Better sleep, reduced anxiety, and enhanced mindfulness. These are just some of the benefits promised of a ‘dark shower’.
The latest wellness trend is pretty simple: you take a shower at night, with the lights firmly off.
While the concept itself is not new, with dozens of people online claiming to have sworn by this routine for years, it’s currently experiencing a boom in popularity, thanks to a growing number of viral videos on TikTok.
The approach varies person to person, but some of the basic principles of a dark shower include:
- Keeping light to an absolute minimum (ideally relying on one small candle or night light).
- Not playing music or any noise of any kind.
- Attempting to clear your mind of all thoughts, focusing solely on the art of showering.
How can a ‘dark shower’ be good for your mental health?
While there’s no strong scientific research on the health benefits of a dark shower in particular, Dr Suzanne Wylie, GP and medical adviser for IQdoctor, did tell Metro: ‘A dark shower may support mental wellbeing is through reducing sensory stimulation.
‘Many people are under near-constant sensory and cognitive load: bright lights, screens, noise and information all keep the brain in a more alert, stress-responsive state.
Therefore, a dark, quiet, calming shower could have a ‘positive impact on the nervous system.’
Moreover, there may also be an effect on sleep and circadian rhythm. ‘Bright light suppresses melatonin, the hormone involved in preparing the body for sleep,’ says Dr Suzanne.
‘Without visual distractions, people tend to focus more on physical sensations, the sound of the water, the warmth on the skin, their breathing,’ she adds.
As someone whose nervous system is always on high alert, meaning falling asleep can often be a difficult challenge, I thought I’d put dark showers to the test myself.
‘A surprisingly stressful experience’
For as long as I can remember, showers have exclusively been part of my morning routine. In order to wake me up, my shower is hot, and over-stimulating.
With the big light on at 6am, I switch on my speaker and play a loop of Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull hits while I loofah.
My shower time is basically the equivalent to a July session at Ibiza Rocks.
So, switching to dark showers for a week was quite the adjustment.
It started well. I wound down for the evening, finishing my dinner and reading by candlelight, all very ‘Little Women’ of me.
By 8pm it was pitch black outside, so I popped a small tea light in the corner of the bathroom and got into the shower.
Do you ever shower in the dark?
-
Yes
-
No
But almost immediately, the tealight faded into nothingness, plunging me into total darkness.
It meant I needed to squint closely at my identical shampoo and conditioner to make sure I was using the correct one. At one, point, in steamy confusion, I slathered a hefty handful of mango body butter onto my roots.
And oddly, despite having used this shower 1,000 times before, I kept forgetting which way to twist the knob to stop the water from scalding me.
Although Dr Suzanne explains that dark showers could help some individuals ‘shift their body away from a ‘fight or flight’ response, towards a more relaxed, restorative state,’ I found myself nervous an intruder would see the dark house and presume no-one was home.
Feeling pretty vulnerable, I showered at record speed, slowly climbing out (almost twisting my ankle on my bath mat) and opening the door to be greeted by the warm glow of the light in the hallway. My anxiety thrived in the darkness.
So, the next night I tried to approach my dark shower with a slightly more calming mindset.
I swapped the small candle for a proper nightlight, and tried to focus on the hot water and the quiet – concentrating on the simple actions of washing my hair and body.
It was nice, there’s no doubt about it. But still, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d likely reach a much more calm and mindful state if I was just sat in bed journalling or watching a comfort show.
I don’t doubt that a dark shower could feel totally transformative to some people, but for me it felt like more of a hassle than an at-home spa.
One surprising benefit
I’ve never personally suffered from insomnia or any significant sleep disorder, but I do often struggle to turn my brain off. And, on the nights I finished my evening with a dark shower, I drifted off much quicker than I have in a long time.
Zoe Gotts, consultant clinical psychologist at the London Sleep Clinic, suggests this is likely because ‘bright bathroom lighting late at night can send a subtle signal to the brain that it’s still daytime’
She continues: ‘Showering in low light may help avoid that extra “alerting” input and support the body’s natural wind-down into night mode.’
‘A dark or dimly lit shower reduces visual stimulation, and when you combine that with warmth and the steady rhythm of water, it can help some people feel more settled in their body.
‘For others, it’s less about biology and more about routine. Having a calm, low-stimulus shower can act as a clear signal that the day is ending, which can reduce the build-up of pre-bed anxiety that so many people with insomnia experience.’
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
