The everyday task that may be amazing for your mental health

We all love a relaxing soak in the bath; now we have even more reason to grab a bath bomb and treat ourselves!

Good news: a relaxing bath could not only be amazing for your skin but also your mental health!

At the University of Freiburg in Germany, researchers studied the effects of baths on 45 volunteer participants struggling with depression. The volunteers were split into two groups: The first was instructed to take a bath each day for about 30 minutes, and the second group was told to do about 45 minutes of aerobic exercise two times a week.

After 8 weeks their moods were tested and overall, those who took daily baths scored about six points lower on the depression scale compared to the volunteers who went down the exercise route, who only scored three points lower.

While the study was only small, and can't represent absolutely everyone, we have to agree that we feel 100 times better after a soak in the tub!

Also, taking a hot bath, or even a cold shower, can be very effective in alleviating anxiety symptoms for some people, all because of the way temperature changes affect the body, and in turn, the mind.

Guess we'll be jumping in the tub asap!