Cold or hot shower before bed: which is better for sleep?

Many people find that taking a shower or bath in the evening is a great way to wash away the stress of the day, both literally and figuratively. But did you know that water immersion can also affect your body temperature, which plays a role in our sleep-wake cycle?

As our body temperature naturally drops in the evening and during sleep, researchers are exploring how influencing this natural regulation can impact the quality of our sleep.

This raises the question: is it better to take a hot or cold shower before bed? Let's take a look at what the science has to say.

What constitutes a cold shower?

Before we jump in, let’s establish a foundation: What makes a shower cold? 

Taking a cold shower typically means using water that is cooler than your body temperature or room temperature. However, the exact temperature range can vary based on personal preference.

While there's no exact definition of what temperature qualifies as a cold shower, it's generally considered to be water at around 68°F (20°C) or below. Of course, this can vary depending on individual tolerance. Some people prefer extremely cold showers, with water temperatures near freezing. Others may find moderately cold water, such as around 59-64°F (15-18°C), to be cold enough. 

Cold showers have become popular due to their potential health benefits, which include improved circulation, increased alertness, reduced muscle soreness, and enhanced mental well-being. However, it's important to note that cold showers may not be suitable for everyone, especially those with certain medical conditions or sensitivities to cold temperatures.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of hot showers?

We touched on a few of the potential benefits above. But let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of taking hot showers. It's important to note that excessively hot or cold showers are not recommended if you have a heart condition. Research also shows that hot water may cause more dramatic changes to blood pressure in older adults.

Benefits of hot showers

• Relaxation: Hot showers have a soothing effect on the body and can help relax muscles and relieve tension. The warmth from the water can be particularly beneficial after a long day or during times of stress. 
• Clearing congestion: Hot showers can also help loosen mucus and relieve nasal congestion, which can be especially helpful during colds, allergies, or sinus infections.
• Softening skin short-term: Hot water can also help soften the skin, making it easier to exfoliate or apply skincare products.

Drawbacks of hot showers

• Dryer skin over time: While it can soften skin for a few minutes, hot water can also strip the skin of its natural oils, leading to dryness and potential irritation. Prolonged or frequent hot showers may leave your skin feeling dry, particularly for individuals with pre-existing dry skin conditions. 
• Hair damage: Excessive heat from hot showers can also damage hair, leading to dryness, frizz, and breakage. It's important to balance the water temperature and avoid using excessively hot water when washing your hair. 
• Environmental impact: When considering the environment, hot showers typically require more energy to heat the water. This leads to higher energy consumption and can increase utility costs over time. Long, hot showers can also result in excessive water usage. 
• Overheating issues: Extended exposure to hot water can cause your body to overheat, leading to discomfort, lightheadedness, or even fainting in extreme cases. It's essential to avoid excessively hot water and pay attention to your body's response. 

As with any self-care routine, finding the right balance and considering personal comfort levels is important. Adjusting the water temperature, limiting shower duration, and using moisturizers can help mitigate potential drawbacks associated with hot showers.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of cold showers?

Just as showers have their good and bad points, as do cold showers. Here are some of them:

Benefits of cold showers

• Burst of energy: Cold showers can provide a jolt of energy and help you feel more awake and alert. The cold water stimulates your body, leading to increased heart rate and blood circulation, which can boost your energy levels.
• Boosted happy hormones: Cold showers have been associated with an increase in endorphin levels, which can improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression. They can also provide a sense of invigoration and enhance mental clarity.
• Reducing muscular inflammation: Cold water can also help numb pain and reduce inflammation, making cold showers beneficial for sore muscles or post-workout recovery.

Drawbacks of cold showers

• Unpleasant: Cold showers can be uncomfortable, especially if you're not accustomed to being doused in cold water. The shock of cold water hitting your body may take time to adjust to, and some people find it challenging to endure consistently.
• Risks of hypothermia: Extremely cold showers or prolonged exposure to cold water can increase the risk of hypothermia, particularly in individuals with pre-existing health conditions or reduced cold tolerance. 
• Health risks for some individuals: Cold showers may not be suitable for everyone, particularly individuals with certain medical conditions. 

Are there health benefits to taking showers at night?

Taking a shower at night can have some health benefits. Of course, everyone's preferences and circumstances are different, but here are a few advantages to getting clean before bed:

Better sleep

Taking a shower before hitting the hay can help relax your body and mind, which can lead to better sleep. The rise and fall in body temperature after a shower can signal to your body that it's time to rest, making it easier to drift off.

Stress relief

If you've had a long day, taking a shower at night can be a great way to unwind and de-stress. The warm water and peaceful vibes of the evening can help you relax and reduce anxiety.

Hygiene boost

Showering at night helps wash away sweat, dirt, and other impurities that have built up on your body throughout the day. This can help you maintain good personal hygiene and prevent skin issues or infections.

Respiratory benefits

A hot shower can create a steamy atmosphere, which may help open up your nasal passages and relieve congestion before bed. This can help you get a better night’s rest if you have allergies, a cold, or sinus congestion.

Morning time-saver

Showering at night can save you time in the morning since you'll already be clean and refreshed when you wake up. This can give you a more relaxed morning routine or extra time for other activities.

Remember, what works best for you may be different from what works for someone else. Some people prefer to shower in the morning to help wake up and feel refreshed for the day ahead. The most important thing is finding a routine that fits your lifestyle and makes you feel comfortable and healthy.

Can taking showers before bed impact your sleep?

Taking showers before bed can have both positive and negative effects on sleep, depending on the individual. Let's explore a few ways that showering before bed may impact sleep:

• Help you relax and unwind: A warm shower before bed can help relax your muscles and relieve tension, which can contribute to better sleep. 
• Alter your body temperature: The rise in body temperature during a shower, followed by a subsequent drop, can signal to your body that it's time to rest, facilitating a smoother transition into sleep. 
• Enhanced comfort: When you go to bed feeling clean and refreshed, it can enhance your comfort and help you fall asleep faster. Moreover, the warmth from a shower can create a cozy and calming environment that promotes restful sleep.
• Establishing a nighttime routine: Some individuals simply find it more enjoyable to take a shower before bed. Engaging in a bedtime routine that includes a shower can be a relaxing and comforting ritual, setting the stage for a restful night's sleep.

How do hot showers impact your sleep? 

Ultimately, the impact of hot and cold showers on sleep can vary from person to person.

Taking a hot shower before bed can help relax muscles and promote a sense of relaxation and calmness, which can help you wind down before bed. Additionally, the rise in body temperature during a hot shower followed by a subsequent drop can mimic the natural drop in body temperature that occurs during sleep, making it easier to fall asleep. 

That said, taking a hot shower too close to bedtime may delay the cooling-down process too much and make it more challenging to fall asleep. And in some cases, a hot shower can stimulate the body and increase alertness, which may make it more difficult to relax and transition into sleep.

How do cold showers impact your sleep?

Cold showers before bed can make you feel more awake and alert, which might make it harder to relax and fall asleep. However, some individuals find that cold showers before bed can help them get a deeper and more restful sleep. The body's natural cooling process after a cold shower can promote sleepiness and facilitate a smoother transition into sleep. 

Cold showers can also lower body temperature, which is associated with sleep onset and maintenance, potentially improving sleep quality.

Is it better to take a cold shower before bed or in the morning?

The decision of whether to take a cold shower before bed or in the morning is largely based on personal preferences. Here are some things to consider for each option:

Benefits of cold showers before bed

• Sleep quality: Some people find that a cold shower before bed helps them sleep better. The drop in body temperature after a cold shower can induce relaxation and aid in falling asleep faster.
• Cooling effect: Cold showers can lower body temperature, which can be refreshing during warm nights or in hot climates. It can create a more comfortable sleeping environment.

Benefits of cold showers in the morning

• Energy and alertness: Cold showers in the morning can be invigorating and energizing. The shock of cold water can help wake you up, increase alertness, and jumpstart your day.
• Increased circulation: Cold water stimulates blood flow and can promote improved circulation, helping to wake up your body and mind.

If you're unsure of your preferences, you can try both options and observe how each routine affects your energy levels, mood, and overall well-being. Remember that individual responses can vary, so it's important to listen to your body and choose the timing that works best for you.

Is it better to take a hot or cold shower before bed?

Though this question really boils down to personal preference, there are positives to both to consider. Here are some factors to keep in mind:

Benefits of a hot shower before bed

There’s actually some good science, and a growing body of research, around how taking a hot shower or bath before bed can promote a better sleep schedule by augmenting our body’s natural evening cool-down. Here’s how that works.

Throughout the day, your core body temperature naturally fluctuates in accordance with your circadian rhythm, which controls your sleep-wake cycle along with lots of other biological functions. Your body temperature is one of the cues your brain relies on to determine whether it’s time to be asleep or awake.

A cooler body temperature signals that sleep time is approaching, and correlates with an increase in melatonin.

Although it seems counterintuitive, taking a hot bath or shower at night aids this natural thermoregulation process and cools you off. The hot water heats up your body, bringing blood flow to the surface, and then when you get out of the shower your body heat quickly escapes through your hands and feet.

This rapid cool-down of your core temperature has been shown to help you fall asleep faster, as well as promote deeper sleep.  Scientists guess that one reason is that the quick temperature drop encourages rapid melatonin production.

A 2019 meta-analysis found that taking a shower or bath for at least 10 minutes, where the water was between 104 and 108 degrees Fahrenheit, one to two hours before bedtime, improved participants’ sleep quality more than those who didn’t take one. A warm/hot shower may also improve sleep by relaxing you, physically and mentally. When you’re more relaxed it’s easier to fall asleep.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends taking a warm shower or bath before bed as a way to lower blood pressure as well as improve sleep.

Benefits of a cold shower before bed

If you’re a biohacker or overachiever you might assume that a cold shower would speed up the body’s cooling process and with it melatonin production, and sleepiness.  You may have heard of “the Iceman” Wim Hof, the eccentric Dutchman and wellness guru who has inspired extreme athletes, tech entrepreneurs, and a number of mere mortals with his preternatural ability to withstand cold exposure.

He claims that the many health benefits of ice baths include fat loss, reduced inflammation, a fortified immune system, balanced hormone levels…and better sleep quality.

Though scientists have become increasingly intrigued by Hof, those who’ve studied cold immersion as a way to optimize sleep have thus far had mixed results.

According to David Randall, author of Dreamland: Adventures in the Strange Science of Sleep, researchers found that subjects fell asleep faster and had a better overall quality of sleep following behaviors that cooled the body, such as taking a cold shower right before bed.

Another study found that athletes who immersed themselves in cold water for 10 minutes after evening exercise experienced a drop in core body temperature, fewer nighttime arousals, and a greater proportion of deep sleep within the first three hours of sleep.

But not all research has been as promising. One study of male cyclists found that being immersed in cold water after evening exercise did not affect sleep architecture. A similar study of young soccer players found that cold water immersion after an evening training session also did not impact sleep quality. (Although athletes or exercisers may find that cold showers help reduce muscle stiffness, which could very well make falling asleep easier.)

One reason a cold plunge might not improve sleep is that it’s known to activate the sympathetic nervous system and increase blood levels of beta-endorphin and noradrenaline as well as increase synaptic release of noradrenaline in the brain.

One study on cold exposure found that the body releases cortisol when exposed to the cold, while another found that increased levels of cortisol at night may lead to poor sleep. This could suggest that taking a cold shower before bed may be less beneficial for a good night's sleep, and better saved for shocking yourself awake on a sluggish morning.

On the other hand, enduring a blast of cold water will definitely keep you focused on the present moment (brrrrrr!) and likely take your mind off the day’s worries so that when your head hits the pillow it will be free of stress—that thing that often keeps us awake.

Ultimately, the choice between a hot or cold shower before bed depends on what helps you relax and promotes better sleep. Experiment with both options to see how your body responds and adjust your routine accordingly. A lukewarm shower can also be a middle ground that provides some benefits of both hot and cold showers without excessive stimulation or temperature extremes.

How long before bed should you take a cold shower?

If you do decide to experiment with a cold shower before bed, remember that it's recommended to allow your body to cool down and reach a comfortable temperature before hitting the hay. Here are some things to consider when determining the best timing for your cold shower:

• Cooling down period: Your body needs time to return to a comfortable temperature after a cold shower, which can take around 30 minutes to an hour.
• Personal comfort: Gauge your own comfort levels and preferences. Some people may feel relaxed and ready for sleep immediately after a cold shower, while others may require additional time to unwind and adjust to the temperature change.
• Bedtime routine: Incorporate the cold shower into your bedtime routine and allow enough time after the shower to engage in calming activities such as reading or stretching.

As a general guideline, taking a cold shower 1-2 hours before bedtime can be helpful. However, find a timing that works best for your personal sleep routine. Remember that individual responses to cold showers and sleep can vary, so experiment and adjust the timing to find what works best for you.

So, which is it? Hot or cold for better sleep?

Like most things, it depends on you and your body.

The benefits of hydrotherapy have been known for centuries, since the ancient Greeks and then the Romans turned to thermal cures for their healing properties.  So, experiment. Test out both cold and hot showers to see which one works best for you.

You likely can’t go wrong with a warm (or hot) shower about 90 minutes before bedtime. Plus, there’s more science to back up the positive effects of warm or hot baths or showers on sleep.

In terms of health benefits, taking a cold shower for up to 5 minutes 2 to 3 times per week has been shown to relieve symptoms of depression. The cold water sends many electrical impulses to your brain and triggers the release of mood-boosting hormones, including endorphins, which can elicit feelings of optimism, well-being, and feeling more in control. Something we could all use more of these days.

If you want to try a cold shower, start slow. You can start with a warm shower and end with a few seconds of cold water, building up to a minute or more. Just don’t do it right after a meal, when your body is busy digesting your food.

Bottom line: Everyone has a different response to water temperature, so go with your personal preference. Whichever temperature you choose, taking an evening shower has many benefits … one of which is simply being clean when you get into bed.