--- title: Showering in the Dark: Benefits for Sleep and Anxiety description: Can showering in the dark help you fall asleep faster and ease anxiety? Sleep and mental-health experts weigh in on the viral trend. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/03/10/showering-in-the-dark-benefits/ author: Angela Haupt article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-03-10T18:15:51.146Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-10T18:15:55.097Z article:section: Health og:title: The Surprising Benefits of Showering in the Dark og:description: The steamiest trend on TikTok is all about darkness. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/03/10/showering-in-the-dark-benefits/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbafbd063508fe871/69b054f7caac9971a7ea51e5/OSC_Water.png?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2400 og:image:height: 1350 og:image:alt: OSC Water.png og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Surprising Benefits of Showering in the Dark twitter:description: The steamiest trend on TikTok is all about darkness. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbafbd063508fe871/69b054f7caac9971a7ea51e5/OSC_Water.png?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Surprising Benefits of Showering in the Dark > Sponsored content. 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Health Matters is TIME's daily health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free daily newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators.  by [Angela Haupt](https://time.com/author/angela-haupt/)  ## Angela Haupt Mar 10, 2026 6:15 PM UTC  Photo illustration by TIME (Source: Valentin Rusu via Canva)  by [Angela Haupt](https://time.com/author/angela-haupt/)  ## Angela Haupt Mar 10, 2026 6:15 PM UTC We’re not going to keep you in the dark about the internet’s favorite new way to unwind. [Across TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/discover/showering-in-dark) and other social-media platforms, people are dimming their bathroom lights for a spa-like, sensory-filled shower. They claim it eases them into a relaxed state, curbs anxiety, and helps them fall asleep faster. “We live in an overstimulated world—it’s very hard to create spaces where we can just _be_,” says Robi Ludwig, a psychotherapist in New York. “When something is accessible to everybody and has a healing impact, it has the opportunity to be very popular or take on that trend status.” We asked experts to shed some light on the trend. ## **Why people love it** People generally take a warm, dark shower shortly before going to bed. There are a variety of reasons why this one small tweak can feel surprisingly powerful. For one, dim light protects the brain's nighttime biology, says Julie Kolzet, a psychologist and behavioral sleep-medicine specialist in New York. “Bright, even indoor lighting can suppress melatonin, the hormone that signals nighttime to the body,” she says. By taking a dark shower, you’ll help reinforce your body’s internal clock, giving your brain the signal that it’s time to wind down. Plus, warm water—which is a key part of the trend—increases blood flow to the skin, so when you step out of the shower, the body cools slightly. That helps trigger the normal drop in core body temperature that promotes sleep onset. “The cooling process typically begins two hours before bedtime, signaling the brain that it's time to release melatonin and induce sleepiness,” Kolzet says. “By taking a warm shower or bath, you're hastening that process.” **Read More:**[_How Much Do You Actually Need to Shower?_](https://time.com/6999556/how-often-should-you-shower/) Spending time in an environment as soothing and stress-free as a shower can also double as a form of mindfulness. Instead of replaying your to-do list or tomorrow’s conversations, you’re focusing on the sound of the water and the warmth on your skin. That shift can help pull your brain out of rumination and into the present moment. “A dim-light shower can be a soft attentional anchor—there’s less visual input and fewer cues to problem-solve or plan,” Kolzet says. “The sensory input lends itself nicely to an informal kind of mindfulness.” ## **How to make it part of your routine** Approach dark showering as a gentle addition to your evening, not a dramatic lifestyle reset. Here’s how to make it feel supportive rather than stressful: ### **Pair it with existing habits** Spend some time reflecting on what you already do within 60 to 90 minutes of bedtime that could pair nicely with a dark shower. For example, Ludwig suggests stretching, drinking tea, or journaling. The key is to attach it to something that already feels natural, rather than trying to overhaul your entire nighttime routine at once. “Start with something that’s really manageable so that you can feel that sense of success, and it doesn’t feel overwhelming,” she says. ### **Track whether it helps you** To figure out whether dark showering is actually improving your nights—not just feeling nice in the moment—pay attention to what happens after you turn off the water. Ludwig recommends treating it like a small personal experiment. Ask yourself these questions: “Before bedtime, how long does it take you to fall asleep? What’s your evening stress level? How many times do you wake up during the night? And what’s your energy like in the morning?” Keeping track of those markers for a week or two can help you see whether the shift is translating into better rest, she says. ### **Make it feel fun or deliberate** Adding a splash of sensory elements can level up your dark shower. If you don’t have a dimmer switch, don’t worry: a candle placed safely away from the water, a small night-light, LED color-changing bulbs, or even the soft glow from a nearby hallway can create the low-light effect, Ludwig says. If your bathroom has a window, moonlight may provide enough illumination on its own. Some people enjoy using aromatic shower steams (she likes lavender and chamomile) and turn relaxing music on Bluetooth speakers. It’s also fun to treat yourself to a sumptuous robe. Another of Ludwig’s favorite tips: Create a no-phone rule for your bathroom, so you can use your dark shower to be fully present rather than thumbing through X and dropping down the rabbit hole of yet another crisis. It’s also a good time to practice an easy deep-breathing exercise: inhale for four seconds and exhale for six, letting your shoulders drop as the warm water runs. “Figure out what would give you that spa-like, special experience, because this is a way to engage in self-love,” Ludwig says. “The bathroom really can be a zen place. 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