Amazing 10 Benefits of Epsom Salt Bath Soaking- Should You Try?

10 Benefits of Epsom Salt Bath Soaking

Epsom salt is, technically not a salt, but a magnesium sulfate or a pure time-tested mineral compound with a wide array of uses. It takes its name from a bitter saline spring in Epsom in Surrey, England where the salt was produced from the springs that arise where the porous chalk on the North Downs meets non-porous clay. Do you use Epsom salt in your baths? If not, these ten amazing benefits will inspire you to do so today.

1. Stress Reduction and Better Sleep

Healthy magnesium levels are vital for stress management and sleep primarily because this mineral helps your brain produce neurotransmitters that induce sleep and reduce stress. Magnesium also helps the body produce melatonin a hormone that supports sleep. If you are stressed out then taking a bath with Epsom salt is an effective solution. Stress decreases magnesium levels and increases adrenaline levels. According to the study, Epsom salt breaks up and dissolves in warm water, thus allowing magnesium to promote the reproduction of energy cells in your body. ^[1]

To de-stress and get some sleep add one cup of Epsom salt to warm bath water, soak in it for 20 minutes, three times a week.

2. Alleviates Pain, Reduces Swelling

You can also find epsom salt for muscle pain soaking baths, which can be used in the same way as described above. In fact, Epsom salt reduces swelling, which is why a lot of people report that baths with this salt improve symptoms of fibromyalgia and arthritis.
As you probably assume, magnesium is the primary “culprit” for these effects since a vast majority of people with fibromyalgia and arthritis are deficient in this mineral. Magnesium helps regulate pH levels in the body, thus helping people with different kinds of aches and pains in reducing stiffness, inflammation, and pain sensation.

3. Improves Nerve Function

Magnesium sulfate is beneficial to nerves as well. How? It helps the body’s nervous system to regulate signals that are being sent out and received. For instance, Epsom salt can help regulate fluid retention in cells and facilitate the body’s use of calcium to transmit chemical signals throughout the nervous system. ^[2]

4. Exercise Performance and Recovery Nerve Function

Taking epsom salt bath for muscle soreness and alleviate cramps, both of which are important factors in exercise performance and recovery. It is a well-known fact that sufficient levels of magnesium are helpful for exercise due to the fact that this mineral helps the body use lactic acid and glucose. If you are an active person, exercise regularly, and want to improve your performance, then taking an epsom salt bath for sore muscles is a practical yet natural way to do it.

Reduce your muscle mass by doing the exercises

5. Arterial Health Benefits

Here’s yet another reason to take Epsom salt bath; it can improve circulation and prevent serious cardiovascular diseases by reducing inflammation and protecting elasticity of your arteries. Healthy arteries decrease the risk of blood clots, plaque buildup, and damage to the arterial walls. To improve arterial health with the help of Epsom salt, take baths three times a week.

6. Regulates Blood Sugar

When Epsom salt is absorbed into the body through baths or foot soaks, it may help improve the effectiveness of insulin production. As a result, your body regulates blood sugar levels more efficiently. The ability of the body to regulate levels of blood sugar reduces the risk of health issues linked to diabetes. ^[3]

7. Treats Sunburn

In just a few months you’ll be relaxing on a beach. With summer and sunbathing there also come the sunburns. Taking Epsom salt bath is very soothing for sunburned skin due to its anti-inflammatory properties that alleviate sunburn irritation, itchiness, and pain. You’ll be happy to know that Epsom salt baths can also help maintain an even skin tone.

8. Relieves Constipation

Immediate constipation relief

One of the most popular uses of Epsom salt is as a saline laxative to relieve constipation. Simply dissolve one teaspoon of this salt in a cup of warm water then epsom salt you can drink on an empty stomach once a day. Another way to improve digestive health is to soak in Epsom salt bath for 20 minutes. Why? It’s because dissolving a cup of salt in the bath and soaking in it is one of the best ways to reduce bloating and water retention.

9. Alleviates Gout Discomfort

Although Epsom salt bath doesn’t cure gout, it helps manage the symptoms through its pain-reducing and anti-inflammatory properties. According to the study, Magnesium sulfate penetrates the skin and alleviates the gout pain you experience. Bear in mind that it’s far more effective to take a bath in the tub rather than soak each affected area individually. ^[4]

10. Removes Splinters

Splinters can be quite stubborn and difficult to remove. The more you try to get them out, the deeper they get. Isn’t that frustrating? With Epsom pain relief bath salts, it doesn’t have to be because soaking the affected body part in warm water with Epsom salts for a few minutes reduces the inflammation around the wound, softens up a splinter, and makes it easier to remove.

Final Verdict

The benefits of Epsom salt go beyond skin exfoliation and stress reduction, taking a bath with this salt has numerous health benefits including pain relief, better sleep, healthier digestion, and so on. Remember, you should never use Epsom salt as a treatment to cure or deal with different diseases; it is just a complementary tool that can help you improve symptoms. Make sure you discuss this subject with your doctor.

4 Sources

We review published medical research in respected scientific journals to arrive at our conclusions about a product or health topic. This ensures the highest standard of scientific accuracy.

[1] Gröber U, Werner T, Vormann J, Kisters K. Myth or Reality-Transdermal Magnesium?. Nutrients. 2017;9(8):813. Published 2017 Jul 28. doi:10.3390/nu9080813
[2] About Epsom Salts (MgSO4·7H 2O): https://www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/universal_health_institute_about_epsom_salt.pdf
[3] 18 reasons to Keep Epsons Salts in Your Medicine Cabinet, Sugar Lopez: http://ccbnet.org/drupal7/node/717
[4] Diagnosis and Management of Gout: https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/1999/0401/p1799.html

Helena Vanelli

Helena Vanelli started her professional career in Dance - Choreography and later was drawn into the fitness world. She teaches Rhythmic Read Full Bio