If you’re struggling to fall asleep, take a warm shower before bed to trick your body into sleepy mode. Here’s how…
Decrease your core body temperature
A recent study revealed that body temperature helps keep your internal clock in sync. Researchers found a light sensitive area of the brain known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) that acts as our ‘master clock’. When bedtime looms, it sends out neural signals to lower our core temperature.
A warm shower will briefly raise your temperature, but once you step out of the steamy bathroom into your cooler bedroom your body temperature will drop. This prepares the body for sleep, by inducing processes such as melatonin production.
Relax the body and mind
A warm shower is a great way to unwind. The warm water relaxes your joints and muscles because your blood vessels dilate. This improves circulation, allowing more blood and oxygen to flow throughout your body.
Warm showers are also great for stiff necks and shoulder pain. Try doing some gentle neck and shoulder rolls in the shower to loosen the muscles.
Get it right
If your shower is too hot, you risk raising your temperature too high, which will speed up your metabolism and make it difficult to fall asleep. Cold showers before bedtime are not a good idea either. It does offer positive health benefits, but your body will try to raise its core temperature following the shock of the cold water.
There you have it, happy showering, happy sleep times. 😉