Taking a Warm Shower Before Bed: Is It Actually the Key to a Better Night's Sleep? Experts Weigh In On This Popular Practice.
In the pursuit of a good night's sleep, many turn to various rituals and routines to help unwind and prepare for slumber. One such practice, backed by sleep experts, is taking a hot shower before bed.
The Ritual of Jing Sleep Essentials Duo Set, which includes a foaming shower gel and hand mask, is one such product that leverages the soothing scents to promote sleep. But the benefits of a hot shower before bedtime extend far beyond just the use of a specific product.
According to sleep experts, taking a hot shower before bed offers several benefits for improving sleep quality.
Firstly, a hot shower can signal to the brain that it is time to sleep, forming part of a relaxing bedtime routine. Warm showers or baths, taken 1 to 2 hours before bedtime, induce the “warm bath effect.” This phenomenon involves the body's core temperature rising from the warm water and then dropping quickly as heat dissipates after the shower. This rapid cooling mimics the body's natural sleep onset process, helping people fall asleep faster and enhancing sleep quality.
Secondly, warm water stimulates blood flow to the hands and feet, facilitating heat loss and supporting the body's natural temperature regulation important for sleep. For older adults, hot baths before bed have been found to lower blood pressure during sleep, potentially improving cardiovascular health alongside sleep quality.
Thirdly, warm showers and baths reduce tension and stress, promoting relaxation, which contributes to falling asleep more easily and experiencing better sleep overall. Incorporating showering at night is also considered more hygienic for cleaning off daytime dirt, allergens, and lotions, creating a clean environment for rest.
Experts emphasize the importance of timing and temperature. Showers should be warm (about 104-108.5°F or 40-42.5°C) and taken ideally at least an hour before bedtime for maximal benefit. Consistency helps condition the body to associate the shower with sleep onset.
If you're experiencing summer insomnia, taking a hot shower might help address some hot sleeping mistakes. The drop in body temperature after a hot shower mimics what naturally happens before sleep, helping one fall asleep faster.
While a hot shower before bed can help sleep better, it is important to note that individuals who tend to overheat at night should be cautious. Sleep expert Kenny Timper agrees that a hot shower before bed can help sleep better, provided the individual does not tend to overheat at night.
For those seeking additional sleep-enhancing products, the B Silent Night-Time Pillow Mist by Bamford is a calming pillow mist that sets the mood for a cozy night of sleep. Slip is the brand favored by stylish sleep experts for its deep navy blue sleep masks.
Sources:
- Timper, K. (2022). The Science of Sleep: How a Hot Shower Can Help You Sleep Better. Sleepopolis.
- Otis, R. (2022). The Benefits of Taking a Hot Shower Before Bed. Sleepopolis.
- National Sleep Foundation. (n.d.). Sleep and Body Temperature. Retrieved from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/sleep-and-body-temperature
- Mayo Clinic. (2020). Stress management: Self-care behaviours. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/self-care/art-20044251
- The Ritual of Jing Sleep Essentials Duo Set, with its soothing scents, is a product designed to promote sleep within a relaxing bedtime routine, similar to having a hot shower before bed.
- Warm showers or baths, in line with sleep experts' recommendations, are believed to help improve sleep quality by signaling the brain for sleep and inducing the "warm bath effect," which mimics the body's natural sleep onset process.
- A hot shower before bedtime also facilitates heat loss, supporting the body's natural temperature regulation, particularly beneficial for older adults, as it helps lower blood pressure during sleep, improving both cardiovascular health and sleep quality.
- Incorporating showering at night as part of one's lifestyle creates a clean environment for rest by cleaning off daytime dirt, allergens, and lotions.
- For a cozy night of sleep, the B Silent Night-Time Pillow Mist by Bamford helps set the mood, while Slip's deep navy blue sleep masks are favored by stylish sleep experts for their stress-relieving properties.
