Why experts think we should all be showering in the dark

A growing number of young people are opting to ‘dark shower’, saying it helps them to de-stress and sleep better. Lydia Spencer-Elliott dims the lights and puts it to the test

Dark showers: Experts say a candlelit bathe before bed could be the answer to an easier night’s sleep (Getty Images)

To shower in the morning or shower at night – it’s one of the great daily routine debates. Chat to those who stand in the former camp and they’ll say the AM spritz under the shower head leaves them energised, alert and ready for the morning. Meanwhile, the PM apologists enthuse over sliding under their duvets sans the dirt of the day. Elsewhere, the greedy among us do both – and have the soaring water bills to show for it.

In the UK, 42 per cent of us opt to shower in the morning, with the most popular times sitting at 7.45am and 7.54am. But as the number of us struggling to sleep skyrockets, with many people turning to magnesium or melatonin supplements for help, could it be that we’d be better off taking a soothing shower in the evening instead?

If you’re already half asleep after dinner, this could sound counterintuitive. Why wake yourself up with bright lights and blasting water when you could simply roll into bed? Well, the internet has the answer to this: dark showers, which are exactly what they sound like. Rather than turning the big light on, which is so stark and oppressive to the eyes that the chronically online have taken to calling it “homophobic”, young people are opting to turn the lights off completely when they shower after 5pm.

“It is one of the most healing experiences I’ve ever had,” raves one TikTok user. “I know showering in the dark sounds scary and unsafe, but trust me, you cannot bash it until you’ve tried it. I just had an out-of-body healing experience,” she claims. I try it and, while I don’t feel like I’ve ascended, I definitely do feel the type of calm you might experience post spa treatment or meditation. It’s undeniably cosy and comforting.

There are a billion wellness trends that have originated on social media, many of which have been proven to be complete nonsense – but this one actually has some surprisingly scientific legs. “In terms of sleep, studies have shown that taking a warm shower or bath before bed can help improve sleep quality and reduce time taken to fall asleep,” explains Dr Allie Hare, a sleep medicine consultant at Royal Brompton Hospital.

“This is likely to relate to the effect of the warm shower on reducing core body temperature, a key signal for sleep onset,” she adds. “Taking a shower under dim light conditions may also help to signal to the body that it is time for sleep because dim light is a signal for the release of one of the key hormones for sleep, melatonin.” Well, well, well. Look at that. Maybe you can put the supplements down after all.

And the pros don’t stop there. “Experiencing showering in the dark or dim light can support relaxation through mindful enjoyment of the experience,” Hare explains of the meditative side of dark showers. “This can help with winding down and switching off before bedtime, which can also help individuals fall asleep more easily.”

Soothing: Candles and low lighting can stimulate melatonin while harsh sources of light signal the brain to be alert (Getty Images)

If you want to really up the ante with the at-home spa energy, Hare even recommends incorporating fragrances like lavender in your shower gel or oils to enhance the sensory experience of your dark shower and further aid relaxation. “Gentle music can also help calm the mind, although some will find the sound of the water sufficiently relaxing in itself,” she adds. Read: no blasting out Beyoncé when you’re trying to wind down.

A word of warning before giving this a try: Clear the area of hazards. There is nothing calming or meditative about a dark shower if the practice sends you tumbling towards the bathroom floor in a naked heap. It’s a dark shower – not a pitch-black shower. And the experts advise always having at least one candle or alternative source of low light in the room to avoid complete darkness. “Dim lights will not interrupt the experience,” Hare assures, “but they can help to avoid accidents!”

Modern life is always encouraging us to do multiple things at once. So much so that you can even buy iPhone holders and wine glass stands to go in your shower on Amazon. You know, just in case you’re so scared to be alone with your own thoughts that you need a Netflix series and a bottle of Pét-Nat on hand to get through a 10-minute rinse.

In an era of maximising every minute, dark showering taps into a ritual of mindful bathing (snāna) that goes back as far as the Ayurveda system of medicine, which originated in India as far back as 5,000 years ago. So, dark showers are less of a passing trend and more of a return to a ritual designed to balance the mind, body and spirit with our environment. It might sound a bit woo-woo, but at a time when 73 per cent of us reported experiencing anxiety in the last fortnight, it could be just what we need.

“Showers in low light won’t solve severe or persistent sleep issues on their own,” says Dr Clare Rooms, clinical lead for Insomnia at Boots Online Doctor, “but they can be a helpful part of a relaxing pre-bed routine.” Plus, if you’re one of millions of renters living with mould spreading across your ceilings thanks to your landlord’s nonchalance, a dark shower could offer a break from reality in more ways than one. Enjoy.