5 Must-Haves For A Relaxing Bath

Laying awake in bed at about 2:30am today, a prime time for random thoughts, it occurred to me that I haven't had a proper bubble bath in about 2 years. You know - a long, quiet, soak in hot water, complete with calming music, candle light and the soft crackling sound of the bubbles as they begin to slowly be overcome by the water and the air. Oh, I can almost feel it now.

I think it's about time I pulled out my bubble bath supplies and made plans to have a proper soak this week. A good relaxing bath can really recharge the body and mind and that's something I could use about now. Here are my bath-must-haves:

1. Tub Overflow Drain Blocker: even though these overflow drains are very important they prevent grown people from filling up a tub high enough to provide proper coverage of the body. These plastic covers attach to the tub with lots of tiny suction cups and then have a small vent at the top. It does a great job of keeping the water from draining out before you have even finished filling the tub.

2. Bath Pillow: I love this one because it not only provides a cushion for my head but also for my upper back. It's a nice luxury for anyone who wants to have a relaxing soak in the tub but it's absolutely necessary for those of us with fibromyalgia and chronic migraines. 

3. Bubble Bath, Bath Oil or Bath Bomb: I personally prefer bubbles or bombs because the oils usually leave a heavy scent behind on the skin that sticks around too long. When I buy bubble bath, I always buy the cheap stuff because it has very little scent that generally doesn't bother me and doesn't stick around after the bath. I like this aloe-vera bubble bath from CVS, doesn't trigger my head at all. 

4. Soothing Playlist: I always have a least a couple calming albums on my ipod that get a lot of play during dinnertime at our house that are also great for a bubble bath. I love this little rechargeable ipod dock that allows me to take my music with me to any room in the house. 

5. Candles: I like to use those small tealight candles in large numbers. The light never disappears into a hole created by the flame like with pillar candles. They are the perfect size and price for one-time-use in large numbers and they don't require special holders. I buy them in bulk super cheap so I can use 10 or 15 (or more) at a time. If my head is in rough shape I will forgo the tealight candles and instead use my flameless pillar candles.

 Okay, I'm officially ready for a bubble bath. Now I just need to find the energy to clean the tub and it'll be go time.