5 Wellness Benefits Of Soaking Your Feet Nightly
You've probably heard from a young age that it is vital to take care of your feet. This is easier said than done with the demands of our jobs, families, and active lifestyles, but it's true. Our feet get the most work of all of our body parts. According to Barefoot Scientist, our feet hold over 25% of our body's bones, and every time we step, they are experiencing nearly 1,000 pounds of force. Movement is essential to an active lifestyle, and our feet help us to stay healthy and happy. If you are already buying the right supportive shoes for your lifestyle and getting a pedicure every now and then to smooth and pamper your feet, you may want to add soaking your feet nightly to your bedtime routine.
By soaking your feet, you are helping your whole body heal and rejuvenate after a long day in the office, at the park, or on the trails. There are many ways to care for your feet, and just like the perfect pair of shoes, no one soak fits all. Finding your favorite nightly soaking routine may just benefit you inside and out.
Reduces inflammation
If you have ever come home with sore legs and feet, you know what it's like to suffer from the pain caused by inflammation. Foot pain caused by plantar fasciitis, or corns that develop on the feet, is intensely uncomfortable and makes it hard for us to complete our day-to-day activities as well as sleep at night. Our feet can suffer from something called edema where our blood may not be circulating as it should, says Mount Sinai. By soaking your feet at night, you could be lessening painful inflammation caused by low circulation.
To really ease inflammation, consider adding Epsom salt to the bowl or tub you are using to soak your feet, suggests Healthline. Although you should always consult a doctor before trying any medical alternative, Epsom salt should work to draw out toxins that keep you in pain from uncomfortable inflammation. While Epsom salt helps, you should still feel relief by simply heating up water and placing your feet in a bowl for 10 minutes or so to reduce the inflammation causing you foot and ankle pain.
Prevents bacteria
In your quest to take care of yourself by pampering your feet, a 15 to 20 minute foot soak per night may help you to relieve your feet of pesky bacteria that can cause irritating foot fungi. The irritation from a foot fungus is very uncomfortable. The affected skin can get under your toenails, in between your toes, or around your heals. This affects every move your feet make throughout the day. By soaking your feet and drying them after each soak session, you'll keep your heels, toes, and toenails clean, and you'll be creating a surface that makes it impossible for bacteria to grow.
If you'd like to ensure that you completely get rid of the fungus, add some apple cider vinegar, or tea tree oil to ensure the fungus does not have an ideal place to grow (via Ankle and Foot Centers). The vinegar will thoroughly clean those hard to reach places where foot fungus can grow making it the perfect addition to your nightly foot soak routine.
Reduces stress
If you've ever reaped the benefits of a really wonderful pedicure, you know the magic they can work on your nervous system. By giving yourself an at-home foot soak, you're not too far off from a salon-style pedicure. According to Soma Novo, if you give yourself a warm foot bath, your body temperature will also rise. This will help to relieve stress, decrease tension, and prevent illness. Your white blood cells will be stimulated, causing your immune system to strengthen. When you lessen stress in your life, you naturally improve your sleep, your work, and your relationships.
To really amplify your stress relieving foot bath experience, try to get your water to about 120 degrees before placing your feet in the water. Consider adding a few drops of essential oils like lavender or peppermint to your water. These oils are known for cleansing, calming, and rejuvenating. By adding a few drops to your nightly soak, you'll create a spa-like experience in your own home.
Produces soft feet
We put our feet through so much wear and tear that it's almost impossible to not suffer from dry skin and callouses. That's our skin's way of protecting itself against the elements. However, dry skin plagues many people, and there is usually too much time between pedicures to adequately smooth the skin on our feet. By soaking your feet nightly, you'll definitely experience smoother skin that is flip flop worthy.
Fill your tub with warm water, grab a basin just for your foot care, or fill a bowl with warm water. No matter your choice, soak you feet to softness. Flaky skin and callouses will be a thing of the past. For discoloration, add lemon juice to your bowl of water to get rid of any yellowing on the feet or toenails. After you are done, dry your feet thoroughly, and apply a soothing lotion to seal in the moisture from the soak.
Detoxifies your feet
Because our feet are the body parts many of us use to get around, it's only natural that we experience painful foot cramping once in a while. If your workplace requires you to be on your feet for the majority of the day, or you just enjoy running and hiking, your foot cramps are telling you that you need to take care of these essential extremities. We know that Epsom salt can work to get the inflammation to calm down, but soaking your feet each night in warm water increases circulation and helps to fight the fatigue associated with foot pain.
If you'd like a boost for your nightly soak, add water with bentonite clay to detoxify your feet with a reverse osmosis process. In addition, Wake says to consider adding cucumber to reduce swelling and stiffness. Also, herbs such as rosemary or mint can take away foot strain. Every person's feet need something different. Finding the perfect formula for a routine nightly soak will be one of the best gifts you can give yourself.