Top dermatologists agree that a daily shower, whether in the morning or evening, is all that is necessary to maintain personal hygiene and good health. However, if you choose one over the other, your judgmental peers may label you a pig.
Dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic Alok Vij, M.D., tells Nexstar that “if you question a hundred different doctors, you’re going to receive a hundred different responses.” However, “in many circumstances, it’s more a matter of personal choice.”
But Vij says he thinks there’s a “definitive” answer to the question of whether it’s better to shower in the morning or the evening in terms of general hygiene, though he added that his response is qualified in various ways.
To paraphrase what Vij said: “I think it’s vital to shower before bed if you’ve gotten dirty or obviously soiled or if you’ve used any type of chemical spray – an insect repellent, sunscreen, anything with perfumes or chemical additions.” “If you haven’t, if you’ve been living a clean life and you didn’t work out … there’s not necessarily a better time to shower.”
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Mayo Clinic dermatologist Dr. Dawn Marie Davis believes that a shower is necessary if the skin has become “dirty, itchy, or sweaty.”
To help remove irritants from the skin and aid in sleep hygiene, “certain patients with sensitive skin, and notably those with atopic dermatitis (eczema).”
Patients with eczema or psoriasis may get relief from itching by taking a shower at night before using topical treatments, as suggested by Vij. (Vij notes that mild moisturizers and topical medicines can be left on the skin overnight).
However, leading dermatologists have some bad news for those who believe a pre-bedtime shower will guarantee spotless sheets: No matter how often you wash, your bed is going to be full of perspiration and dead skin cells.
According to a WebMD article examined by dermatologists, the average individual loses almost half a billion dead skin cells daily. According to Vij, that’s one gram or more every time you go to bed.
In addition, you lose roughly 26 gallons of water each year from perspiration while you sleep. While Vij says the sweat itself is sterile, it often interacts with oils or proteins on the outer layer of the epidermis, which can provide a breeding environment for germs.
“[Those skin cells and bacteria] are going to sit there until you wash your sheets,” adds Vij, who advises washing bed linens every two weeks at the absolute least, and every week for people who perspire heavily while sleeping or have sensitive skin.
He also recommends washing pillows every six months.
Researchers point out that a person’s waking and sleeping habits are also significant factors in determining the optimal time for a shower.
Many proponents of morning showers have remarked that showering earlier in the day wakes them up, and polls appear to back up their assertions. Eighty-one percent of people who took part in a Sleep Foundation poll in 2022 and who took morning showers said that doing so helped them get their day started on the right foot. A second self-reported 2023 poll found that those who bathed in the morning reported feeling more productive and energized at work than people who washed at night.
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Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin evaluated data from more than a dozen sleep studies and found that taking a warm bath or shower at least an hour before bedtime helped the body regulate temperature and fall asleep more quickly.
As Vij puts it, “It’s all about making yourself feel as good as possible when you’re presenting yourself to the world,” adding that a good night’s sleep also helps with one’s outward manner. If that means getting clean before bed or taking a shower first thing in the morning, then by all means!
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