Hot Showers For Anxiety: Is There Scientific Evidence?

Can a hot shower help ease anxiety? Find out if there is scientific evidence to support hot showers for anxiety and discover other potential benefits of hot showers for anxiety relief.

Disclaimer: Please do not take the following information as advice, as this information does not replace the need for a medical doctor or a therapist.

Hot Showers For Anxiety: What Evidence Do We Have?

Right Now There Is No Evidence

You might be asking yourself the following question: does a hot shower help with anxiety? Well, the short answer is that right now no research supports this claim.

However, a hot shower provides other benefits that may help reduce anxiety symptoms.

Hot showers Improve Quality of Sleep

It is proven that hot showers provide many health benefits, such as improving the quality of your sleep (1). Better sleep can reduce anxiety symptoms (2) and overall mental health.

Hot Showers as Distraction Techniques

Hot showers can also act as a distraction task or activity. It is proven that focusing on a distraction task is more effective at reducing intrusive thoughts than actively trying to suppress those intrusive thoughts (3). Learn more about distraction techniques.

You don’t need to use shampoo or soap to use hot showers as a distraction technique. You can stay in the shower and not do anything. You can even sit if you don’t have the energy to stand up. However, shampooing or soaping can also provide more distraction by making you focus on another task.

Hot Showers as Grounding Techniques

Grounding Techniques are techniques that help you lower your anxiety by bringing your focus and awareness to the present moment. They are effective because they also help reduce intrusive thoughts by making you focus on the present moment, with physical sensations or mental distractions. Hot showers can act as a physical grounding technique. For example, you can pay attention to the temperature around you, noting warmth on your skin. Check out our grounding techniques for anxiety toolkit.

Other Types of Bathing For Anxiety

Hot Immersion Baths

There is evidence that hot immersion baths might be good for mental health, reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression (4). Check out our in-depth article on hot immersion baths for anxiety.

Cold Shower

Based on limited research, cold showers can potentially reduce anxiety symptoms (5).

Sauna

According to a study, patients had reduced anxiety and depression symptoms after repeated sauna sessions (6).

Warnings

Be aware that if you are having a panic attack, and for example, you experience palpitations, it might not be such a good idea to take a hot shower. (An anxiety attack and a panic attack are not the same, here are the differences).

This management technique is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and it does not replace the need to work on your anxiety long-term with the help of a doctor or therapist.

Sources

(1) Haghayegh, S., Khoshnevis, S., Smolensky, M. H., Diller, K. R., & Castriotta, R. J. (2019). Before-bedtime passive body heating by warm shower or bath to improve sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 46, 124-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2019.04.008

(2) Scott, A. J., Webb, T. L., Martyn-St James, M., Rowse, G., & Weich, S. (2021). Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 60, 101556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556

(3) Lin, Y.-J., & Wicker, F. W. (2007). A comparison of the effects of thought suppression, distraction and concentration. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45(12), 2924-2937. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2007.08.004

(4) Goto, Y., Hayasaka, S., Kurihara, S., & Nakamura, Y. (2018). Physical and Mental Effects of Bathing: A Randomized Intervention Study. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018, 9521086. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9521086

(5) Siemieniec, S. (2020). Keep it Cool – Adapted Cold Showers for Anxiety (MSci Advanced Applied Psychology thesis). University of Chichester. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.19654.50240/1

(6) Hussain, J., & Cohen, M. (2018). Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018, 1857413. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/1857413