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Is It Better to Shower in the Morning or at Night? Physician Settles the Debate

Even though the majority of Americans take morning showers, night-time showering has a wealth of benefits that's little-known.
PUBLISHED DEC 16, 2024
(L) Blue sky with the Sun. (M) Man showering in his bathroom. (R) Full moon illuminates the night sky. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Witthaya Prasongsin, (M) Maridav, (R) Charles O'Rear)
(L) Blue sky with the Sun. (M) Man showering in his bathroom. (R) Full moon illuminates the night sky. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Witthaya Prasongsin, (M) Maridav, (R) Charles O'Rear)

Every morning, after hitting snooze multiple times, 60% of Americans jump out of their beds and stumble lazily to their bathrooms to shower. The first few droplets of water feel bitterly cold but then it gradually becomes a warm soothing emollient that invigorates the pores of their skin making them feel alive and fresh. On the flip side, 33% of Americans who like to take night-time showers, the experience isn’t any less refreshing. Whether to shower at night or in the morning is a dilemma that Dr. Jason Singh (@drjaysonisfresh) said, is “More debatable than pineapple on pizza.” In a TikTok video, the Ashburn doctor weighed the pros and cons of both showering routines.

Woman smiles while taking a shower. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Gary John Norman)
Woman smiles while taking a shower. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Gary John Norman)

Starting with the benefits of a nighttime shower, Dr. Singh said, “It has three things going for it.” He explained that a warm shower triggers the release of “melatonin,” a sleep-inducing hormone. “As you towel off, your body cools off to the appropriate temperature. These two things — when combined — transition into better sleep.” He listed the second benefit, "Showering at night helps to wash away the entire day’s grime, be it environmental pollutants, sweat, or mysterious odors." Additionally, showering at night can be especially beneficial to hydrate sensitive skin.

Smiling mature woman massaging face in bathroom at home (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Westend61)
Smiling mature woman massaging face in bathroom at home (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Westend61)

Experts usually recommend bedtime showers for people who struggle to sleep or are insomniacs. “An evening shower can be a relaxing part of a pre-bed routine,” Michael Grandner, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona, told Time Magazine. Joanna Czech, celebrity aesthetician to Kim Kardashian and Anna Wintour, also told The Zoe Report, that most celebrities she’s worked with prefer to follow the proverb “Don’t bring the street to your sheets.” She pointed out how the dust and smog particles from the environment stick to our clothes and skin and transfer onto the surfaces we sit on and touch. "When we don’t bathe or rinse off before we get into bed, we are literally bringing the dirt and grime from the streets onto our sheets," she added.

Woman entering her home after work. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Aire Images)
Woman entering her home after work. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Aire Images)

At the same time, even morning showers don’t need to fret about their routine. Relating the benefits of morning showers, Dr. Singh said, “Your body can accumulate some germs, such as bacteria or fungus, through processes like sweating and shedding skin cells. The byproduct of these creates an odor," he said. “So, morning showers cleanse the bacteria and skin secretions that have built up bringing the skin microbiome to a more hygienic baseline." Additionally, IFL Science explains that morning showers don’t only help regulate the body’s circadian rhythms, but also reduce stress. Concluding the debate, Dr. Singh said, “Overall night-time shower has more benefits to it, but morning shower really has one benefit and that’s better hygiene.”

Woman cheerfully taking a shower in the morning. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Carlos Barquera)
Woman cheerfully taking a shower in the morning. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Carlos Barquera)

Meanwhile, thousands of TikTokers chimed into Dr. Singh’s video to share their views about a perfect showering routine. Dozens of people said they like to have two showers a day, one in the morning and one at night. “Why are we choosing? Please do both! No stinky stinky,” wrote @janicecasimirjose. However, there were also people like @aron5 who couldn’t agree with this concept. “What’s the point of showering again right when you get up if you just showered before you went to sleep,” they reflected.

Image Source: TikTok | @bellanice0297
Image Source: TikTok | @bellanice0297
Image Source: TikTok | @leslieslaterpeter
Image Source: TikTok | @leslieslaterpeter

Among those who showed a preference for night-time showers, @cmerebug said they prefer night showers because “there’s no way I’m getting into my bed dirty.” Others were inclined towards morningtime showering. @thatssoraeeee said, “Showering in the morning and putting on new clothes helps me to feel more productive for the day.” @deseaya explained that a morning shower can help non-coffee drinkers wake up in the morning. The verdict is clear, as Dr. Singh said: Choose what suits your body the best.


@drjaysonisfresh

More debatable than pineapple on pizza

♬ original sound - Dr. Jason Singh

 

You can follow Dr. Jason Singh (@drjaysonisfresh) on TikTok for interesting medical lifehacks!

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