Does taking a bath before bedtime improve sleep?

In the quest for a good night’s sleep, we often find ourselves exploring unconventional avenues, and one such soothing ritual is the humble bath. The age-old practice of bathing before bedtime has been touted as a remedy for relaxation and improved sleep quality. But is there any merit to this widely embraced bedtime routine? In this exploration, I delve into the intriguing relationship between taking a bath and its potential impact on our sleep patterns.

The concept of a pre-sleep soak isn’t just about cleanliness; it’s about creating a serene transition from the hustle of the day to a tranquil night’s rest. I regularly measure my sleep quality with various home remedies and products for getting better sleep, and now it’s time to delve into the warm waters of the nighttime bath.

Methodology

Using an Apple Watch, I measured my sleep quality for one night where I showered before bedtime and one night with a 30-minute bedtime bath. During my bedtime bath, I used a lavender-scented bath bomb to help me relax.

I kept my caffeine intake and activity levels consistent across both days. I started my bedtime wind-down at midnight and entered bed between 12:30am and 1am each night. I woke up with my alarm at 8:30am every morning.

Sleep quality is measured based on the amount of sleep in each sleep stage. Time in REM (Rapid Eye Motion) sleep and deep sleep contributes to a higher sleep score while time awake lowers the sleep score. The full details behind the sleep score can be found here.

Results

Sleep after Shower (Control)

Sleep after Bath

Trial	Awake (Mins)	REM (Mins)	Core (Mins)	Deep (Mins)
Control	30	95	289	52
Bath	8	92	287	42

The bedtime bath treatment resulted in a moderately improved sleep score of 126 compared to a normal sleep score of 117. The increase came from a decrease in the time awake. REM and deep sleep both decreased moderately.

Discussion

Though I had high hopes for this bedtime routine, I found that the impact wasn’t as large as I had expected. Both REM and deep sleep decreased moderately, though not in a significant way. I did find that my time awake decreased. Typically, I find myself awake for about 30 minutes every night, which has been relatively consistent across normal days. The decrease in time awake after a bath is promising, but I will continue my quest for anything that can improve my REM and deep sleep.