Latest news with #PrimroseFreestone
Daily Record
23-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Experts reveal whether it is better to shower in the morning or at night
Showering at either hour of the day is not always possible but it turns out one is actually better than the other We all have different routines when it comes to hygiene and that includes different times of the days to wash and clean ourselves. This could be anything from skin care and a pamper session to a full blown bath or shower. We also all lead busy lives, and might find certain times of the day better for showering. This could be in the morning before work if you'd rather freshen up before the long and packed commute, or at the end of the day. Some people prefer this as a way to wipe away the stresses of the day and get clean and cosy in their pyjamas before bedtime. However, the question persists - is it better to shower in the morning or the evening? We might favour an expert opinion on the matter. Thankfully, an expert has now entered the discussion in the form of a microbiologist who has penned a viral article for The Conversation where she says there is a "clear answer". Showering regularly is important for our health, wellbeing, and, of course, our personal hygiene. But while there's some debate about what marks the perfect showering time, there are also some scientific reasons at play. These may inform when you next grab your shower gel of choice and step into the tub to have a good scrub. In short, numerous experts have confirmed that morning showers are better for our bodies and hygiene. Most people don't wash their bedsheets on the regular, so if you're showering before you crawl into your scratcher, you'll still likely be hunkering down onto sheets that actually contain various bacteria built up over several nights. And although your body will collect pollutants throughout the day that can transfer into your bed, how our body reacts throughout the night is a strong enough argument to shower in the morning. Dr Primrose Freestone, a senior lecturer in clinical microbiology, explains that you still sweat throughout the night. These skin cells can become food for bed mites and trigger allergies. "As a microbiologist, I am a day-shower advocate," she said. "A morning shower suggests your body will be cleaner of night-acquired skin microbes when putting on fresh clothes." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. Saying all that, while morning showers come up trumps, according to the professionals, as technically being more hygiene-friendly, a shower at any time of the day will never be frowned upon. "It's important to stress that showering is an integral part of any good hygiene routine — regardless of when you prefer to have one," she added.
Extra.ie
22-05-2025
- Health
- Extra.ie
I'm a microbiologist, this is the best time of day to shower and here's why
Are you a morning or a night shower person? If you said night, you're wrong, according to a microbiologist. While many would say there's nothing better than getting into a hot shower after a long day at work and 'washing the day away', one expert has said that showering in the morning is the real deal. Speaking on RTE's Drivetime, Associate Professor in Clinical Microbiology at the University of Leicester, Dr Primrose Freestone, explained that if you shower in the morning, sweat and 'anything that you've picked up from your bed' overnight will be washed away, making way for a fresh start to the day. Are you a morning or a night shower person? Pic: Shutterstock She said: 'I personally prefer, based on the signs and personal experience, to shower in the morning because anything that you've picked up from your bed, however clean you might be, and any sweating overnight, it's all washed away and you start the next day.' Also in agreement with morning showerers is Immunologist Prof Annie Curtis, noting that skin cells actually shed more during the night, meaning that washing them off in the morning is optimal. Speaking to Drivetime's Cormac Ó hEadhra, she explained: 'Basically, these skin cells, that's basically the food for our bacteria, and when they're well fed, then they can start breaking down our sweat, and that's what gives us the body odour. While many would say there's nothing better than getting into a hot shower after a long day at work and 'washing the day away', one expert has said that showering in the morning is the real deal. Pic: Getty Images 'From a circadian [biological process] point of view, I would be going with the morning shower, because you're sloughing off your skin cells more during the night than you are during the day.' While many people believe that body odour is caused by sweat, that is actually not strictly true. The 'sweaty smell' is caused by bacteria that live on the surface of the skin, which use sweat as a nutrient source. Associate Professor in Clinical Microbiology at the University of Leicester, Dr Primrose Freestone, explained that if you shower in the morning, sweat and 'anything that you've picked up from your bed' overnight will be washed away, helping people start the day fresh. Pic: Shutterstock According to the American Society for Microbiology, some common skin bacteria that produce body odour include members of Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus and Cutibacterium genera. Adding to the discussion, Dr Freestone said: 'When you shower in the evening, and it's wonderful, you go into bed nice and fresh, if that makes you nice, you know, sleep well and whatever, that's absolutely great. However, you will still sweat during the night. 'Your bacteria on your skin will still eat that sweat and in the morning, however sort of clean you might have been when you got into bed, you will actually be a little bit on the smelly side and of course, you don't stop shedding skin cells, even if you've just showered. 'So they'll be eaten by the fungi in your bed, especially if you've not washed your sheets often.' She added: 'And of course those ubiquitous house mites, they'll gobble your skin cells up.'
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Should you shower in the morning or at night? Scientists settle the debate
Is it better to 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. But 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 odor.' 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. '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 odor-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 odor producing microbes use to grow.'
RTÉ News
21-05-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
Is it better to shower in the morning or at night?
Analysis: Here's what a microbiologist has to say about the standoff between morning shower enthusiasts and night shower loyalists It's a question that's long been the cause of debate: is it better to shower in the morning or at night? Morning shower enthusiasts will say this is the obvious winner, as it helps you wake up and start the day fresh. Night shower loyalists, on the other hand, will argue it's better to "wash the day away" and relax before bed. But what does the research actually say? As a microbiologist, I can tell you there actually is a clear answer to this question. First off, it's important to stress that showering is an integral part of any good hygiene routine — regardless of when you prefer to have one. 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. From RTÉ Radio 1's Drivetime,Immunologist Prof Annie Curtis and microbiologist Dr Primrose Freestone on the science of when to take your shower (discussion beguins at 1.25.20) Although many of us think that body odour is caused by sweat, it's actually produced by bacteria that live on the surface of our skin. Fresh sweat is, in fact, odourless. But skin-dwelling bacteria – specifically staphylococci – use sweat as a direct nutrient source. When they break down the sweat, it releases a sulphur-containing compound called thioalcohols which is behind that pungent BO stench many of us are familiar with. Day or night? During the day, your body and hair inevitably collect pollutants and allergens (such as dust and pollen) alongside their usual accumulation of sweat and sebaceous oil. While some of these particles will be retained by your clothes, others will inevitably be transferred to your sheets and pillow cases. The sweat and oil from you skin will also support the growth of the bacteria that comprise your skin microbiome. These bacteria may then also be transferred from your body onto your sheets. Showering at night may remove some of the allergens, sweat and oil picked up during the day so less ends up on your bedsheets. From RTÉ Radio 1's Brendan O'Connor, are you ready for the two minute shower? But 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 particularly negates the cleaning benefits of a night shower is if your bedding is not regularly laundered. The odour causing microbes present in your bed sheets may be transferred while you sleep onto your clean body. Showering at night also does not stop your skin cells being shed. This means they can potentially become the food source of house dust mites, whose waste can be allergenic. 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. From RTÉ Radio 1's Liveline, listeners discuss how often they take a shower and wash their clothes Morning showers, on the other hand, can help remove dead skin cells as well as any sweat or bacteria you've picked up from your bed sheets during the night. This is especially important to do if your sheets weren't freshly washed when you went to bed. A morning shower suggests your body will be cleaner of night-acquired skin microbes when putting on fresh clothes. 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. As a microbiologist, I am a day shower advocate. Of course, everyone has their own shower preference. Whatever time you choose, remember that the effectiveness of your shower is influenced by many aspects of your personal hygiene regime – such as how frequently you wash your bed sheets. As a microbiologist, I am a day shower advocate So regardless of whether your prefer a morning or evening shower, it's important to clean your bed linen regularly. 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. 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.
New York Post
20-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Should you shower in the morning or evening? Microbiologist reveals ‘clear answer'
Are you a sunrise soaper or a bedtime bather? It's the ultimate hygiene debate — and Americans are deeply divided. A 2022 Sleep Foundation survey found that 42% of adults start their day with a refreshing rinse, while 25% wait to wash before hitting the hay. But according to Dr. Primrose Freestone, a senior lecturer in clinical microbiology at the University of Leicester in the UK, there's a 'clear answer' in this slippery showdown when it comes to keeping bacteria, dust mites and other unwelcome bedfellows at bay. Advertisement 4 More Americans shower in the morning than at night, surveys show. lenblr – But, first: What are the benefits of showering? Showering is an essential part of any good hygiene routine, with two-thirds of Americans making it a daily habit. When you shower, you're washing away dirt, sweat and dead skin cells that naturally accumulate on your body. This is crucial for staying clean and stopping the build-up of bacteria, which can lead to infections and body odor. Regular showers also help keep your pores clear, reducing the chances of breakouts and other skin issues. Advertisement Experts say that bathing can do wonders for your mental health, too. Showering can help reduce stress, anxiety and depression by releasing mood-boosting hormones, easing muscle tension and calming the nervous system. Plus, let's be honest, feeling clean and well-groomed can provide a confidence boost, helping enhance overall self-esteem. Soap wars People have strong opinions about the right time to rinse off. Advertisement 4 Fans of morning showers say it helps them wake up and feel energized. larisikstefania – Morning shower loyalists swear it's the best way to wake up and start the day squeaky clean, while nighttime devotees argue that scrubbing off the day's dirt and grime is key to winding down before bed. But there's a surprise player in this debate: your sheets. Advertisement According to Freestone, your body and hair pick up a mixture of pollutants, allergens, sweat and oil throughout the day — which feed bacteria that can disrupt your skin's natural microbiome. Night showerers argue that rinsing off before bed helps remove all that buildup before it ends up on your sheets. But Freestone warned that you'll still sweat overnight — no matter how cool your bedroom is. 'Your skin microbes will then eat the nutrients in that sweat,' Freestone wrote this week in The Conversation. '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.' Things get worse if you're not keeping your bedding clean. Dirty sheets can transfer those odor-causing microbes right back onto your freshly scrubbed body while you sleep, she noted. 4 At night, skin cells accumulate in your bed and become food for dust mites. Svitlana – Showering at night also doesn't stop your body from shedding skin. The average person loses about a gram and a half of dead skin cells per day — that's nearly half a teaspoon of flakes — according to Dr. Alok Vij, a dermatologist. 'Any kind of friction will chafe off the outer layer of your skin cells,' he told Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials, 'so, a lot of it is shed when you're making contact with your sheets in your bed at night.' Advertisement Those flakes can build up in your bedding and become a buffet for house dust mites. The microscopic pests feed primarily on dead skin and reproduce rapidly. While they don't bite, their droppings can trigger skin irritation and worsen allergy or asthma symptoms. 'A morning shower suggests your body will be cleaner of night-acquired skin microbes when putting on fresh clothes,' Freestone wrote. 'You'll also start the day with less sweat for odor-producing bacteria to feed on — which will probably help you smell fresher for longer during the day compared to someone who showered at night,' she added. 4 Fans of night showers say it helps them relax before bed. galitskaya – Advertisement At the end of the day, whether you shower in the morning or at night is really a matter of personal preference. But Freestone emphasized that one thing is non-negotiable: regularly cleaning your bedding. The Sleep Foundation recommends washing sheets and pillowcases at least once a week, though you may need to do it more frequently in the warmer months, when you're likely sweating more overnight. For some, washing bedding more often is essential. If you have pets — especially if they share your bed — washing every three or four days is recommended. If you suffer from allergies or asthma, it's worth increasing the frequency to see if it helps alleviate symptoms.
