Rosemary morning warming bath
A short, warm rosemary bath on a slow weekend morning. The Austrian Kurorten tradition for waking up the body before a long walk or a workday that asks for energy.
Steps
Make a strong rosemary infusion
A small handful of dried rosemary needles, about three tablespoons, into half a litre of just-boiled water. Cover and steep fifteen minutes. While it steeps, run the bath.
Run a warm bath, not a hot one
Fill the tub with water that feels comfortably warm on the wrist, around thirty seven degrees. A morning bath should be inviting, not a sweat bath.
Strain the infusion in
Strain the rosemary infusion straight into the bathwater. The bathroom will smell like the southern garden in late summer. Do not use rosemary essential oil here; the herb infusion is enough.
Stay eight to ten minutes
Get in slowly. Stay no longer than ten minutes. Rosemary is bracing, and a long soak is not the point of a morning bath.
Cool rinse, then dress warm
Finish with a brief cool rinse over the legs at the end. Pat dry, dress warm, drink a glass of water, then start the day. Wait twenty minutes before strenuous exercise.
Rosemary baths belong to the Austrian Kurorten tradition as a morning practice rather than an evening one. Not in the evening: many people find rosemary keeps them awake. Skip the bath on a feverish body, with open skin, and in the first trimester of pregnancy as a precaution; later in pregnancy ask your midwife. People with high blood pressure under medication, with heart conditions, or with epilepsy should ask a doctor before adopting rosemary baths as a regular practice. The water temperature stays warm, not hot, especially for older adults. Use the herb infusion only; rosemary essential oil is concentrated and not appropriate for bathwater. Not a practice for small children.