The Luxury of a Daytime Hot Bath

One of my secret self-care and self-love practices is taking a hot bath in the middle of the day. For the longest time, I felt guilty about it—wasn’t a bath something you took at night, after a long day, or maybe on a slow weekend? But then I realized: the very fact that I allow myself this luxury during the day is what makes it so powerful.

There’s something indulgent about stepping away from the world—pausing the to-do list, the responsibilities, the constant hum of productivity—and immersing yourself in warmth, even when the sun is still high. It’s a reminder that self-care isn’t just a reward; it’s a necessity.

For me, this isn’t just any bath. It’s a ritual. I sprinkle in Epsom salt, scatter rose petals across the water, and add a few drops of essential oils—lavender for calm, tea tree for clarity, and sometimes Bach flower remedies for emotional balance. Rose absolute essential oil is another of my top favorite oils to add because of its properties of deep relaxation and heart-opening energy.

I also place a crystal in my bath—perhaps a rose quartz for self-love or a detoxifying stone like black tourmaline or clear quartz—to enhance the experience energetically. A candle flickers beside me, and soft music plays in the background, creating a space where I can just be.

This isn’t a rushed five-minute rinse. It’s a minimum of 20 minutes—20 minutes of warmth wrapping around me, of deep breaths, of stillness. In that time, I let go of everything except the sensation of the water, the scent in the air, the flickering candlelight. And when I step out, I feel renewed, lighter, as if I’ve washed away more than just the stresses of the day.

If you’ve never allowed yourself a daytime hot bath, I encourage you to try it. It’s an act of self-love, a declaration that you don’t have to wait for permission to rest and restore. You deserve it—right now, in the middle of the day.

Take the time. Sink in. And just be.