Doctors break down the real benefits of morning vs. night showers

Some people can’t imagine starting their day any other way than with a shower and a cup of coffee. Others prefer a warm rinse before bed to ensure a restful sleep. No matter which side of the cleanliness coin you’re on, deciding when to shower often comes down to finding what works best for your lifestyle. But it’s worth considering: Are there any benefits to showering in the morning or evening?

We spoke to several medical experts, and they all agreed: The most important thing is for a person to bathe regularly, whether it’s when they wake up, before their head hits the pillow, or somewhere in between. That said, there’s a reason morning showers are better for some people and night showers are better for others.

Why you should shower at night

You have dry skin

Dr. Eric Tepper, a board-certified family medicine physician in Sacramento, Calif., recommends that people with dry skin should consider bathing before bed. “Skin’s permeability is higher at night, so the skin can absorb moisturizer more effectively at night,” he explains.

Showering at night is also best on a cellular level, says Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, a family physician in Phoenix. “Cells renew the most at night, so it makes sense to shower at night and then moisturize to take advantage of the benefits of cell regeneration,” she says.

You get dirty during the day

Dr. Asim Nazir Cheema, a board-certified internist and cardiologist in Ontario, Canada, says people who sweat a lot or have jobs with higher dust levels (e.g., garbage collectors, construction workers) should choose to shower at the end of the day to “improve skin health.” “Showing at night removes pollutants, allergens and sweat from your skin that have accumulated during the day.” Without nightly cleansing, “they can stay in your bed for eight hours.”

you have trouble falling asleep

Isn’t there a person who crawls into bed and then dozes off a few minutes later? Bathing with warm water may be helpful as it triggers the cooling process in the body. “Bathing at night lowers your core body temperature, which is actually a signal to your body that it’s easier to fall asleep. Research shows that warming the body by taking a bath one to two hours before bed can improve sleep quality and help people fall asleep faster by about 10 minutes,” Cheema explains.

Why you should take a shower in the morning

you need help waking up

Is the snooze button your best friend? Do you have to set multiple alarms to make them work on time? Starting your day with a bath might be just what your body needs to rejuvenate. “A morning shower can wake you up and help people who feel sluggish in the morning,” says Dr. Michael Chichak, a general practitioner in Ohio. Why? The feeling of air on moist skin can really invigorate you. “When you step out of the shower into cooler air or use cold water at the end of the shower, the rapid drop in skin temperature sends a message to your brain and triggers a sympathetic nervous system response. It’s a thermal sensory shock that stimulates alertness,” Cheema explains.

you have oily skin

If you have naturally oily skin, it makes more sense to wash in the morning. “If people with oily or acne-prone skin don’t cleanse in the morning, all the excess sebum in the body will mix with sweat, dead skin cells, and anything left over from the night before,” explains Cheema. This can cause clogged pores, leading to whiteheads, blackheads, and other types of breakouts. He recommends a quick rinse or gentle cleanse in the morning to remove built-up sebum before applying makeup, sunscreen, and environmental pollutants.

You start your day with exercise

Likewise, if you exercise in the morning, you need to wash off the sweat before starting your day. “The importance of removing sweat and bacteria from your skin immediately after a workout cannot be overstated,” stresses Cheema. “Wash immediately to help prevent skin conditions such as hair follicle inflammation and acne caused by the heat, pressure and friction of physical activity.”

Plus, from a purely practical standpoint, showering in the morning means not taking your post-workout sweat and associated unpleasant odor with you to work, errands, and other events throughout the day.

bottom line

So, all in all, when is the best time of day to shower? “There’s no universally applicable best time to shower,” Chichak says. “What’s there? It’s a better When to shower depends on your needs or goals. “Whenever you decide to take a bath, remember consistency is key. “Your body’s circadian rhythm will adapt to the schedule you choose,” says Cheema.

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