Epsom Salts: A Favorite Remedy For Anxiety, Inflammation & Insomnia

Epsom salts have been a popular natural remedy for centuries, used to help with anything from healing wounds to relieving constipation. But did you know that Epsom salts are really just magnesium sulfate salts? It's true. Epsom salts are just one of the many ways we can use magnesium—also known as nature's relaxation mineral—to better our health.

As the health editor at mindbodygreen and the author of the upcoming book Magnesium: A Lifestyle Guide to Epsom Salts, Magnesium Oil, and Nature's Relaxation Mineral, I've spent my fair share of time both soaking in Epsom salt baths and at my desk researching the history of Epsom salts, their benefits, and how we might be able to use them to treat various health woes.

Over these years of research and personal experimentation, Epsom salts have become one of my absolute favorite "alternative" remedies. Although I'm not sure we should even use the word "alternative," seeing as magnesium-based therapies have actually now been approved by the FDA as laxatives and you can find Epsom salts in pretty much any pharmacy or grocery store in America. They're a great remedy whenever you're amped at the end of the day, sore from a workout, or just in need of a little extra self-care.

Epsom salt baths: What they are and where they come from.

The history of Epsom salts is pretty fascinating. They were discovered as early as the 1700s in a town called Epsom (big surprise there), which is about 15 miles from London. People would travel from all over Europe to bathe in the healing water at the bitter saline spring in the town, which would help with anything from skin issues to wound healing and decreasing infections to digestive problems. Eventually, they discovered that boiling down the water produced magnesium sulfate salts, later named Epsom salts, which were then able to be transported and sold everywhere. Epsom salts—much like witch hazel—have withstood the test of time and are still a popular remedy today that has been embraced by both Eastern and Western medicine practitioners.

The health benefits of Epsom salts.

Magnesium is an incredibly important mineral and acts as a cofactor in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. These reactions control things like protein synthesis, muscle contraction, blood pressure regulation, and blood sugar balance. In other words: It's really important.

Unfortunately, it's suspected that a large portion of the population isn't getting enough magnesium through their diet. This is in part because of how our soil has changed over the years—aka, the mineral content has decreased drastically—and also because processing foods leaches them of their magnesium content, leaving them virtually devoid of the mineral. Magnesium-rich foods include leafy greens, fatty fish like salmon, and nuts and seeds.

Since Epsom salts are technically a form of magnesium therapy, the benefits you get from bathing in a magnesium-rich bath are thought to be similar to those you get from taking oral magnesium. Integrative medicine doctor Bindiya Gandhi, M.D. is a fan of Epsom salts for more reasons than one, explaining that "I recommend Epsom salt for muscle aches, anxiety, and to help patients relax and sleep better. I also have postpartum patients and with those with hemorrhoids soak in Epsom salt to help with recovery. I personally soaked in Epsom salt prior to labor to help have a smooth and easy vaginal delivery. Many people are deficient in magnesium and using epsom salt soaks instead of a supplement can be therapeutic."

Here are some of the most common reasons why people are using Epsom salts baths on the reg:

Epsom salts as a natural laxative.

One of the first benefits of Epsom salts that was discovered was its ability to act as an all-natural laxative. Today, however, it's not recommended to use Epsom salts internally as a laxative. Instead, there are other forms of magnesium that can help keep things moving along your digestive tract in a way that's a lot more gentle. Magnesium citrate, which is available in a supplement capsule or as a powdered drink, is one of the top doctor-recommended forms of magnesium for constipation, along with magnesium oxide.

Epsom salt as a stress- and anxiety-reducer.

One of the best benefits of magnesium and Epsom salts is their ability to help wash away the stress from the day and soothe occasional anxiety. Magnesium is often praised as one of the best natural approaches to anxiety, stress can be a risk factor for magnesium deficiency, and ironically, a deficiency in magnesium can magnify our unhealthy responses to stress. Top integrative medicine doctors think we need more magnesium in times of stress, explaining that it interacts with GABA in the brain.

Epsom salts to help with sleep.

Knowing magnesium's ability to soothe tense muscles and relieve anxiety, it probably comes as no surprise that it is also praised for helping with sleep. One study showed that elderly people taking a magnesium glycinate supplement had improved insomnia.

Epsom salts for pain relief.

Magnesium is frequently used as a remedy to relieve pain from things like muscle cramps and menstrual cramps, and low levels of magnesium in the blood have been linked to migraine headaches. 

Epsom salts to soothe damaged or dry skin.

People have been using Epsom salts to heal the skin for as long as they've been around. A study published in 2005 suggests that Epsom salts can be helpful if you have dry skin and can decrease inflammation and promote hydration.

Epsom salts for detoxification

Epsom salts are also a great way to help your body detox and suppor the liver. Will Cole, D.C., IFMCP functional medicine expert and mindbodygreen Collective member is a big fan of Epsom salts, "I seriously love Epsom salt baths. Most people today are magnesium deficient and Epsom salt baths are one great way to increase magnesium levels. Magnesium is essential for hundreds of important pathways in our body, one of which are detoxification pathways. In addition to being nature's chill pill, magnesium is extremely important for sulfonation, glucuronidation, and glutathione conjugation reactions which are all part of phase II liver detox pathways." He frequently recommends Epsom salts to patients at his functional medicine clinic.

How to use Epsom salts: dosing, safety, and where to buy them.

You can buy Epsom salts at pretty much any grocery store or pharmacy in the United States, including these next-level Epsom salts at CVS. Bonus: They're also very reasonably priced (you'll usually pay somewhere between $5 and $10), and there are plenty of options to choose from—some even have added ingredients like activated charcoal or lavender.

To dose Epsom salts, just follow the directions on the package of whatever brand you're using. Don't be surprised when they ask you to pour half the bag (or the entire bag!) into the bath—you need a lot to get the desired effects! Dissolve the salts in the water while the bath is running, and soak 15 to 30 minutes. 

If you want to bring your bath to the next level, try adding a few drops of lavender or chamomile essential oil or one of these PureSoma soaks that feature different herbs, clays, and minerals that can also help with recovery, sleep, or detox.

Transdermal magnesium: The truth about absorbing magnesium through the skin.

Clearly, Epsom salts have quite a few benefits. And while there's still no final consensus on whether or not magnesium in the form of an Epsom salt bath has all of the same benefits of taking magnesium as a supplement by mouth, they're still a great way to take advantage of this ancient mineral that our bodies rely on so much. There's also still some debate over how well magnesium can be absorbed through the skin since the skin is technically designed to keep things from entering the body, and it does a great job at it. That said, so many people swear by Epsom salt baths as a helpful remedy for sleep, pain, and anxiety, and integrative and functional medicine doctors often recommend them to their patients, that it remains a staple in my medicine cabinet and medicine cabinets all over the world. In addition, getting a daily dose of magnesium by way of a bath eliminates the risk of the most common negative side effect of oral magnesium supplementation: diarrhea.

One note: Excess magnesium is excreted through your urine, and magnesium balance in the body is controlled by the kidneys, so if you have a kidney issue, you'll want to talk to your doctor before supplementing. In fact, it's always best to mention to your doctor when you're thinking of taking a new supplement and to make sure it's on your chart if you're already taking it.

Epsom salts: Why they should be your new favorite natural remedy.

The best thing about this natural remedy is the fact that they are cheap and easy, especially compared to other lifestyle remedies like dietary changes and supplements—which can be expensive and require a lot of time and energy. Bathing in magnesium also doubles as a form of self-care, which means you're killing two birds with one stone. They encourage you to take a little bit of time out of the day to dedicate to just you and your health. 

Want one last Epsom salt tip? Leave the phone out of the bathroom while you soak—you're taking away some of the benefits when you're reading the news or scrolling through social media. Instead, sit in silence, listen to some calming music, or try a guided meditation.

Gretchen Lidickermbg Health Editor

Gretchen Lidicker is mindbodygreen’s health editor and has worked on the academic and clinical side of integrative medicine for many years.

9 Tension-Relieving Yoga Postures To Soothe The Body & Mind

As our culture is deeply intertwined in and consistently hunching over our beloved devices, it is no surprise that the modern-day human complains of not only aching backs but also scattered brains. The physical and mental stress is detrimental to our health as a whole—both the body (organs, muscles, bones, discomfort/disease) and mind (anxiety, worry, guilt, fear).

In my experience both as a student (always) and teacher, I have witnessed and personally felt tremendous results from practicing both meditation and asana—even breathwork yields positive and transformative outcomes. Learning how to maintain composure while practicing challenging poses reveals our ability to make the same efforts off the mat/outside of the classroom, which especially comes in handy if you live in a city.

Although energetic asana can be incredibly rejuvenating, sometimes the body simply needs to stretch and rest. Life can cause stress from a variety of angles; we must learn how to realign and rebalance  in ways that feel both attainable and sustainable to us.

Here are a few yoga asana postures to help relieve general physical stress, which may very well result in more mental ease to boot. Listen to where your body might be in need of a little more space, and choose a posture that feels right for you today, remembering that sensations and emotions ebb and flow like the tide.

1. Child's pose

Sit on the shins; bring the big toes together and knees a little bit wider than the hips. Crawl the arms forward to lower the torso, placing the head on a prop if necessary to keep the neck long and easeful. Keep the butt close to the heels. If necessary, place a blanket or bolster on top of the heels to keep the seat from lifting high. Lengthen and strengthen the elbows and wrists, pressing the hands down evenly the width of the shoulders. Breath into the side and back ribs, enjoying the traction in the back and side body from the seat to the hands.

For a more restorative option, place the torso on a bolster or neatly folded blankets. Turn the head to rest on one ear, and bend the elbows to let the forearms drape down onto the floor on either side of the prop.

Come up calmly after a few breaths or a few minutes—whatever feels best for you.

2. Simple twists

Lie on the back with the arms out wide to the side in a T-shape at shoulder height, stretching long through the fingers. Draw the knees together into the chest and bring them up toward the left armpit, so the left outer leg is on the floor to at least the height of the hip. Do your best to keep the right shoulder blade on the floor; if it lifts up, bend the elbow out to the right and place the right hand on the belly.

If you need, place a pillow between the inner shins and ankles.

Take a few calm nostril breaths in and out of the side and back ribs before coming to center and repeating on the other side.

3. Supported seated forward bend

Sit on the floor or on folded blankets with the legs extended in front of you. If necessary, place a pillow or rolled blanket under the knees to keep from rolling onto the lower back. Place a bolster or a few pillows on top of the legs (running the same length as the legs) and fold the torso over the pillows, adding more as needed so the belly, chest, and head are supported.

Let the arms drape by the sides. Switch the turn of the head after a few breaths on one side.

Breathe calmly in and out of the nose, wide into the side of the ribs.

(In yin yoga this is often referred to as caterpillar pose.)

Stay for up to 5 minutes; sit up slowly when finished. 

4. Upward salute with a side bend

Sit tall or stand with the feet firmly planted, parallel and hip-width apart. Reach the arms up by the ears with the palms facing each other, extending strongly through the elbows, wrists, and fingers.

Grab on to the left wrist with the right hand and lean the torso over to the right without collapsing the chest toward the ground, continuing to lengthen the left arm through the fingertips. Stay steady on the opposite foot to keep from falling over.

Take a few breaths into the side of the ribs before returning to center and repeat on the other side.

5. Cow face pose

Stand or sit tall; have a towel or strap or belt nearby. Reach the left arm out to the left, turn the palm to face the wall behind you, bend the elbow and swing the back of the left hand onto the middle back—use the right hand to help scoot the left forearm and hand up the middle back, keeping the left collarbone wide.

Holding a strap/belt or towel in the right hand, reach the right arm up, bend the elbow up, and place the right palm on the upper back—right armpit rolling in and right upper arm close to the right ear. Grab onto the prop with the left hand if needed, or link the fingers together and curl them in to form a sturdy grip.

Keep the left inner elbow wide and the right upper arm long, pulling the elbows gently apart. Maintain a tall spine without popping the front ribs forward. Breathe gently in and out of the nose, directing space into the shoulders and side/back ribs.

Slowly unwind and come to center before repeating on the other side.

6. Figure 4

Lie on the back, knees bent and feet flat. Place the right ankle on the left thigh above the knee, keeping the right foot flexed and active so the ankle doesn't roll, right knee open to the right. Either stay with the left foot flat on the floor, or draw the left thigh toward the belly and interlace the hands behind the left leg (right hand goes through the open space between right and left leg, left hand wraps around outside edge of left leg).

Keep the right inner knee open to the right and the collarbone wide as you breathe in and out of the nose, directing space into the right hip or wherever feels tight for you. Slowly release and come through center before repeating on the other side.

We hold a lot of tension in the hips—when they are less gripped, they can reveal more emotional freedom and space for creativity to flow. Try it out for yourself and see how you feel.

7. Low cobra

Lie on the belly, forehead down, legs close together, tops of the feet pointing back behind you. Press the hands flat next to the lower ribs so that the elbows point up toward the ceiling, and lift the shoulders up away from the floor so the collarbones widen.

On the inhale lengthen the head and chest forward and up off the mat, keeping the sides of the knees long and strong, reaching through the toenails. Come down on the exhale, or hold low cobra for a few breaths, gently squeezing the shoulders on to the upper back.

Consider coming up a little bit higher on each repetition if that suits you, lengthening the elbows slightly.

Although this is a more active posture, it can help open the chest and strengthen the back if done effectively (maintaining length through the legs and lower back), which may decrease back pain over time.

8. Supported bridge pose

Lie on the back, knees bent over the ankles, feet flat, arms long by the side of the body, palms flat and fingers reaching forward toward the heels. Press the upper arms and feet down, lift the hips, and place a bolster/neatly folded blanket or block under the sacrum (a small triangle above the buttocks).

Once the pelvis is steady and neutral (not rounded or arched), press the upper arms down and tuck them slightly in toward each other so the chest broadens into the chin, keeping the neck even (similar to the pelvis—neither flat nor over-arched). Bring a little bit of energy into the arms and feet for stability and let the pelvis rest passively on the prop, allowing the breath to move freely and softly.

To come down: Press again into the arms and feet, lift off the prop, lower the pelvis down to the floor and pause there before rolling to one side and sitting upright.

9. Downward-facing dog

Place the hands shoulder-width apart with the wrist creases parallel to the front edge of the mat, drawing the biceps in and up. Measure the length of downdog by coming to plank pose, then lift the hips up and back. The feet can be hip width apart or as wide as the mat, kneecaps engaged so the legs are both long and strong just like they were in plank (separate the feet wider if the spine does not easily extend up and back). Press into the hands evenly, lift the side ribs up into the hips, let the chest widen back toward the thighs. Press the thighs back from the lift of the kneecaps, creating a long-line of energy from the hands up to the height of the hips. Relax the neck and let the head hang. Take a round of five breaths and if you stay for longer, continue to let the breath both invigorate and calm the body and mind. For assistance, press the heels down into a wall and energize the limbs up away from the floor.

Have more energy?

If you have a bit more energy, consider gentle sun salutations at your own pace—with or without a yoga mat. These are great for before or after long trips/days where you are seated for long periods of time; it gets the blood circulating through the muscles, joints, and organs.

What's one or two poses you can try today to relieve some physical or mental stress?

Sasha Nelson

Sasha Nelson is a yoga instructor, wellness lifestyle coach, sustainability enthusiast, dancer, and music lover from California, based in Brooklyn.

Meditating For Clear, Acne-Free Skin Actually Worked For Me — & It Can Help You, Too

Jessica Defino

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Anyone who’s dealt with chronic, cystic acne knows the ache of desperation that usually accompanies yet another failed acne treatment. It’s the full-body feeling that you’d do anything to clear your skin (I mean, “urine therapy” is a thing for a reason); the strain of racking your brain (or scrolling through Google) for a new miracle cure. After years of attempting to rid my skin of both acne and dermatitis with dermatologist-prescribed antibiotics, steroids, and topical creams — not to mention an entire Sephora’s worth of skincare products — in a flash of desperation-turned-inspiration, I decided to meditate my way to clear, acne-free skin.

Granted, this idea didn’t come out of nowhere. At the time, I was a dedicated student of both meditation and manifestation, and subscribed to the new-age-y Law of Attraction; which states that you can create the life you want by focusing your thoughts on the desired outcome. I fully believed I manifested my apartment, my boyfriend, and a salary bump in this way — so why couldn’t I manifest glowing skin, too?

For my soul-care as skincare experiment, I adapted a handful of meditation and mindfulness techniques to fit my mission, including breathing patterns, mantras, and visualization; all of which I still use today... because they actually work.

In the morning, I queue up a 10 or 20 minute track of soothing meditation music on YouTube or Spotify, depending on how much time I have. Then, I lay down (I find it more calming than the traditional lotus position), close my eyes, and start breathing deeply — in through my nose and out through my mouth. After a few breaths, I begin to repeat a mantra in my head: “I am beautiful on the inside, and it shines through the outside.” (Cheesy? Yes. Powerful? Also yes.) 

Next, I add a layer of visualization. I picture a brilliant white light filling my body from my toes to the top of my head, then I imagine light beams literally bursting through my pores; all the while repeating my mantra. By the time the music track has ended, I’m tingling with positivity; and instead of feeling down about a “bad” skin day, I see myself in a loving light. It’s an instant pick-me-up — but more than that, it actually changes my skin on a physical level.

During that initial meditation experiment years ago, I noticed a difference in my acne in a matter of days. And even though I don’t meditate on my skin every single morning anymore (hey, I’ve gotta switch it up with health- and happiness-based mantras, too), I always come back to this practice whenever my breakouts are begging for it. Last time, I even took pictures to prove my theory — and the before-and-afters don’t lie.

If you’re raising an eyebrow in suspicion, I don’t blame you. But before you knock it, get familiar with some of the scientifically studied ways in which breathing and meditation can help heal the skin.

How It Works

The first piece of the puzzle is deep breathing. “Proper breathing can substantially increase oxygen flow to the cells, helping achieve that coveted glow,” Kristy Katzmann, a holistic health expert, tells The Zoe Report. Most people don’t breathe as deeply as they should (seriously, just notice how shallow your breathing is as you read this), so 10 to 20 minutes of deep belly breathing per day can add a significant amount of oxygen to your system. “Interestingly, according to acupuncture theory, the lungs and lung channel are associated with the skin,” Katzman adds. “If there are imbalances in this channel, skin problems arise.” Clearing out the lungs with a few deep sighs can help right any imbalances and thus, give skin a boost.

Additionally, the pairing of breath and meditation has been proven to reduce stress— and less stress leads to better skin. “We do have some data that mindfulness-based therapies, such as mediation, can help improve skin conditions,” Dr. Sejal Shah of SmarterSkin Dermatology tells The Zoe Report. She says that regular meditation reduces the body’s cortisol levels; and since excess cortisol can stimulate excess oil production, this reduces acne, as well. “When the levels of these hormones are lower, there is improved blood flow to the skin,” she adds. “This brings more nutrients to the skin and whisks away toxins and waste, resulting in a healthier, more radiant complexion.”