Taking a warm bath or shower before bedtime can significantly improve your sleep quality and help you fall asleep faster. A systematic review of the research found that bathing in 104-109°F (40-42.5°C) water for as little as 10 minutes, 1-2 hours before bed, can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep by an average of 10 minutes.
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A warm bath’s sleep-promoting benefits come from how it impacts your core body temperature. Your body naturally cools down by about 1°F (0.5 °C) before bed, signalling it’s time to sleep. A warm bath enhances this natural temperature regulation process.
The hot water causes blood vessels to dilate, increasing blood flow to your hands and feet. This draws heat away from your core. Then, as you exit the tub, your body cools down more rapidly, mimicking the natural pre-sleep temperature drop. The optimal timing of 90 minutes before bed allows enough cooldown time. Bathing too close to bedtime doesn’t provide sufficient time for this temperature decrease.
Research
Research shows that a nightly warm bath can provide immediate sleep benefits, with the effects potentially increasing over time with consistent practice. Along with reducing the time to fall asleep, bathing has been shown to increase sleep efficiency (the per cent of the time spent asleep), slow-wave sleep, and self-rated sleep quality.
Tips
If you don’t want or have time for a full bath, studies indicate that even bathing just your feet in warm water can help promote sleepiness and improve sleep quality by lowering your core temperature. Passive body heating appears effective through full-body immersion or more localized warming.
Some caveats to keep in mind
A warm bath 90 minutes before bed can unlock more restful, efficient sleep. By tapping into your body’s natural temperature rhythms, this accessible practice can make falling asleep easier and elevate your overall sleep quality. If you’re looking for a natural way to get more and better sleep, a nightly pre-bed bath is well worth trying.
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