Benefits of bathing before going to bed
Dr. Vipul Gupta - Head of the Department of Neurointerventional Surgery and Head of the Stroke Department, Artemis Hospital, Gurugram (India) - said that several studies have shown that bathing before going to bed not only helps improve sleep quality but also brings a number of other benefits, including:
Improve sleep quality.
Increase blood flow in the body.
Reduces fatigue throughout the day.
Reduces acne and skin allergies as various particles, dirt, sweat and oils of the day are removed during bathing.
Relax your body and mind.
In addition, it also helps you purify mentally, physically and spiritually.
Water temperature level when bathing
According to Dr Aditya Chowti, Senior Consultant - Internal Medicine, Fortis Hospital (Cunningham Road, Bengaluru, India), while some people prefer warm water baths, others prefer cold water. However, taking a warm bath for a period of time is better as it helps if you are tired or have muscle pain. It also helps your muscles relax and relieves pain.
Agreeing, Dr Gupta added that this depends on the weather conditions, as on hot and humid days, people prefer to take cold showers before going to bed while in winters, most people prefer hot showers to relax their mind and body, dispelling fatigue.
Sharing about the benefits of both hot and cold baths, Dr. Gupta said: “Hot baths help relax muscles, open pores, improve sleep...; cold baths help increase alertness, reduce hair loss, reduce stress levels, increase blood circulation...”.
Time to take a bath before going to bed
To protect your health, doctors recommend that you take a bath 1-2 hours before going to bed. Studies have also shown that taking a bath at this time can help you relax and improve your sleep quality.
Because when you take a bath, your body temperature increases and then drops when you get out of the water. This drop in body temperature can calm your nerves and help you fall into a deeper sleep more easily.
Additionally, bathing too close to bedtime can make you feel more awake, especially if you bathe in water that is too cold or too hot, which can make it difficult to relax and prepare for sleep.
