You should end your shower with cold water to improve your sleep, research suggests

22 June 2021, 13:41 | Updated: 22 June 2021, 14:07

This cold water shower trick could help you to wake up in the morning.

There’s nothing like a warm shower to wake you up in the morning, but it turns out your pre-work routine could actually be making you more tired.

In fact, it's been reported that stepping out of hot water into cool air can leave you feeling sleepy instead of energised.

According to Business Insider, this is because it causes a sudden drop in body temperature and relaxes your muscles.

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Instead, you should end your showers with a burst of cold water, then hot and cold water again.

So, just before you’re about to get out of the shower, put the cold water on for 30 seconds and then turn it back to hot, before turning it cold one last time.

This is called 'Hot-and-cold hydrotherapy' and is often used by athletes to help them recover from tiredness.

According to research, immersing yourself in cold water has been linked to increased tolerance to stress, a stronger immune system and anti-depressant effects.

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This comes after another sleep expert has revealed the health benefits of showering in the morning.

Mona Gohara, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine, said: “A morning shower allows for time to meditate and regroup before starting a long or hectic day.

“This mindfulness can decrease inflammation in the skin by keeping levels of a hormone called cortisol capped.”

But if you like to shower in the evening, Nancy Rothstein, who calls herself The Sleep Ambassador, previously told Fox News this can also have its advantages.

“When you get into bed, you should feel clean,” she said, continuing: “You’ve been out and about all day - why would you want to get into bed like that?

“A nighttime shower is an integral part of your ‘preparing for bed’ routine. It’s time for you - no phone, no emails, just the luxury of fresh, warm water flowing over your body. Call it an opportunity to shower yourself with mindfulness!”

Apparently, lukewarm water is ideal because it relaxes the body but means you won’t overheat in bed.