For those of you who know me, you know my favorite things are Diet Coke, my phone, and baths. There is nothing more relaxing than taking a long, hot bath after a hard day. Or a good day. Or a sad day. A long, hot bath is good anytime, honestly. Personally, I have a bad habit of waiting until the very end of the day to get into the bath, and staying there for four hours. This is my favorite time of the day. So I decided to share some of my secrets so you can enjoy a long, relaxing bath as well.

Scents are everything. Even if you can’t afford to use bath bombs on a regular basis, you can use some good-scented body wash to create a bubble bath. I also almost always light a candle, which provides some aesthetic lighting as well as an incredible smell. I usually choose sweet scents, but lavender is also highly recommended, being the most relaxing scent.

Have a fully charged phone or tablet. You can’t relax and really spend a long time if your phone dies or if your relaxation is disrupted by the worry of your tablet dying because your battery turns red. We can’t ever really relax without our phones anymore. Just make sure you don’t drop it!

Play some music. Either something slow and soothing, or songs you know and love. The classical “singing in the shower” can apply to your baths too, and without the constant overpowering sound of the shower running, you can listen to your music much more easily. Listening to the music you love also helps the warm, contented feeling you’re striving for.

Consider having snacks. Depending on what time of the day you take your bath, you’re likely to be hungry. It’s highly disappointing to have to cut your bath short because you’re dying of thirst or in desperate need of some popcorn. I often have a can of Diet Coke resting on the side of my tub with my phone. Just remember if you bring food, have paper towels or a washcloth to wipe your hands on. As relaxing as the bath is, the purpose is still to get you clean.

Keep your water warm. Start with a steaming tub of water, and the heat will last longer, but eventually, the water will cool down a bit. If you want to stay in your bath, it’s simple and quick to drain out a couple inches of water and refill it with hot water, which will warm up all of the water. This extends the amount of time you get to spend in total relaxation.

Baths are an incredible way to relax, and however long you spend, doing a little extra never hurts. Occasionally splurging on a bath bomb or bath salts is good, but so are the simple daily pleasures of taking a good, warm bath. Stay safe, and pleasant relaxing!