Should you shower in the morning or at night? Scientists FINALLY settle the debate - so, do you agree with their advice?
It's something that most of us do at least once a day.
But is it better to hop in the shower in the morning or at night?
Advocates of morning showers tend to argue that the habit helps you to wake up and start the day feeling fresh.
But night shower fans are adamant that showering before bed helps you to unwind and relax after a busy day.
So, what does the science say?
According to Primrose Freestone, a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Microbiology at the University of Leicester, the answer is clear.
And it's bad news for fans of evening showers.
'As a microbiologist, I am a day shower advocate,' Dr Freestone explained in an article for The Conversation.
While there's no hard and fast rule for how often you should shower, most dermatologists agree that every other day is sufficient.
'Showering is an integral part of any good hygiene routine — regardless of when you prefer to have one,' Dr Freestone explained.
'Showering helps us remove dirt and oil from our skin, which can help prevent skin rashes and infections.
'Showering also removes sweat, which can quell body odour.'
Throughout the day, your body accumulates sweat and oil from your skin, as well as pollutants and allergens such as dust and pollen.
This accumulation supports the growth of bacteria, which may then be transferred from your body onto your sheets.
While you might think the obvious answer would be showering at night, Dr Freestone explains why this isn't the best solution.
'Showering at night may remove some of the allergens, sweat and oil picked up during the day so less ends up on your bedsheets,' she said.
You're showering wrong! Experts reveal the correct order to wash your body
Experts from Original Source have revealed the correct order to wash your body - and say that 86 per cent of us have been getting it mixed up.
According to the shower gel brand, your hair should be the first thing you wash - with shampoo first, followed by conditioner.
It's only after your hair has been tackled that you should move on to your body, according to the experts.
'However, even if you've freshly showered before bed, you will still sweat during the night – whatever the temperature is.
'Your skin microbes will then eat the nutrients in that sweat.
'This means that by the morning, you'll have both deposited microbes onto your bed sheets and you'll probably also wake up with some BO.'
What's more, throughout the night you'll also shed skin cells which can serve as a food source for dust mites.
'If you don't regularly wash your sheets, this could lead to a build-up of dead skin cell deposits which will feed more dust mites. The droppings from these dust mites can trigger allergies and exacerbate asthma,' Dr Freestone added.
In contrast, morning showers can help to remove dead skin cells, sweat and bacteria from your body that you may have picked up during the night.
'A morning shower suggests your body will be cleaner of night-acquired skin microbes when putting on fresh clothes,' the scientist explained.
'You'll also start the day with less sweat for odour-producing bacteria to feed on – which will probably help you smell fresher for longer during the day compared to someone who showered at night.'
Whether you opt for a morning or night shower, Dr Freestone says that it's vital you regularly clean your bed linen - and advises at least once a week.
'You should launder your sheets and pillow cases at least weekly to remove all the sweat, bacteria, dead skin cells and sebaceous oils that have built up on your sheets,' she advised.
'Washing will also remove any fungal spores that might be growing on the bed linen – alongside the nutrient sources these odour producing microbes use to grow.'
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