Is it better to shower during the day or at night?

They say that people are divided into owls and larks, depending on whether we feel better doing our tasks during the day or at night. A good way to find out which of the two types you belong to is to think back to your time as a student. Would you rather go to bed late or go to bed early and get up early to grab your books? In the first case, you are an owl. In the second – a lark. But there is something that has nothing to do with this and that also divides people. Some prefer shower at nightshortly before bed and at other times during the day as soon as you get up.

Everyone has their own preferences, that’s understandable, but is there a better option? Well, to answer this question, the first answer might be that the best option is the one that suits you best. more comfortable according to your needs. Regardless of what the experts say, if this option doesn’t fit into your daily routine, you probably won’t feel comfortable doing it.

Now, leaving that aside and focusing only on human physiology, there are several reasons why it can be said that showering is better at night. This doesn’t mean that doing it during the day is bad, but it is true that it provides additional benefits at night.

The key role of circadian rhythms

As always, when we talk about day and night, circadian rhythms play an important role in this matter.

This is why many of our physiological needs distributed in 24 hour periods. The most typical case is a dream. We sleep, ideally, for approximately the same amount of time every day, starting and ending at approximately the same time.

Circadian rhythms are controlled suprachiasmatic nucleus brain, the main signal of which is light coming from outside eyes. When there is a lot of light, the brain interprets that it is daytime and we need to stay awake and perform our tasks. To make this easier, melatonin secretion, a hormone responsible for helping us sleep. On the other hand, when it gets darker and less light penetrates the retina, the release of this hormone increases and we become increasingly sleepy.

But melatonin and sleepiness are not the only indicators of sleep. Another very important one is Body temperature, which decreases as darkness falls to help us fall asleep. In fact, it is for this reason that, although it is important to dress warmly for sleep, you should not raise the thermostat too high, since a comfortable temperature during the day may not be comfortable for falling into the arms of Morpheus.

What does all this have to do with showering at night?

Janet Kennedya sleep psychologist from New York explained New York Times that showering at night is the best option for people with insomnia. And this relates precisely to what was said about circadian rhythms.

When taking a shower, we increase the temperature, but only while we are in the shower. The body then tries to bring it down quickly, so accelerates the process of drowsiness night, based on temperature.

Plus, showering helps. relax your muscleswhich is also very important for better sleep.

Sometimes the morning can be better

If we usually have trouble waking up in the morning, taking a shower can help improve the quality of our sleep. alert status. Of course it must be warm because the shower is too cold. the temperature will suddenly drop.

With the onset of daylight, as opposed to darkness, the temperature rises. A cold shower This would have the opposite effect of the night. The body would react sharply to an increase in temperature, and in this case it would lead to excessive alertness, which is also not good for us. It’s always better to wake up little by little.

Ultimately, your life won’t improve by changing the time you shower. It’s true that taking a shower at night has some benefits, especially for people who suffer from insomnia. But this is not a panacea. There is no ideal time to take a shower. Ideally, take a shower without further ado. And don’t leave behind forgotten body parts. It is important.