Are You Showering at the Wrong Time? Health Experts Weigh In
Believe it or not, people feel strongly about the best time to shower. But what do experts say: Is it better to shower in the morning or at night? I've grown up believing showering was meant for the morning until I hit college and got judged for not showering at night. You would think there's no wrong answer—taking a shower in general is always the way to go—and it all comes down to personal preference. Well, not so fast. Turns out this isn't like asking whether pineapple should end up on pizza (it should not). There are sound arguments for prioritizing one shower time over the other. Essentially, deciding when to wash your body (morning vs. night) can have lasting effects on your overall health.🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊
Both times of day have certain benefits, depending on your needs. Here's what experts have to say.
If you feel like a zombie in the morning, a shower can be just what you need to start your day. Morning showers can trick your brain into feeling accomplished, setting the momentum for more productive actions, says Veronica West, a psychologist and founder of My Thriving Mind. "They're especially helpful if you're the type of person who wakes up feeling as if you're half-charged," she further explains. "Sensory stimulation supports the state of wakefulness."Related: For a better energy hack, try adding a brief burst of cold water. Psychologist Dr. Leah Kaylor, Ph.D, MSCP, says the morning shower increases heart rate, boosts circulation and elevates cortisol levels. This can arouse the body and mind, transitioning you from drowsiness to alertness and improved cognitive function. Immersing yourself in cold water for five minutes is linked to positive feelings, such as pride and inspiration. It also leads to a reduction in negative emotions, including nervousness and distress.From a hygiene standpoint, it's best to shower in the morning if you tend to sweat at night. Dermatologist, says when you shower in the morning, you're rinsing off any buildup from the night before, such as sweat, skin cells and body odor, before putting on clean clothes. This also applies to any skincare products you apply at night.Related:
As for night showers? Delaying your shower until the very end of the day is a great way prep your body for bed. Scheduling a shower one to two hours before bedtime has been found to shorten the time it takes for a person to fall asleep by 10 minutes. For our brain to initiate sleep, our core body temperature must drop by approximately 1 degree Fahrenheit, says , a neuroscientist and sleep head researcher at Wesper—and a warm shower does just that, while also relaxing the muscles and increasing blood circulation in your hands and feet. This is strongly associated with increased release of the sleep hormone melatonin."Taking a warm shower before bed can speed up this process due to the rapid warming of our body in the shower and rapid cooling when we get out," says Dr. Rohrscheib. "Additionally, warm showers and baths reduce tension and stress, and help us relax before bedtime, ultimately contributing to better sleep quality." Washing your body at night may also be more hygienic than a morning shower. Dr. Chacon says rinsing off the day's dirt, allergens and lotions will give your skin a clean slate. It would also prevent cross-contamination from outside debris touching and building up on your bed.Related:
If showering in the morning and at night both come with benefits, you should probably shower twice a day, right? Not so fast. Dr. Chacon says showering more than once strips the skin of natural oils and may cause dry and itchy skin. There's just one exception to this rule: if you've already showered and then you work out and sweat a lot. If you shower in the morning and exercise later, Dr. Chacon recommends a quick rinse. Overall, she says, the key is to look at your daily schedules and habits and decide when to shower based on that.Up Next:Veronica West is a psychologist and the founder of My Thriving Mind.
Leah Kaylor, Ph.D, MSCP
Short-Term Head-Out Whole-Body Cold-Water Immersion Facilitates Positive Affect and Increases Interaction between Large-Scale Brain Networks. Biology (Basel).
Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD
Before-bedtime passive body heating by warm shower or bath to improve sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews.
Chelsie Rohrscheib, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist and sleep head researcher at Wesper.
Effects of bathing-induced changes in body temperature on sleep. Journal of Physiological Anthropology.
Effects of thermal environment on sleep and circadian rhythm. Journal of Physiological Anthropology.
Are You Showering at the Wrong Time? Health Experts Weigh In first appeared on Parade on Jun 27, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
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