How Much Epsom Salt Do You Put In Your Bath To Fight Anxiety & Pain?

There are endless self-care rituals that are worth adding to your wellness routine, but Epsom salt baths are no doubt at the top of the list. They combine the soothing qualities of soaking in hot water with the anti-pain, anti-insomnia, and anti-anxiety powers of magnesium.

If you're wondering how you could possibly mess up soaking in a tub, I hear you. Pouring some Epsom salt into hot water doesn't exactly require a lot of brainpower.

So what do I mean by Epsom salt bath "mistake"? I mean that it's common to not be adding enough Epsom salt to your bath. This might not seem like a big deal, but if you skimp on the salts, you won't get the benefits of the magnesium they're made from.

And you definitely want the benefits of magnesium as it's an essential mineral that plays a role in over 300 biochemical reactions1 in the body. These reactions play a role in anything from blood sugar balance to muscle relaxation to DNA synthesis, but it also happens to be one of the most common mineral deficiencies in the body.

You've probably noticed that Epsom salts come in a giant bag. (And by giant, I mean giant. There are bags of Epsom salts for sale on Amazon that weigh as much as 55 pounds, although they're typically between 3 and 5 pounds.) This is on purpose. You need a lot more Epsom salt per bath than you might expect.

The directions typically instruct users to add 2 cups of salts to their bath, but many people just sprinkle in a handful or two assuming that will do the trick. But according to Will Cole, D.C., IFMCP, a functional medicine doctor and mindbodygreen Collective member, that won't quite cut it. "Using the recommended amount of Epsom salt is important to get the maximum potency. If you dilute it, you'll lessen the benefits," he says.

Once you've gotten the amount of Epsom salt in your bath just right, make sure you're not wasting it by not soaking long enough. According to experts, you should be in there for at least 10 minutes. "The amount of time you soak is important because the nutrients need time to take effect. I generally recommend soaking for 10 minutes minimum but closer to 20 or 30 minutes is ideal for most people," says Cole.