Should You Shower in the Morning or at Night?

In the battle of a morning vs. night shower, here’s how the timing of your personal care routine affects your health.

Whether you shower at night so you feel clean when you slip into your sheets or you’d rather use that daily shower to wake yourself up in the morning, you probably have a strong opinion on which option is best. While your opinion might be that one is the clear winner, shower preferences are actually a pretty even split among Americans, according to a Sleep Foundation survey from 2022. Results showed that 42% of adults shower in the morning, while 38% opt for a night shower. So is there really a best time to shower? Here’s how the timing of your self-care routine can benefit your overall wellness.

What You Should Know

It turns out there’s no universally wrong time to lather up, but there probably is a right time for you. Morning showerers claim it helps them wake up or feel fresh for the day ahead. Night showerers stand by the fact that getting into bed clean helps them wind down from their day.

Typical guidance suggests showering once per day, but sometimes you may need to shower twice (like if you’re a morning cleanser but then you hit the gym on your lunch break). Conversely, if you’re experiencing dry, itchy, or scaly skin, frequent showers may be partly to blame.

Overall, the best time to shower comes down to your lifestyle, skin type, sleep habits, and personal preference. Plus, it can be a great place for inspiration to strike.

Going Deeper: Morning vs. Night Showers

Whether you’re team night shower or team morning shower, let’s dive into the benefits you’re getting.

The Benefits of a Morning Shower

First, the obvious: You’ll start your day fresh and clean. A morning shower will rinse off any residue from night sweats, skin cells, or dust-mite debris you may pick up overnight. Your body sheds a lot more than you think — up to 40,000 skin cells per minute — so a good scrubbing will give you a clean slate. (This is a good reminder you’re sharing your bed with a lot of unseen guests and should wash your sheets at least once a week, no matter when you shower.) It clears away scalp oil that builds up overnight and resets your hair for styling, plus it helps you avoid going to sleep with wet hair, which can lead to breakage.

Not a morning person? Showers can shake off grogginess and help you feel more awake. They may also boost mood — research points to cold showers, specifically, as a way to help reduce anxiety and depression and raise dopamine levels.

Even if you prefer morning showers, you should still wash your face at night as part of your skincare routine to clear off the makeup or SPF you wore and help rid your face of daily dirt and oil. 

The Benefits of a Night Shower

Taking a warm shower (or bath) before bed has been shown to support sleep hygiene. For some, a shower is part of a nightly wind-down routine. And they may be onto something: Lathering up for just 10 minutes one to two hours before bed can help improve sleep and even cut down the time it takes you to fall asleep, according to a study published in Sleep Medicine Reviews. Your body’s core temperature naturally drops before sleep, so researchers suggest the warm water stimulates blood flow to the hands and feet, allowing body heat to escape more easily, and you to slip off to dreamland faster. 

Night showers can soothe sore muscles and support relaxation after a long day on your feet. Additionally, you’ll go to bed feeling squeaky clean, sans dirt and allergens you may have picked up throughout the day, especially if you’re an evening gymgoer, work outdoors, or have a job that exposes you to grime. 

The Takeaway

There’s no universal best time to shower, so pick the option that fits your day best. Another option is to take a quick shower in the morning to freshen up before work, and take your everything showers at night. Overall, showers support hygiene and provide benefits morning or night.

Bottom Line

Whether you’re team go-to-bed-clean or wake up by hopping in the shower, both options have legit perks. A morning shower can help you start the day fresh, while a night shower may help you wind down. No matter when you shower, be sure to wash sheets often to support skin health and reduce your exposure to bacteria, dirt, and grime — even for all of the “no outside clothes on the bed” purists.