Dark showering helps reduce anxiety and insomnia symptoms, doctor says
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It may be time to change your shower routine.
A wellness trend circulating on social media is promoting the ‘dark shower’, which is exactly what it sounds like: your daily bath ritual, only at night or when the lights are dimmed.
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Psychiatrist, brain imaging specialist and founder of Amen Clinics in California, Dr. “Light affects the brain in a powerful way,” Daniel Amen told Fox News Digital. This is done through the retinohypothalamic pathway, a pathway that connects your eyes to the brain’s master body clock called the suprachiasmatic nucleus.
Bright light and blue light raise cortisol and lower melatonin, telling the body to wake up. But when the lights go out, “little or no lights signal safety, activating the parasympathetic nervous system and initiating the body’s natural descent into rest and repair mode.”
Think of dim lighting as turning off the brain’s ‘threat radar’; This means it can help you relax after a long day. (iStock)
“Think of dim lighting as turning off the brain’s ‘threat radar,'” Amen said. “Less arousal makes it easier for the logical part of your brain to regain control. For many people, this means feeling calmer, clearer, and more grounded.”
“When we reduce visual input, we also reduce the sensory load on the brain,” Amen added. “This means your brain gets fewer signals to process, so the part of the brain that deals with fear and stress has less to respond to.”
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Amen suggests making it easier for those who want to try it. Start by dimming the lights 60 to 90 minutes before bed, or use a soft yellow or red light instead of overhead brightness.
Skip the screen in the shower, turn off the light, and add simple comforts like lavender or frankincense oil, a cool room temperature (about 65-68°F), and fluffy towels. It doesn’t have to be long either; 15 to 20 minutes is sufficient.
Blue light tells the body to wake up by increasing cortisol and lowering melatonin. However, little or no light signals safety and initiates the body’s natural descent into rest and repair mode. (iStock)
“The brain thrives on predictability,” Amen says, explaining that evening routines can help move us from alertness to serenity.
“Dark sensory rituals are more passive and somatic; you’re not doing anything to calm the brain; you’re creating an environment that allows the brain to downshift on its own,” says Amen. This makes it perfect for anyone who feels “too anxious to meditate.”
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Showering in the dark can be especially relaxing for people dealing with anxiety, ADHD, or insomnia.
“They create external calm, which leads to internal regulation,” Amen said.
However, if the darkness is uncomfortable, it’s okay to change your routine.
For people who shower in the morning, a cold shower can increase energy and focus. (iStock)
“For individuals with a history of trauma, depression, or dissociation, being alone in the dark may feel more vulnerable than calming down,” Amen said. In these cases, soft lighting, quiet music, or a soothing scent can make the space feel safer.
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In Amen’s words, this ritual gives your body and mind “a quiet place for the nervous system to heal.”
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For those who want to change their routine but have to stick to mornings, a cold shower can be a good alternative.
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Cold showers stimulate the vagus nerve, reduce inflammation, and activate parts of the brain that can calm the body after prolonged exposure.
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“When used in the morning, cold can energize and focus. When used at night, it should be short-term and then paired with warmth to avoid disrupting sleep,” Amen said.
