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What’s better than hitting the shower after a long day — or night? It’s a time when you get to take care of yourself, tune out from the busy world, maybe tune in to your favorite music or podcast, and get some alone time, even if it’s short-lived. Whether you tend to take your shower in the morning or at night (or both), we are outlining what makes each time of day the right time of day.
AM shower:
Even after a good night’s sleep, you never know how rested you’ll feel in the morning. If you decide to take your shower in the AM, waiting can backfire, especially if you end up hitting snooze one too many times! Still, keeping on top of your hygiene is the priority, and so what are some of the ways you’ll be doing yourself a favor?
You’ve been shedding
Taking your shower first thing in the morning has several benefits, and that includes one of the most important — washing off the dead skin cells that have accumulated overnight! While we sleep, parts of the body are still “awake,” so to speak, and one of the things that happens is the shedding of hundreds of thousands of dead skin (and hair) cells. A morning scrub is the perfect opportunity to rid your body of these sheddings — not to mention sweat and dust mites!
Who needs coffee?
A morning shower — especially if you choose to bathe at a cooler temperature — is the perfect pick-me-up! The water has a way of waking you up and giving you the energy you need to start your day, even if you haven’t sipped your coffee yet. Along with improved circulation and oxygen, stress decreases, as a result.
Body armor
Washing up with a morning shower helps your immune system. According to science, cold morning showers stimulate the production of white blood cells in your body, which are key to fighting off illness.
Relaxation
If a cold shower isn’t your thing, and you prefer to ease into the day and wake up with your coffee post-shower, a warmer morning shower is good for releasing any tension from your muscles. Of course, this works day or night, but starting your day without stress or tension provides you with a clean slate, so you’re not burdening yourself before you even power on your computer!
PM shower:
What about at the end of the day? Some of us cannot fathom getting into bed without washing off the day’s...stuff. So, we make a beeline to the bathroom, and end up feeling so fresh and so clean once we are done.
Pre-slumber cleanse
Aside from the obvious need to wash away the dirt and dust you’ve encountered throughout the day, a PM shower is the perfect metaphorical lullaby in that, assuming you use warm or hot water, you’ll start to unwind and relax after a busy day on the go. Along with the pleasant scents and suds, the combination of getting clean and washing your stress down the drain is unmatched.
Get up and go!
Not only are there benefits to being relaxed and making an easy transition to falling asleep, your nighttime routine shaves off some time the next morning, giving you a little extra room to hit the snooze button! If you don’t need the extra Zzzs, that extra time can be put to good use with increased meal-prep time, added time with the family, or even putting in time for a quick meditation or light walk!
At the end of the day (or beginning), there really is no wrong or right answer — no one-size-fits-all rule. It all comes down to personal habits and preferences, and these are things that can change from day to day. You may decide to take a PM shower one day, AM shower the next, and two showers the following day! The bottom line is just to make sure that you are showering and that you’re in a routine that suits your needs and overall wellbeing. Happy showering!