Improving Sleep Quality Without Medication Is Possible 0 10

Japanese scientists have found that taking a hot bath before bedtime helps elderly people sleep better. Those who took a bath in the evening experienced deeper sleep, fewer nighttime awakenings, and reported poor sleep less frequently. The study was published in the journal Sleep Health (SH).

The study involved 2,252 participants with an average age of nearly 69 years. The analysis showed that individuals who took a bath before sleep had higher sleep efficiency and shorter periods of wakefulness at night. In contrast, a regular shower did not provide such effects.

The authors also attempted to determine which specific regimen works best. It turned out that the bath is more beneficial if one stays in it for no longer than 18 minutes and if the water is not too hot, specifically below 41.7 °C. The effect was particularly noticeable in winter.

The best time to take a bath is about 1–2 hours before sleep. Scientists believe that after a hot bath, the body begins to release heat more actively, which helps it transition into sleep mode more easily.