Doctor finally settles the debate: Is it better to shower in the morning or the evening?

A doctor has revealed the best time of day to take a shower.

Dr Jason Singh, a primary care physician in Virginia, posted a video on TikTok this week discussing whether it’s best to shower in the morning or the evening.

About two-thirds of Americans report taking a shower every day, but the best time of day has been fiercely debated. 

However, Dr Singh said that evening showers reign supreme by improving sleep quality, washing away pollutants, and hydrating dry skin.

Morning showers, however, can still eliminate grime and promote better hygiene. 

More than two-thirds of Americans report showering every day, but whether it’s better to do it in the morning versus at night has been fiercely debated 

‘Overall, nighttime showers have more benefits to them, but a morning shower has really one benefit, and that’s better hygiene,’ Dr Singh said in the video, which has more than 688,000 views. 

He said that a warm shower triggers the release of melatonin, a hormone that tells the body it’s time to sleep.

In the hours before bedtime, the body naturally cools down, which promotes sleep. Taking a warm shower and then drying off mimics that process. 

‘As you towel off, your body cools down to the appropriate temperature,’ Dr Singh said. ‘These two things, when combined, transition into better sleep.’ 

A 2019 meta-analysis of 17 studies found that taking an evening shower between 104 and 108.5 degrees Fahrenheit led to better sleep quality.

Opting for a shower closer to bedtime can also make you feel cleaner before getting under the covers. ‘Showering at night helps to wash away the entire day’s grime, be it an environmental pollutant, sweat, or mysterious odors,’ Dr Singh said. 

In the morning, you’re less likely to have as many germ-filled contaminants lurking in your skin. 

Those with dry skin or conditions like acne and eczema could also benefit from getting clean in the evening.

Showering at night can promote the production of sleep hormone melatonin and keep skin hydrated, Dr Singh said.

These conditions deplete the skin of natural moisture. Showering can help replenish that moisture, and those effects last longer at night because that is when skin cells repair themselves. 

‘If you’re prone to dry skin or sensitive skin, then showering at night is a better way to help hydrate your skin,’ Dr Singh said. 

However, a morning shower still has benefits. Even during the night, skin still accumulates bacteria and other germs as it sweats and sheds skin cells. Showering in the morning can still eliminate some of those contaminants, Dr Singh said.  

‘We know your body can accumulate some germs such as bacteria and fungus through processes like swearing and shedding skin cells,’ he said.

‘The byproduct of these creates an odor, and so morning showers cleanse the bacteria and skin secretions that have built up, bringing the skin microbiome to a more hygienic baseline. ‘