x
Breaking News
More () »

VERIFY: Is it better to shower at night or in the morning?

Is it better for your body to shower at night or in the morning?

VERIFY QUESTION

It's part of your morning or bedtime routine -- a shower, of course.

We carve out time to take a shower, but are we carving out the best time?

Good Morning Show producer Emily Hodgdon asked us to VERIFY if it's 'better' for your body to take a shower at night or in the morning.

VERIFY SOURCE

To VERIFY, we consulted Dr. John Chewning, a sleep specialist at Novant Health.

VERIFY PROCESS

Dr. Chewning explained there is very little medical research about this topic, but we can look at what we know about circadian rhythms and internal temperature patterns.

Our internal temperature peaks just before bedtime and slowly drops until the early morning hours. So before bed, if you take a shower that is not too hot and allows you to cool quickly, it will enhance your natural decline in body temperature. And, it should help you fall asleep.

On the other hand, a morning shower tends to help wake you up and give you energy.

A dermatologist quoted in Time Magazine says there is something else to consider. When you are out and about during the day, your body and hair collect airborne allergens and irritants. If you go to bed with wet hair, you can damage your hair follicles.

VERIFY CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we verified there are pros and cons to both night and morning showers.

But, night showers are slightly better, especially for people with allergies or trouble sleeping.

Help VERIFY

Help our journalists VERIFY the news. Do you know someone else we should interview for this story? Did we miss anything in our reporting? Is there another story you'd like us to VERIFY? Click here.

Before You Leave, Check This Out