Unless you are very active, have bad body odour, or live in a hot environment, one shower every other day is plenty for most people as your body does not get dirty so quickly that you need to wash frequently and you are unlikely to smell after one day without showering.
68% of British people wash every day, compared to 76% of French people and 77% of Germans. Only Italy reported fewer instances of washing daily, coming in at 53%. We've been taught to wash daily, not least because of the active things we do, from exercise to lunchtime walks and more.
Many doctors say a daily shower is fine for most people. (More than that could start to cause skin problems.) But for many people, two to three times a week is enough and may be even better to maintain good health.
While there is no ideal frequency, experts suggest that showering several times per week is plenty for most people (unless you are grimy, sweaty, or have other reasons to shower more often). Short showers (lasting three or four minutes) with a focus on the armpits and groin may suffice.
In general, showering every other day or every few days is enough for most people. Keep in mind that showering twice a day or frequently taking hot or long showers can strip your skin of important oils. This can lead to dry, itchy skin.
Great Britain has the lowest rate of showering per week, at 83 percent. However, the English do love their baths: they have the most baths out of every country, with 32 percent of people bathing each week.
However, with age, it can become a struggle to bathe or shower daily. This may be due to mobility or simply not having enough energy. But for the elderly, having a shower once or twice a week is sufficient to keep skin conditions and infections at bay.
Kennedy said she'd suggest showering at night, about 90 minutes before bed. “The body naturally cools down as bedtime approaches, in sync with the circadian rhythm,” she said. “Showering artificially raises the temperature again and allows for a faster cool down, which seems to hasten sleep.”
Dermatologists universally agree
The idea of needing to shower every 24 hours is great for soap manufacturers, but most people only need to take a few showers a week, depending upon their activities and environment.
Generally, she says, "you should be showering, bathing or cleansing yourself every two to three days." Though, if you're working out or engaging in an activity where you are sweating a lot, you may have to shower more often. The biggest problem that may stem from not showering enough? The stink.
"Showering less helps strengthen your immune system by keeping disease-fighting bacteria living on your skin. It also allows us to preserve more of our microorganisms and the skin's natural oils," she says.
Previous research by Energy Australia revealed 29 per cent of us hit the shower twice daily, while 9 per cent boasted three showers a day. Compare this to the shower-shy Chinese: 50 per cent claim to wash twice a week, while in Sweden less than 50 per cent of women bother with a daily wash. Squeaky clean?
Weekly Bathing Breakdown: On average Spanish citizens have 7 showers and 2 baths a week. Weekly bathing breakdown – On average French citizens have 7 showers and 2 baths a week. Daily shower stats – 76% of women and 71% of men shower once a day.
From the most showered country in the world (Brazil) to the most commonly bathed country (the UK), we all have our preferences.
Benefits of Showering in the Morning
Another benefit to morning showers is that you cleanse yourself of any night bacteria. Research shows that humans tend to sweat more at night than in the morning. A quick morning shower can help you feel less sweaty.
Morning showers makes certain your body gets the oxygen it needs. Adequate oxygen in the brain decreases stress. Aromatherapy helps, too! Morning showers increase immunity by stimulating your body to make new white blood cells.
There are some instances in which showering after a bath can be more hygienic though. "When we sit in the bath, the dirt tends to settle away from the skin and body and gets diluted in the bathwater. If you're adding oils into the bathwater, you may want to shower afterwards to rinse the skin.
According to their internal body clock, most older adults need to go to sleep around 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. and wake up at 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. Many people fight their natural inclination to sleep and choose to go to bed several hours later instead.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an “older adult” as someone who is at least 60 years old. Many states may also have different definitions of “elderly” when determining what resources are available in cases of elder abuse, although most states commonly use 65 years of age as the cut-off.
Generally speaking, older adults may only need to wash their hair around once per week. For seniors who are hesitant to wash with greater frequency, dry shampoos can be effective in the days between wet washing.
We must bathe at least once a day and we must do Wudu before our prayers. We should also wash and dry ourselves properly everytime we use the toilet and remember to wash and clean our hands. We know how easily germs spread from our very own hands to our bodies as well as to other people.
Traditionally, bathing is viewed to be a ritual of large cultural importance, although it has evolved into being less ritualistic and more of a common practice. Research by the Kantar World Panel, goes on to say that 85% of people shower per week in China and average 6 showers per week.
Many Japanese people take a bath more or less every day. In some parts of the world, people may refer to showering as “taking a bath,” but not in Japan. In Japan, simply showering does not count.