“Bathing provides an
opportunity to unplug, be
truly present and realise all is
well,righthere,rightnow”
H
umans have been
shedding their
clothes, along with
their daily worries,
for thousands of
years to seek escape
and find a sense of rejuvenation
and renewal. Baths take us back
to a different mindset and age;
slower, more contemplative and
methodical, they are a positively
analogue way of cleansing and
relaxing. While the wellness world
whirs at a hundred miles an hour,
the humble bath has stood the test
of time and there are few pleasures
to rival this rare, innate idleness
and exquisite stillness.
For many, having a bath is theonly time of day when they can
simply shut the door on the world
and be on their own; an indulgent
moment of privacy and solitude.
One study at Yale University
showed that having a bath could
make you feel less lonely. Being
warm is central to our early lives;
babies are cuddled and held,
washed and attended to, which
facilitates bonding and
connectedness. Scientists
concluded that the association
between warmth and comfort is
hardwired in our brains in infancy,
explaining why we also seek
comfort in hot drinks and soup.
It should go without saying
that technology has no place in
the bathroom. Bathing provides
an opportunity in our daily lives
to unplug, be truly present in the
moment and realise all is well,
right here, right now. When you
feel the call of the bathtub, you’d
be wise to listen.NEST (^) | TRADITIONS