In Defense of the Tub

I always knew I was different. When discussing Boston apartment priorities with a soon-to-be-future roommate, all the usual topics came up — location, square footage, budget. But when I mentioned the non-negotiable on my list, he burst out laughing.

“A bathtub? You can’t be serious!”

Yes, I’ve seen it all before. Blank stares when I gripe about the lack of tubs in JMac. Looks of disgust when I mention that I try to take a bath every single night. “You really enjoy stewing in your own filth for an hour?” they snicker. Unfortunately, statistics show they’re in the majority — while 90 percent of the US showers at least once a week, only 13 percent take a bath.

But I see a false dichotomy. Showering is a crucial part of my daily hygiene routine, but bath time is sacred. The tub is where I wash all my worries away — where I mentally reset after a tough day at work; where I decompress after a particularly embarrassing cold call performance (thanks Graham Weaver). Ever since I was a kid, I saw the bathtub as a safe space to escape the world and hunker down with a great book or magazine. And I was fine to be a sole evangelist for the hobby.

Showering is a crucial part of my daily hygiene routine, but bath time is sacred. The tub is where I wash all my worries away.

However, I’ve recently noticed a proverbial ripple in the water. During COVID, bathing had a moment — #bathscaping emerged as a viral trend on TikTok, as baths “added structure to long days of lockdown, with people creating indulgent ‘soaksperiences’ for self-care,” according to WGSN’s Head of Beauty, Clare Varga. Bath brands like Soak Sunday saw a 900 percent uplift in sales.

As bathing splashed into the zeitgeist, I became determined to understand the root causes of my love for baths — to me, they’re so much more than just the latest social media craze.

I began reviewing the (surprisingly comprehensive) academic literature around bathing and was blown away by its benefits. In one study, researchers from Loughborough University measured the effect of bathing on blood sugar control and caloric burn. They found that a hot bath had benefits equivalent to a half-hour walk in terms of calories burned, blood sugar response, and anti-inflammatory impact.

Bathing is also a balm for mental health. German scholars from the University of Freiburg measured clinically relevant improvement in depression severity after only two weeks of 20-minute hot tubs. Furthermore, a sleep study from the University of Texas concluded that a hot bath before bed can instigate melatonin production, improving sleep quality. I’ve always known that I feel better after a bath, but now I know why — research has shown that bathing reduces cortisol (stress) levels and facilitates the release of beta-endorphins (mood boosters).

A hot bath had benefits equivalent to a half-hour walk in terms of calories burned, blood sugar response, and anti-inflammatory impact.

Today’s society is plagued by more pressing epidemics than we can count, with physical health, depression, and anxiety top of mind for many. What if I told you a tool existed that could help address all three simultaneously — burning calories, improving your mood, lowering your stress levels, and giving you better sleep? Even better, it’s nearly free, and you probably already have it in your passdown (sorry MBA1s — something to look forward to).

For once, this is an offer that’s not too good to be true. Take a bath — I promise the water’s fine.

Editor: Kha-ai Nguyen