4 min readNew DelhiNov 21, 2022 08:00 PM IST
First published on: Nov 21, 2022 at 08:00 PM IST
How do you like to end your day? While some binge watch a series or scroll through social media before hitting the bed, many others spend time journaling, meditating, or reading. Whatever it may be, it’s crucial to know that your nighttime routine plays a significant role in determining the quality of your sleep and overall health. As such, we are here to tell you about one healthy habit that you must always do before going to sleep — taking a shower!
According to experts, taking a relaxing shower before bed is known to aid in quality and quick sleep. “It is a matter of habit, really. But, one can adapt to taking a shower before going to bed,” Dr Aditya Chowti, Senior Consultant- Internal Medicine, Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road, Bengaluru said.
Agreeing, Dr Vipul Gupta, Chief of Neuro interventional Surgery and Co-Chief of Stroke Unit, Artemis Hospital, Gurugram said that several studies have shown that taking a shower before going to sleep not only helps improve the quality of sleep but has several other benefits.
So, what are these benefits?
*Improves the quality of sleep
*Increases blood flow in the body
*Reduces all-day fatigue
*Reduces acne and allergy on the skin as different types of particles, dirt, sweat, and oil during the day are removed when taking a bath. If left on the skin, these can get into the pours and start to irritate the skin and cause acne.
*Relaxes the body and mind
Additionally, it cleanses you “mentally, physically and spiritually”, Dr Bela Sharma, Additional Director, Internal Medicine, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram said.
It can improve the quality of your sleep (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Does the temperature of bathing water — warm, hot, or cold — also play a role?
“While some prefer taking a warm shower, others like it cold. However, taking a warm shower over a period of time is better because it help if you are tired and/or having muscular pain. It helps your muscles relax. If there are any spasms or backache, it helps relieve the pain too,” Dr Sharma said, adding that one may, however, find cold showers refreshing during summer.
Concurring, Dr Gupta added that it depends on the weather conditions, as on a hot and humid day a person would only prefer taking a cold shower before going to bed while during winters most people prefer taking a hot shower which relaxes their mind and body and removes tiredness. “As such, a person can take a hot and cold shower as both have their own benefits and the body of every person is different and is adapted to a fixed habit for years,” he said.
Sharing the benefits of both, Dr Gupta said, “Hot shower helps in muscle relaxation, opens up the skin pores, improves sleep, etc and cold shower increases alertness, reduces hair loss, lowers stress levels, increases circulation etc.”
While there’s no fixed time for taking a shower before bed, experts recommend showering one to two hours before going to sleep. “It can be beneficial and can help the body to maintain the right temperature before going to sleep,” Dr Gupta said.
However, not everybody is advised to take a shower before going to sleep. “People with chronic skin issues should refrain from taking a shower every night before going to bed. Showering once in 2-3 nights is good enough,” Dr Chowti said.
Dr Gupta added that one must keep in mind to maintain the temperature of the body. “Never take a shower in extremely cold water or extremely hot water as it can have certain health effects on the body,” he concluded.
(Next in the series: Why feeling excessively sleepy during the day can be a bad sign)
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Taking a relaxing shower before bed is known to aid in quality and quick sleep (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock) 
It can improve the quality of your sleep (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
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