We wanted to understand why showering can have such an impact on our daily lives, prompting inquisitive thoughts, life decisions and imaginary arguments.
To gain a better understanding, we surveyed 1,000 Brits, quizzing them on our common shower habits, and partnered with Molly Pottor, Hypnotherapist and speaker at Outlet 10 Discussions to understand the psychological impact of showering.
Over two thirds of Brits make some of their most important life decisions in the shower
Our data revealed that over 70% of Brits make some of their important life decisions in the shower and often find it the perfect environment to problem solve.
In fact, 20% of Brits find that showering helps them think more clearly, and has aided an impressive 53% in having a breakthrough idea for work or a project while under the steam.
While half of these ideas and decisions turned out to be a success for Brits, one in six admitted that acting on their shower ideas did not work out.
Discussing why people report making their best decisions or have creative ideas while in the shower, Molly comments:
“In a shower there are minimal mental demands made of us and our attention is not forced to attend to any pressing requests, outside which shampoo to use!
“Much like when we go for a walk amongst the greenery of the countryside, this means our focus becomes less ‘forced to focus’ and freer to wander. This free style of thinking (compared to how we think when we are stressed) is expansive, curious, able to consider more things in one go, able to make links and generally more flexible. It’s no wonder, therefore, that our best eureka moments often happen in the shower.”
In fact, one in three respondents agreed that showers are better environments for thinking than other activities like walking or driving.
Money worries are the main concern preoccupying Brits minds as they go about their daily routines
While our minds are free to wander where they wish, there is a recurring place that’s impacting nearly half of Brits. 47% of Brits revealed that they are thinking about money while they wash. Whether it’s personal finances in general (17%), concerning money worries (16%) or household bills (14%), it appears that we can’t quite shake off our stress in a calming environment.
Alongside thoughts of our finances, we also spend our time pondering our relationship status (11%) and one in twenty admit to thinking about their ex. When digging deeper into the data, it turns out that 20% of men are thinking about ex partners, in comparison to only 11.5% of women.
Furthermore, more than one in six (17%) respondents admitted to having imaginary arguments with their partner during shower time.
Along with our partners, it seems Brits like to have it out with their family members (15%), friends (13%) and their boss (8%), attempting to let off steam, in the steam.
Interestingly, Molly explains that the enjoyable physical sensations of the gentle massage of the water, and white noise of the falling water, provides a simplified auditory experience drowning out the outside world, allowing our minds to wander where it chooses.
She adds, “These enjoyable physical sensations can trigger the parasympathetic system - a system that tells anxiety to stand down and indicates it’s OK to rest and relax. That’s why we can crave the experience of a shower after a day of physical action or stress.”
In fact, when quizzing our customer base, over half (55%) felt energised after a shower, with the average shower lasting 5-10 minutes. For many, this short yet effective period is a vital way to start the day, with 57% of respondents showering first thing in the morning as it provides a burst of energy that sets a positive tone for the hours ahead.
Even those of us who consider ourselves to love change and unpredictability, benefit from having the foundation of some routine and a shower can be very much part of this. Easing ourselves in or out of the day with the relatively bland predictability of a shower, provides a gentle wind-up towards the action of the day or a soothing wind-down towards bedtime.
Our shower routines don’t differ from each other either, with over half (54%) of Brits starting their showers by washing their hair, followed by 21% washing their faces. This methodical top to bottom approach removes any need for strict decision-making.
Molly adds, “most of us wash in a routine way which means there is no pressure to make any decisions. This passive certainty is undemanding, helps us feel a sense of control and can be soothing. When routine guides our behaviours, we are usually using just enough of our brain to keep us mindfully engaged in the moment but not so much as to feel in any way pressured. This is a very mentally healthy place to be.”
One in three Brits pee in the shower
While many of us have our routines locked down, some of us like to shave time off other elements of our lives by multi-tasking during our wash time. In fact, one in three (30%) Brits pee while showering, with 65% of men admitting to the habit, and 21% opt for brushing their teeth while under the water.
Peeing in the shower is a much contested topic. Arguably it can save water since it eliminates the need for a separate toilet flush, which typically uses between 1.6 to 7 gallons per flush depending on the toilet's efficiency, but some argue it can have a negative impact on the hygiene of your shower. Despite urine being sterile, improper cleaning of the shower afterward could potentially lead to lingering odours or bacteria growth, especially if someone has a urinary tract infection.
The most effective way to keep your shower and shower tray clean is to spray liberally with a bathroom cleaner and leave for at least 15 minutes before wiping and rinsing.
While many can agree that peeing and singing in the shower are quite liberating activities, 94% of men stated that the shower is the place where they choose to cry. Molly also explains how a shower can trigger our release of several types of hormones, in particular those that might make us feel good.
“Oxytocin – the happiness hormone - can be released when we take a shower. Research has shown that when we are happy, we are more likely to want to connect with others, more likely to be creative and far less likely to feel stress and anxiety. These effects will also contribute to many of the cognitive benefits mentioned above.
“Dopamine – our ‘reward’ hormone - can also be released. If we are drawn to showers regularly and routinely, chances are it is the dopamine that has kept us going back for more! The good news is dopamine is known to enhance mood.
“Serotonin (a mood regulator) and endorphins (our body’s natural painkiller), amongst others, are also released and can contribute to our general feelings of wellbeing.”
Three quarters of Brits clean the shower as they go
According to our survey, 75% of respondents choose to clean the shower while washing themselves, and why not? There’s no risk of getting your clothes wet and steamy walls are easier to clean, while also cutting time off your bathroom cleaning routine.
The best in-shower cleaning tips include:
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Remove the moisture: Wipe down shower walls, floors and doors with a sponge to remove any moisture and reduce the risk of mildew, followed by another wipe with a dry towel to tackle any remaining moisture.
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Clean the tiles: Spray a well-diluted vinegar/water solution over the tiles and leave to dry
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Get stuck in on the grout: Apply a mixture of two parts baking soda with one part vinegar to the grout lines. Leave for five minutes while you dry off and then scrub at the lines with a toothbrush before rinsing off.
So why are we more curious and creative in the shower?
Lastly, when discussing what exactly is it within our brains that mean we become more curious and creative, exploring shower thoughts like “dogs get all the credit for the swimming style that every 4-legged animal uses”, Molly explains how showers can reduce the effects of the amygdala.
“Relaxation of any kind benefits cognitive skills – especially when it is reducing the effects of the small, but powerful part of the brain called the amygdala. The amygdala processes emotions – like fear - that can override all other functions including many thought processes, especially those used in creativity and decision making.
“When in the grips of fear (or anxiety) our thinking is designed to narrow with concern only for safety and protection. Anyone who has tried to make a decision in this headspace knows that their resourcefulness to do so is negatively affected. Taking a shower can mitigate the effects of the amygdala and give a signal to our brain that all is well. This in turn can open up our minds to its full range of cognitive tools.
“Our pre-frontal cortex, which is responsible for much higher-level thinking, can become metaphorically cluttered when we have too much on our plates. A shower can act to wipe this part of the brain clean as we mindfully relax into the experience of a refreshing shower and let go of our mental load. This re-boots our brain to return to anything that needs addressing with a re-invigorated capacity for thinking.”
Methodology
To discover what individuals are thinking about in the shower we scraped the Reddit thread https://www.reddit.com/r/Showerthoughts/ compiling those with the highest number of up-votes. Following this, we quizzed 1,000 Brits on their shower habits.
