By Vanessa Fontaine
There’s nothing like a hot bath to relax you and promote a restful sleep.
That a bath has a beneficial effect on sleep is well documented. In 2019, for example, researchers at the University of Texas analyzed 5,322 studies and found that slipping into hot water—40°C to 42.5°C (104°F to 108.5°F)—an hour or two before going to bed can help you fall asleep more quickly.
A bath is the ultimate in relaxation for Sarah Laroche, founder of the bath-and-body-products company Selv Rituel. “I do everything in my bath,” she says. “I read, I watch TV, I drink a cup of hot milk while watching a movie.”
A proponent of “slow living,” which promotes a laid-back lifestyle that values both selfcare and caring for others, Laroche says you can enhance your bath by adding flower petals, herbs, salt, oils, essences, fruit, plant-based beverages such as soy milk, or even honey and coffee. But when it’s time to encourage sleep, she suggests adding whatever releases a floral, herbaceous, or woodsy aroma—try a few drops of essential oil such as lavender, sage, or camomile; you can also sprinkle the bathwater with dried flowers, bunches of herbs, or even pine branches.
The Key: Lighting
“Dimming the lights is very important,” Laroche says. “Your senses need a break.”
Brigitte Langevin, a sleep specialist, agrees. “The brain relies on light levels to know which hormone to secrete,” she says. “It interprets darkness as a signal that it’s time to start producing melatonin, the sleep hormone. If you disrupt that internal process with too strong a light, the body instead produces cortisol, the stress hormone, to stay awake. That means your brain isn’t ready when you want to sleep.”
The Power of Cold
For deep relaxation, Jocelyna Dubuc, founder of Spa Eastman, has a perhaps surprising recommendation: cold water. “It’s extremely therapeutic,” she says, and she should know—the 75-year-old has been taking cold showers every morning for decades. She suggests rubbing a towel soaked in cold water over your whole body when you get out of the bath to promote sleep. “It causes a physiological reaction and a state of wellbeing,” she says.
Langevin is well aware of this physical response to cold. She, too, recommends ending a bath with a spray of cold water. “Heat followed by cold causes a kind of shiver that the brain perceives as a sign of fatigue,” she explains. “That helps you prepare for sleep.”
Soothing Showers
Showers aren’t only for waking you up—just like a bath, a shower can stabilize your circadian rhythms and help you fall asleep. To create a calming atmosphere, bath expert Sarah Laroche suggests hanging bunches of dried herbs or dried flowers in the shower—but not directly under the water, as it’s the steam that diffuses the fragrance.
“I always have a bouquet of eucalyptus hanging in my shower,” she says. “It looks nice, it smells great, and it’s easy to find at the florist’s shop for about $10.”
Home Spa
Here are a few suggestions for creating a relaxing atmosphere at home.
MUSIC
The soundtrack for your spa time can be whatever works for you: songs by Enya, mellow jazz, forest or ocean sounds….
A FACE MASK
Jocelyna Dubuc of Spa Eastman advises using bathtime for this extra skincare treatment. Her preference is a clay mask mixed with a little olive oil. Place a slice of cucumber on each eye to reduce puffiness.
SIPPING
Treat yourself to a smoothie or a cup of herbal tea. Bath expert Sarah Laroche chooses what to drink based on her mood but admits to a weakness for hot milk, to which she adds a little vanilla or mashed banana.
HERBAL ADDITIONS
Laroche says that rosemary and sage are good choices. “We waste so much when we cook. I put herbs in my evening bath. It smells good, and it’s nice to look at.”
CLEOPATRA’S SECRET
Laroche suggests adding animal milk or a plant-based beverage such as soy milk to the water. “It’s very nourishing for the skin. It makes it so soft!” You can also steep herbal teas in the bath. “Herbal teas have extraordinary properties for the skin,” she says. “I vary the flavours, and I use two tea bags: one to drink and one for the bathwater.”
