Is It Better To Shower In The Morning Or At Night? Well, It Depends.

Among the many strange things I noticed about my now-husband when we first moved in together was his habit of showering in the morning. Still drowsy with sleep, he’d stumble out of bed and into the bathroom with his eyes still closed but hop out of the shower with a sense of purpose: He was ready to tackle the day.

I, on the other hand, have always been in the “shower is the last thing you do before getting into bed” camp. It’s the moment I look forward to all day, quite literally washing away the previous 12 hours before settling into bed for a good night’s sleep.

It all got me wondering: Is it better to shower in the morning or at night? Turns out it depends on what “better” means.

When it comes to sleep, a hot shower can help you wind down in the evening.

Robert Oexman , a chiropractor and sleep adviser, explained that at night our bodies’ natural circadian rhythms will cause our core body temperature to decrease, basically telling our brains that it’s time to wind down and go to sleep.

“As we approach our normal time for falling asleep, our core body temperature begins to drop,” Oexman said. “Just prior to our time for waking up for the day, our core body temperature begins to rise and acts as one of the signals to our brain that it is time to wake up and start our day.”

Oexman says a warm bath can signal to your brain that sleep is near.

“Showering at night can enhance sleep by augmenting the decrease in core body temperature that is necessary to initiate sleep and maintain proper sleep at night,” Oexman explained before clarifying that, although beneficial, the practice isn’t necessary as our circadian rhythms will initiate the process regardless.

More specifically, he said, to thoroughly take advantage of