I’ve been a Prime member for a while but never “subscribed” to purchase a particular item repeatedly. It just didn’t seem like that much additional effort to get something whenever you run out. A couple of clicks, and the replacement is on its way. But I finally subscribed to something, and I’m so glad I did because it’s my small way of looking after myself, or what’s frequently hashtagged as “self-care.”

I signed up to get a bottle of Dr Teal’s lavender bubble bath product, on a regular basis. The choice might seem odd at first but I got into the habit of having bubble baths recently. Maybe I just want to look as gorgeous as Julia Roberts in the bath scene of “Pretty Woman.” Bubble baths make me feel like I am in the Beverly Wilshire hotel myself. They are also very relaxing and adding lavender helps to bring about a calming effect that helps me sleep better and not stress as much. In our fast-paced world, we tend to take a quick shower because a 20-30-minute bath seems like an indulgence. Well, not anymore. I learned that taking baths can even help with depression.

According to researchers, a warm bath on a regular basis (at least twice a week) can have a better effect on mood than physical exercise. Hmm, well I guess that’s also good news for whoever came up with the product subscription button on Amazon. So, stop draining your battery and put the drain stopper where it belongs, in the bathtub. (Also, don’t put batteries in the bathtub.) 

As the Guardian reports, German researchers found that two hot baths a week showed a “clinically relevant” improvement in symptoms of depression.The Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, a public research university in Germany, assigned 45 people with depression to either take baths or exercise. Subjects were supposed to bathe in 40C water for up to 30 minutes and then roll up in warm blankets for additional 20 minutes. As an alternative, they could choose aerobics: 40 to 45 minutes twice a week. Surprise, surprise, some people from the exercise group dropped out after several weeks. After eight weeks, participants who were taking regular warm baths in the afternoon recorded six points lower on the commonly used Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.

The researchers based it on the hypothesis that depression is sometimes influenced by a disrupted circadian rhythm and irregularities in body temperature, which result in a bad night of sleep. Core body temperature normally goes up during the day and goes down at night (approximately two hours before sleep and it lasts till about 4AM). Temperature decrease stimulates the release of melatonin, which helps us fall asleep. But it seems like in depressed individuals the temperature can stay elevated. According to their theory, warm baths improve and synchronise circadian rhythms, which is helpful, if that’s the underlying cause of someone’s depression (it isn’t always). 

Cardiologist Dr. Edo Paz told Bustle that taking baths improves mood, reduces stress, makes us sleep better, and also relieves muscle pain. 

And if all of that science doesn’t convince you, Oprah’s a fan of the bubble bath. And if Oprah says it’s good, you better believe it. Oprah once remarked: “Taking baths is my hobby, which means I’m never without my white tea and honeysuckle Lollia by Margot Elena bubbles. The bottle is almost as lovely as the relaxation inside.”

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And what do you get someone who has everything? On The Late Late Show with James Corden, the media mogul also said that bath salts and bath oil are her idea of a perfect gift.

So if you want to relax at the end of a working week or stressful day, just remember that your shower could alternatively be a nice, warm bath (except for the showers that are only showers). Add some cute decorations and candles to complete the mood.