short answer is yes, adding Epsom salt to your bath does benefit your health. This short article will explain the health benefits, but first, it’s good to know what Epsom salt actually is and how to use it.
What is Epsom salt?
Epsom salt is — well, it’s just what it sounds like, it’s salt. Not just any old salt though; it’s not like the salt you have on your kitchen table. It’s a mineral salt. If you really want to get technical, it’s a mineral salt compound of sulfate and magnesium, but for all intents and purposes, you can just think of it as being a type of salt that you don’t eat, like sea salt.
How to use Epsom salt
There are a few ways to use Epsom salt. The most common way is to add a bit of Epsom salt to your bath before getting in the tub. The idea is that the warm water will dissolve the Epsom salt down into its base components, Magnesium, and Sulfate. Don’t worry, it’s safe. Both ingredients are essential minerals that your body uses to support vital organs and regulate other bodily functions.
Another less common way of using Epsom Salt is to apply it to your skin as a cosmetic, but the health benefits of this are minimal. Some people claim that Epsom salt can be taken orally as a laxative, but that can cause serious health complications for those with compromised digestive systems. Generally speaking, it’s probably best if you stick to putting it into your bath.
The health benefits of using Epsom salt
There are many benefits of adding Epsom salt to your bath, but these are the top five that can make a massive difference for your overall well-being.
1. Epsom salt can soothe sore joints and muscles
Whether from a strenuous work-out, a long day stuck at a desk, or for any other reason, if your muscles are sore and your joints are stiff, then soaking in an Epsom salt bath can relax your muscles and soothe your aching joints.
2. Epsom salt promotes healthy sleep patterns
If you suffer from insomnia, then an Epsom salt bath might be able to help. Run a nice warm bath about thirty minutes before bed, add some Epsom salts, and before long, you may find yourself yawning.
3. Epsom salt can relieve stress and tension
All-day long, the world bombards you with stress, and your body stores that stress physically as tension. Having too much tension in your body can result in poor blood circulation and musculature problems. An Epsom salt bath can relieve that stress, leaving you tension-free and invigorated.
4. Epsom salt helps with headaches and migraines
If you suffer from migraines or just have a regular headache, try soaking in an Epsom salt bath. Due to the anti-inflammatory properties of Epsom salt, you may find that your headache just melts away in the tub.
5. Epsom salt can lower anxiety
High anxiety can be a precursor to other serious physical and mental disorders, and so the next time you feel particularly anxious about something, take a break from worrying about it just long enough to enjoy an Epsom salt bath. By the time you get out of the tub, whatever triggered the anxiety might not seem like such a big deal anymore.
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