Taking a shower in the morning or at night is a habit that polarizes people. On the one hand, we find those who do not conceive the beginning of the day without an energizing shower, while other people are not able to sleep without having one at night to free them from the tensions experienced throughout the day.
The truth is that, according to a recently published study, dermatologists have different opinions about it. In the following article, we will review the pros and cons of taking a shower in the morning or at night, and which is the best option.
The importance of good personal hygiene
Many of the primary and essential processes for the proper functioning of our body result in the release of toxins and residual substances that the body expels in various ways.
Sweat and urine are some of the waste that our body generates internally and expels outward. As a consequence of this, our skin is covered by these substances and eliminating them is essential to avoid the proliferation of bacteria or microorganisms that can affect health.
Having a shower once a day avoids skin infections
This is the reason why it is essential to have good personal hygiene and shower once a day approximately, as the dermatologists recommend. It is advisable to take one in the morning or at night briefly, without spending more than 10 minutes and with warm water, to avoid the irritation of the skin.
Moreover, the use of chemical gels or soaps with a pH very different from the one of our skin (neutral pH) is the cause of a lot of infectious pathologies, bacterial decompensation, dehydration, and dry skin.
That is why it is recommended to use soap only in the parts that have been more exposed to sweat like the armpits, the intimate areas or the feet, as long as you choose to take a shower a day. If you decide to take not to take one every day, using soap on all your body is the best thing to do.
Is it better to shower in the morning or at night?
Now, is the time we decide to take a shower important? The truth is that showering in the morning or at night has its drawbacks and benefits, depending on the type of person and their psychophysiological needs.
Below we will explain some of the pros of taking a shower in the morning or at night, and the type of person recommended to take a shower first thing in the morning, or on the contrary, at the end of the day.
Advantages of taking a shower in the morning
Those who cannot stand getting up early and it is difficult for them to get up, the best way of doing it is with a shower in the morning. This is what the psychologist, Janet Kennedy, said in an article published on The New Your Times.
Kennedy explains that there are more evening than morning people and that it is to the latter that health professionals recommend showering in the morning. This is because the water increases the level of alertness of the person, helps regulate body temperature and breaks the sleep cycle in which we immerse ourselves while sleeping.
In addition, as we have previously said, during the night the organism performs multiple cellular regeneration processes that create organic waste expelled through sweat. These substances accumulate throughout the hours of sleep, and it is necessary to remove them from the skin.
The pros of taking a shower at night
People with problems of falling asleep are on the opposite side. For these people, a nice warm shower 1 hour before going to sleep will reduce the insomnia of conciliation and will help them rest adequately.
This is because taking a shower at night with warm water helps to increase the body temperature which, on multiple occasions and due to the processes associated with the circadian rhythm, goes down too much. This leaves the body with less temperature than necessary for a good rest and makes it work more to increase a few degrees.
Tensions and stress accumulated throughout the day are also factors that make people unable to sleep well. A shower at night can have a calming and relaxing effect since it allows people to switch off from the routine and end the day in a pleasant way.
What do dermatologists recommend?
The truth is that health professionals have quite divergent opinions. While some focus their attention on promoting good rest for the person, others do it to prevent injuries and skin irritation.
It is important to highlight an important inconvenience of not showering in the morning: the sheets are impregnated with sweat and dead particles that we give off throughout the night. Because bedding is usually changed once a week, sleeping in that tissue makes it necessary to take a quick shower in the morning to remove that waste from the skin.
However, there is the option of having one at night and in the morning as long as they are short, with warm water and with the use of soaps with neutral pH. Despite this, many dermatologists recommend doing it only once a day.
- Original article in viviendolasalud.com: ¿Ducharse por la mañana o por la noche? Pros y contras