Take a Bath

"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you" (Ezekiel 36:25).

Whether a person is sick or well, respiration is more free and easy if bathing is practiced. By it the muscles become more flexible, the mind and body are alike invigorated, the intellect is made brighter, and every faculty becomes livelier (2MCP 383.3).

It is common for depressed individuals to stop caring for their own bodies. They often develop the habit of believing the lie that they don't care. But what they really mean is that they feel hopeless, believing nothing will help.

This is where simple, practical education can make a difference. Even something as basic as taking a warm bath can relax tense muscles, calm the nerves, and begin restoring a sense of peace. Warm water also opens the pores of the skin, allowing impurities to be released. To complete the treatment, the bath should end with a cold shower for 30 seconds to 1 minute. The cold water stimulates blood circulation, tightens the pores, and awakens the body to action. The skin, our largest organ, benefits greatly from this cleansing and renewal, which in turn helps the whole body function better. This practice, known as hydrotherapy, has been shown in studies to improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression by regulating stress hormones and increasing endorphins.

Studies are increasingly recognizing the healing power of water-based therapies. For instance, a 2024 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, published in Current Psychology, reviewed 17 trials involving 977 adults with symptoms of anxiety and depression. The results suggest that hydrotherapy and balneotherapy, which is a form of therapy that utilizes the therapeutic properties of natural mineral waters, often from hot springs, for healing purposes, significantly reduced anxiety (SMD = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.27–0.65) and depression (SMD = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.38–0.67), demonstrating moderate effect sizes that support their use as effective adjunctive treatments to traditional mental health interventions. These findings suggest that even simple practices, like alternating warm baths with a short cold shower, can provide meaningful relief, helping to reset the body, soothe the mind, and restore hope.

Sometimes, the first step toward hope is as simple as water, which is God's natural gift for cleansing and healing, both body and mind. Try it!

-Dr. Dana

Koroglu, S., & Yıldız, M. (2024). Effectiveness of hydrotherapy and balneotherapy for anxiety and depression symptoms: A meta-analysis. Current Psychology, 43(29), 24193–24204.