“External irritants – allergens, dirt and dust particles, etc. – can aggravate symptoms of dermatological diseases. It’s often helpful to shower before bed to get as much cleansing as possible,” says Cindy Wassef.
Another benefit of taking an evening shower is that it can help us fall asleep more easily. Firstly, as already mentioned, if showering in the evenings turns into a habitual ritual, this becomes a signal for our body, setting it up for the upcoming sleep.
Secondly, by taking a warm shower, we temporarily raise our body temperature, and then our skin cools as the water evaporates. Our body perceives this slight decrease in temperature as a signal to sleep [2]. “It’s best to take a warm shower about 30 minutes before you plan to go to bed,” says sleep medicine specialist Robert Oexman.
Some people prefer to take a cool shower before bed. But this method of cooling the body before bed is less effective. “A decrease in body temperature activates processes in brown adipose tissue that send a signal to our brain that it’s time to sleep.”
It seems logical to cool down before bed by taking a cool shower. In practice, this may be counterproductive.
Cold showers can cause hypothermia and chills, increase blood circulation in the internal organs and, despite cooling the skin, the core body temperature will rise, which can prevent us from falling asleep,” explains Axman.
Why you shouldn’t shower twice a day
Despite the different benefits of morning and evening showers, dermatologists do not recommend repeating water procedures too often and advise choosing one of these options for yourself. “Excessive exposure to water and soap strips moisture from the skin and contributes to dryness,” explains Cindy Wassef.
If you still feel the need to shower more than once a day (for example, if you sweat excessively or exercise vigorously), Wassef advises using cleansing and moisturizing gels and oils instead of soap.
Let’s summarize: when choosing the optimal time to take a shower, it is worth considering several factors: your physical activity regimen, the presence of skin or allergic diseases, sleep problems. But first of all, it is important to choose a time that will be comfortable for you and fit most harmoniously into your daily routine.