Majority of Brits shower in the morning NOT the evening, survey finds
THE DAY vs night shower debate has been settled - with first thing coming out on top.
A poll of 2,000 adults found early washes are more popular, with 57 per cent of those with a preference favouring the morning.
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In comparison, only 32 per cent prefer to get lathered up before bed.
One in 10 (11 per cent) opted for neither option, preferring to get clean at some point in the afternoon.
The main reasons for preferring an early morning spritz included wanting to start the day clean and refreshed (70 per cent), helping them wake up in the morning (50 per cent), and getting energised for the day ahead (45 per cent).
A morning shower even formed part of the top three things to help people get ready for the day, alongside having a cup of coffee (34 per cent) and a healthy breakfast (29 per cent).
A spokesperson for Utilita Energy, which commissioned the research as part of its Power Price List series – a cost to run database of all household appliances, said: 'Heating up water to shower consumes a lot of energy, so we were interested to better understand people's behaviours.
'The smart meter data we see from Utilita households sees a spike in the morning and again in the afternoon and evening – clearly showers contribute more to the morning spike than the ones later in the day.'
Despite winning the debate, morning showers were found to be a slightly more rushed and a less relaxing affair – with the average person spending an additional two minutes under the water in the evening than they do first thing.
Nearly four in 10 also voted night-time cleanses as more relaxing, compared to only 15 per cent claiming this of morning washes.
With top reasons for opting for an evening shower related to its soothing effects, with four in 10 using this time to unwind and de-stress before they turn in for the night.
While 51 per cent think showering before bed helps them to sleep more soundly, according to OnePoll.com data.
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Timesaving also contributed to these night owls' preferences, who use their extra time in the morning to sleep in (24 per cent) or devote time to other things (22 per cent).
It also emerged 28 per cent claim a shower in the morning is vital to their routine, with 17 per cent saying the same about an evening clean.
One in 10 even said they would be unlikely to rinse and repeat if they couldn't do so at their preferred time.
Top reasons for making changes to their routine included getting ready for a special occasion (36 per cent), travel plans (28 per cent), and oversleeping (24 per cent).
Utilita's spokesperson added: 'The cost of running a shower for eight minutes is around 32p on average – or £116 a year.
"The Power Price List is designed to reveal how tweaking habits can provide sizeable savings for households.'
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