Kit Roberts
A bizarre showering trend could help with how you sleep, according to wellness experts.
When it comes to trouble sleeping, few things have affected humans for quite so long.
Whether it's modern problems like doomscrolling until 3am or slightly more prehistoric ones like worrying that predators will carry you off in the depths of the night, we've always seemed to worry about getting enough shut-eye.
But now one practice could apparently help you to get relaxed in the evening, though it's perhaps not in a room in the house that you might expect.
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That's because it takes place in the bathroom and while that might sound counterintuitive, some experts have claimed that it could actually help you to drift off.
This is 'dark showering'.
No, it isn't a Star Wars villain who is the nemesis of Light Showering, or the bathing version of dark fantasy, dark academia, or dark matter.
It's actually just more or less what it sounds like - showering in the dark.
The idea is that it acts as a form of sensory deprivation.
You're removing yourself from distractions like overhead lights or phones - though who's looking at their phone in the shower?
On second thought, maybe don't answer that.
But the light aspect makes sense, after all, the cold, unforgiving glare of an overhead bathroom light is hardly conducive to a relaxing atmosphere, hence the popularity of scented candles when taking a luxurious bath.
Reddit users have called the experience of dark showering 'amazing' and highly 'therapeutic', while the trend also appears to be gaining some traction on TikTok.
Shalin Balasuriya, a wellness expert and co-founder of Spa Ceylon, told Glamour: “This practice taps into something profound: it’s rooted not only in modern science but also resonates with Ayurveda, which has spoken about mindful bathing (snāna) and ritualised self-care for over 5,000 years.
“Far from a passing fad, dark showering embodies a time-honoured approach to using water, aromas, and touch to balance body, mind, and spirit.”
Clinical psychologist Dr Rachel Ray also suggested that the practice could be beneficial, calling dark showering 'a simple, sensory ritual designed to help you reset, reconnect, and return to yourself when the world won’t slow down,' and 'nervous system care that meets you where you are'.
Meanwhile, Dr Allie Hare, a consultant in sleep medicine, added: “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 of sleep, melatonin.”
It certainly makes sense in theory - the sound of the water can be very relaxing in the dark.
Just make sure you have some small light source, as the indignity of going head over heels in a dark shower while soaping yourself would be a little less than relaxing.