“Humans tend to perspire at night,” Dr. Goldenberg said. “When you wake up in the morning, there's all this sweat and bacteria from the sheets that's just kind of sitting there on your skin.” So take a quick shower in the morning, he said, “to wash all of that gunk and sweat off that you've been sleeping in all night.”
A Fresh Start
There's nothing better than a fresh shower to give you more energy for your workday. Another benefit to morning showers is that you cleanse yourself of any night bacteria. Research shows that humans tend to sweat more at night than in the morning. A quick morning shower can help you feel less sweaty.
When incorporated into a bedtime routine, a nighttime shower may help send your brain the signal that it is time to sleep. Showering at night also ensures you will be cleaner when you go to bed, reducing the buildup of sweat, dirt, and body oils on your bedding.
From a general perspective, showers are beneficial with regards to skin health. But morning showers are actually considered to be more advantageous. Indeed, a shower taken early doors is a greater help in combating acne, and also in terms of balancing the natural oils on the skin.
In general, showering every other day or every few days is enough for most people. Keep in mind that showering twice a day or frequently taking hot or long showers can strip your skin of important oils. This can lead to dry, itchy skin.
Ultimately, it's up to you. As with how often you should shower, a morning or evening rinse entirely depends on your lifestyle habits. "It is a total personal preference and can shift from day to day depending on activities," Ciraldo says.
According to sleep experts, one of the ways our bodies signal to us that it's bedtime is a drop in body temperature, and taking a hot shower or bath right before bed can actually raise your body temp, disrupting this signal and your night's sleep in the process.
Recommended. Skin cells, having relaxed overnight, are stimulated by a morning shower and Reis says this is particularly important for combination, oily or acne-prone skin.
Many doctors say a daily shower is fine for most people. (More than that could start to cause skin problems.) But for many people, two to three times a week is enough and may be even better to maintain good health.
Cold showers can help reduce inflammation, relieve pain, improve circulation, lower stress levels, and reduce muscle soreness and fatigue. Hot showers, meanwhile, can improve cardiovascular health, soothe stiff joints, and improve sleep.
According to dermatologists, you should exfoliate first, then wash your hair, and then wash your body. This will ensure that each shower product you use has time to work. If you have concerns about your skin, you should follow this order as closely as you can.
While there is no ideal frequency, experts suggest that showering several times per week is plenty for most people (unless you are grimy, sweaty, or have other reasons to shower more often). Short showers (lasting three or four minutes) with a focus on the armpits and groin may suffice.
Best: Nighttime
There's also reason to believe that a nighttime shower can improve your sleep quality as it raises the temperature of your skin, allowing for a faster cool-down." As long as you try to avoid sleeping with wet hair, an evening shower is probably going to be a good idea.
"Showering twice a day not only maintains scalp health, but also helps eliminate unwanted germs in our body," Dr. Cua explains. He further emphasizes that according to a study quick baths also help improve mood and reduces fatigue after a long day.
Research suggests a warm bath or shower an hour or two before bedtime can help you unwind and fall asleep faster. Why? It will help lower your core temperature, and that's a circadian sleep signal.
Dermatologists recommend keeping showers relatively short (around 5-15 minutes) so you don't dry out your skin. However, if you're washing and conditioning your hair, shaving your legs, or just trying to relax and unwind, it might take a bit longer.
You should stay under the stream of water for at least 15 minutes to ensure thorough decontamination. It is advisable to stay in the shower for as long as possible until medical help arrives.
Going from a hot to cold shower — even for a couple of minutes — might protect you from circulating viruses. The shock of cold water can stimulate the blood cells that fight off infection (leukocytes).
After 30 days of cold showers, most individuals report feeling more alert, having more energy, having healthier skin and hair, improved mental health and resilience, improved circulation, and more.