To think baths are awful?

Same!

I've a couple of family members though who are so short sighted, they can't see to read a book and need glasses or contacts.

Depends how old you are. I was always like you. But since I turned 50 my eye sight has changed a LOT and I have started needing varifocals.

I agree. Relaxing in a hot bath eases muscle tension if you're stressed, they really help you to fall to sleep quickly. And the water supports your weight too.

Sometimes if you're very tired in winter you can almost feel like you've caught a chill at the end of the day, or I can anyway. I almost feel cold to my bones when i'm totally exhausted and I feel like I'm coming down with something. Half an hour in a hot bath usually warms me up and relaxes me enough to go straight to sleep and often by the morning I feel fine again.

But I haven't actually had a bath for a few years as I'm not convinced the plumbing was done right when we had our extension done. The bath empties far too quickly and makes the wierdest noise as if it's being sucked down more quickly than if it was just falling with gravity. We had a a pipe come apart downstairs and there was some leakage so i don't want to risk it again just in case it happens again.

Are you sure you aren't long sighted? Short sighted people can usually read print that is close up. It's distance that short sighted people can't see. I'm very short sighted and can read a book very easily without my glasses

@Alllll baths aren't awful. You just don't like them. That's all.

I shower or bath and like both equally.

Bath isn't wasteful enough for them so they have to make it even worse!
Hygiene freaks probably.

Oh God no, I could not lie in a bath reading! We don’t have one, but recently had a weekend away & really enjoyed a quick bath.

I think it’s a cultural thing - the Japanese side of my family all do this and it’s what I grew up with, so to me it’s normal! Plus in menopause with the hot flushes it’s good to get the sweat off first!

When having a shower over a bath, I much prefer a power shower control or electric shower than those fancy shower attachment on taps where you have to bend over to control the flow/temp and then on/off via bath taps.

Plus have the same problem with running a bath, too hot or too cold.

I love a nice hot bubble bath but what makes it shit in my house is the fact that the minute I submerge myself in the water suddenly 4 people need entrance to the bathroom to go to the toilet or to ask for a drink, or to cut the label off something or to tell them where something is etc etc why they need to take a dump right there and then when we have another shower room right across the hallway is beyond me but apparently that's the scary bathroom and none of them will use it!! I last about 15mins usually before I give up completely....one day my bath will come!!!!

Yanbu. Give me a hot shower anyday with pressure so strong it feels like you're in a boxing ring.

You fool, you forgot the wine 🤣
I LOVE baths, in fact I've had one at lunchtime and I'm still in bed (pain day for me with a horrible inflammatory Co diction I have) ... no wine for me today just plenty of water

YANBU. Ripped out the 3 we had and made far bigger showers. Can't beat a big walk-in shower. Hate jacuzzis too.

Or listen to books on Audible

I love a bath, a morning bath was the only think that got me through the day when DS was a baby and didn't sleep.

I also feel much cleaner having a proper soak than just having a sprinkling of water on me from a shower.

Ditch the book and enjoy some music (maybe with some wine). I gave up trying to balance the book. Now it's me, Sade and candles.
The only issue I have is dozing off.

We used to have one, but the affair in our new bathroom is more of a nuisance.

I still don't like the feeling of water hitting me - I have autism and it is a sensory thing.

I love my bath. I shower in the mornings but Sunday evening I run a long, hot bath, pour a glass of red wine, download the weeks Archers Omnibus and wallow for an hour. Total bliss .

You need one of these

https://ecobathlondon.com/products/eco-bath-bamboo-bath-tray?variant=40593871798318&country=GB&currency=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_term=&utm_campaign=SMS+2022&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=9862130460&hsa_cam=17603599134&hsa_grp=&hsa_ad=&hsa_src=x&hsa_tgt=&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw7pO_BhAlEiwA4pMQvB7toQFSFbZ7neBBq0Xh1tbTbMNVcjtRcREVNKhFUup4LHt8hHHw2hoCE_QQAvD_BwE

I love a bath, but I use it for relaxing and I shower to wash. I'm of a rotund figure, so I purposely bought a wider bath to enable getting in and out more easily. The shape of the bath is also really important for ease of access/egress. We had a bath with handles before and they were in exactly the wrong place to help - a complete waste of space. I like to read in the bath so I have a bath pillow for the head and neck, and I fold a towel over the top of the basin and put my book on that for when I need to get in and out of the bath. We have a very small bathroom so it's right next to the bath. If it wasn't then I would put a stool or a cupboard next to the bath to hold my book.

I have difficulty sleeping and chronically low magnesium so I make my own bath salts from Epsom salts and soak up the magnesium when I'm in the bath (as well as taking supplements and using a skin spray). I usually only spend about 20 minutes soaking, but it really helps me relax.

If you are really concerned about dead skin cells then you SHOULD be soaking in a bath. Turkish, Japanese and Koreans (possibly others) have whole processes of soaking then scrubbing. The soaking softens the dead skin so it comes off better.
So Ew. You don’t do this

I used to love a bath. Used to lay back and revise for exams. It’s surprising what you can remember when you are totally relaxed. Unfortunately age has now decided that I need a walk in shower.

Well said @redshoesredlaces

It never ceases to amaze me how many overly fastidious germophobes are on mumsnet.

They must find life exhausting with all that cleaning they must do.

Baths are great if you have aching muscles/a bad back :)

I don't think you're 'soaking in your own filth' in a bath anymore than you're 'wearing your dead skin cells' in your clothes all day.

(Which is to say: yes, technically you are, but who cares)

Bathing and showering inevitably involve dirty (dirty in the sense of dead skin, perspiration, etc) water to some degree. If it didn't there would be no need to clean the bath after use. I prefer not to soak in that water.