Taking a bath while on period

Menstrual periods have always been surrounded by myths and old wives tales. To be completely honest, some of those stories are true to some extent, but there are also menstruation-related taboos that are completely scientifically wrong. Many women are worried whether they should do certain things while on period, because they heard, probably from their grandmothers, aunts and others, that they should not. Taking a bath during your menstrual period is one of the things that many women have heard they should not do.

Taking a bath during your period: Yes or no?

The simple answer to the question whether a girl or a woman should take a bath while on period is — yes. You can take a shower, wash your hair, and even have a bath while you are experiencing "that time of the month".

In fact, keeping up good hygiene by taking a bath or shower is encouraged, for several reasons. Firstly, during a menstrual period, the woman’s reproductive system is a bit more prone to infections, which is why personal hygiene is absolutely essential. Also, a menstrual period comes with quite a few issues, from cramping, bloating, sweating, to fatigue, irritability and nervousness. And that is where a nice, long, and relaxing warm bath can be very helpful.

Taking a bath after a long, hard day is very soothing and refreshing. When a woman is on her period, she may lose very little blood, but some women do also lose a lot of blood and a lot of iron, even to the point of causing iron-deficiency anemia, and those women are bound to feel more tired than usual. A bath can help with that. It relaxes the muscles of the entire body and freshens the mind too.

Taking a warm bath can help against menstrual cramps too, because it acts similarly to the application of hot water bottle. It relaxes the muscles and eases the cramps, which is very important for women during their period because those cramps can be very intense and sometimes even debilitating.

How to take a bath during your period?

Women often worry that water may get inside their body during baths. That, of course, is not true, but it is true that something can get from the body into the water. If taking a bath while on your period without using a tampon or menstrual cup, some of the blood can leak into the water, which greatly reduces the feeling of coziness and relaxation and tarnishes the cleansing effect of the bath too.

However, this can easily be solved by using a tampon while bathing and removing it after the bath is over. It also helps to use a paper towel for wiping before getting into the tub.

Of course, the tub used for the bath must be absolutely clean. This should always apply, not just during menstrual periods, but since the body may be more susceptible to infections during periods, it is recommended to carefully clean the tub both before and after the bath.

Some soothing and refreshing essential oils are recommended, as long as they are not to harsh or intense and if there is not too much of them. Just a few drops will do the trick, there is no need to pour in the entire bottle.

The water used for the bath should be warm, not cold or hot. Cold water may cause some problems like inflammation, while hot water can dilute the blood vessels and make the menstrual flow much heavier.

Finally, it is recommended to take a short shower after the bath is over. Women who cannot or do not want to wear tampons but who instead rely on sanitary napkins may feel cleaner taking showers rather than baths during their periods. If, for some reason, you have heard that showers are "banned" during menstruation too, this is clearly a myth. Maintaining personal hygiene is extremely important.