Creating Calm With Epsom Salts and Essential Oils

I love a good epsom salt bath! As a mama of kiddos with Lyme, epsom salt baths with added essential oils have saved the day on many occasions. I love that they not only detox the body, but that the magnesium also provides a nice calming effect. Magnesium can help calm anxiety, anger and sometimes even overstimulation. 

When we were in the middle of battling Bartonella (tick bite disease that creates anger and anxiety), we called epsom salts magic crystals, because they were magic. On so many occasions we would put our screaming child into the bath and within 20 minutes, the same child would be singing and playing in the bathtub. Ahhhh. Th power of magnesium. A few drops of a calming essential oil and the effect was that much better! 

A year into using the baths, I was finally able to convince my non-bath taking husband to try them for his Lyme symptoms. On bad days, my husband wore a back and knee braces due to joint paint and inflammation. Soaking in an epsom salt bath with Lavender made the anti-inflammatory properties of the bath that much stronger. Now he too can benefit from the power of magic crystals.

My article today is talking about using epsom salt baths for chronic illness, but that absolutely does not have to be the case! Calm the body and calm the mind...maybe throw in a good book while you're at it. I encourage you to try an epsom oily bath today if you haven't already. Epsom salts are easy to find in the pharmacy section of your grocery store or via the Amazon links below.

How to Create a Peaceful Essential Oil & Epsom Salt Bath


Epsom salts* 
Baking Soda (optional: neutralizes chlorine & other chemicals)
Essential Oils

Start with the bath water running. Then add the salts, baking soda and essential oils. Stir rapidly until everything feels dissolved and well distributed. As you stir, you will release the aroma of the oils, which means for that brief (delicious) moment you get the aromatic benefits too. Next, insert child or adult, sprinkle in a few toys (or book) and wait for the transformation!
 
The following are guidelines to help you determine what ratio will help best. 
Please keep in mind any health concerns that you may have before using Epsom salts.

*1/2 cup Epsom salts and ¼ cup baking soda for children under 6o#, 

* 1 cup Epsom salts and ½ cup baking soda for children over 60# 

* 2 cups Epsom salts and 1 cup baking soda for 100# and over

**When choosing what essential oils to use in the bath, think about what you are trying to accomplish. Some of you have a small regular sized bathtub and others use a large soaking tub. I find that 4 drops of essential oils in a soaking tub work well for my 8 year old son. Adjust your oil amounts to suit your needs, remembering that less is more. 

Make sure to drink liquids during or immediately following the bath and to rinse off the salts before toweling off.