bath and sleep
Japanese people love baths. Depending on how you get into it, your sleep may become better or worse. Bathing also has the effect of relaxing your body and mind, and if you can relax, it will be easier to transition from wakefulness to sleep.
1. Soak slowly in lukewarm water.
When you warm your whole body in a lukewarm bath, your peripheral blood vessels dilate and blood circulation improves. As heat dissipates from the surface of the skin, the temperature inside the brain and body tends to drop. Before going to bed, it's a good idea to soak in slightly lukewarm water at 38 to 40 degrees Celsius for about 10 to 20 minutes. If you feel cold at 40 degrees Celsius in winter, try raising the temperature a little.
The best time to take a bath is 30 minutes to 1 hour before bed. It's time to go to bed when your body temperature, which rose during the bath, drops. If you take a bath early in the day, you won't receive the benefits. After you get out of the bath and take a breather, head to bed.
Bathing improves blood circulation and promotes sweating. What's more, your body loses about a glass of water while you sleep. After bathing, drink some water before going to bed. This is to replenish the water you lost while bathing in preparation for sleep.
2. A bath that is too hot has the opposite effect, so make sure it does not exceed 42 degrees Celsius.
Taking a hot bath may make you feel refreshed, but it actually has the opposite effect on your ability to fall asleep. If you soak in hot water above 42 degrees Celsius before going to bed, your body temperature will not come down easily even after you go to bed, and your sympathetic nervous system will become more active, making you dizzy and making it difficult to fall asleep.
If you really need a hot bath, one idea is to take one in the evening. If you take a bath up to 3 hours before going to bed, even hot water will not have a negative effect on your sleep.
3. Take a hot bath in the morning and keep it short.
If you take a bath in the morning, the opposite is true. Taking a short hot bath will increase your alertness. Let's quickly finish it with ``Crow's Water''. Taking a slow soak in lukewarm water in the morning will make it harder to wake up. Even after you wake up, you may end up feeling sleepy again.
Even a hot shower or shampoo in the morning can be enough to wake you up. Use it proactively when you wake up feeling unrefreshed.
Related article: List of lifestyle habits that lead to good sleep
