The Right Way to Shower Before Bed for a Good Night’s Sleep

One wrong move in your nighttime shower can keep you tossing and turning all night.

As people search for simple ways to improve their nightly rest, one everyday habit is gaining attention: showering before bed. With sleep health at the center of wellness conversations, the question of whether bedtime showers help or hurt has sparked debate.

Medical and paramedical professionals often suggest a warm shower or foot or body bath before bedtime to improve sleep, as it is often recommended as a simple and low-cost nonpharmacological means of managing insomnia. It has also been found that bathing is an effective means of improving nighttime sleep and decreasing excessive daytime sleepiness.

The problem is that many people are unknowingly sabotaging their sleep. Taking a steaming hot shower right before bed may raise core body temperature at the very time the body needs to cool down for sleep. On the other hand, skipping a shower altogether can leave discomfort, allergens, or sweat on the skin, which may also interfere with rest.

To cut through the confusion, Rosie Osmun, Certified Sleep Science Coach at Eachnight.com, weighs in on the right and wrong ways to shower before bed.

“Showering before bed can support better sleep, but only if it’s done correctly. The water temperature, duration, and timing can make the difference between falling asleep quickly and tossing and turning,” said Osmun.

Therefore, if baths are taken at the right biological time, 1-2 hours before bedtime, they will aid the natural circadian process and increase one’s chances of not only falling asleep quickly but also of experiencing better quality sleep.

Simple shower tweaks that can help your body and mind unwind before bed:

• Take your shower about 1-2 hours to give your body time to cool down
• Opt for a warm shower, not hot, to relax muscles and trigger drowsiness
• Keep showers short, around 10 minutes, to avoid overstimulation
• Try adding lavender-scented soap or body wash to boost relaxation
• Avoid ice-cold showers at night, which can be too stimulating for sleep

“Timing is the biggest factor; your body temperature naturally dips as part of your circadian rhythm, so when you get out of a warm shower, that drop in skin temperature helps mimic the body’s natural cooling process. That’s why a shower 60 to 90 minutes before bed works best for most people.” Osmun added.

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