I’ve always thought hot baths were supposed to relax you.
And they probably do—for some people.
But for me, they leave me drained.

Not just physically, but energetically.
I’ve noticed that after sitting in a hot bath for 30 minutes, my stress levels go up.
My energy drops off a cliff.
It feels like I’ve just run for an hour—except instead of feeling clear afterward, I feel wiped out.

But as the water cools, something changes.
My body starts to calm.
My stress levels decrease.
And that’s when I realised: maybe it’s not the emotional processing that’s draining me—it’s the heat.

Maybe My Body Needs Cold

Cold showers. Cold baths.
Not in a punishing way, but in a clarifying way.
Cold wakes something up in me. It grounds me.
And it doesn’t drain my battery the way heat does.

Running, too—expends energy, yes, but it’s rhythmic. Sustainable. It gives something back.
It feels more aligned than overheating in stillness.

Listening Without Judgment

This isn’t about saying hot baths are bad.
It’s about noticing.
It’s about letting go of what’s “supposed” to work—and instead listening to what my body’s actually asking for.

And in this season of life?
My body doesn’t like hot baths.
And that’s okay.