A new bedtime trend tells people to turn off the bathroom light before taking a shower. This is called “dark showering.” In the dark, the water can sound louder, your mind has less to focus on, and the whole shower can feel more calm. People who try it say it helps them fall asleep faster and sleep better.

There is not much research on dark showers yet. But we do know that two things can affect sleep: light and heat. Bright light can make your body feel awake. Warm water can help your body relax. So even though dark showers have not been studied on their own, the idea makes sense.

In one lab study with 116 adults, normal room light before bed lowered melatonin by about 70%. Melatonin is the hormone that helps your body feel ready for sleep. The light also made melatonin last for about 90 minutes less. People in the study said they felt more awake too.

Bathrooms are often very bright. The lights and mirrors are helpful in the morning, but at night they can tell your brain it is still daytime. Turning them off, or making them dimmer, can help your body understand that it is time to rest.

In another study, people sat under normal bathroom lights for just 30 minutes before bed. Their melatonin went down, and they felt more awake, even though they were only in the bathroom.

Studies with teens have found that bright light in the evening can lower melatonin hours later. It can also make the body feel sleepy later than usual.

Screens can have the same effect. In one study, people read from a glowing e-reader instead of a printed book. The people using the screen had lower melatonin, a later body clock, and took longer to fall asleep.

Another study in 2023 looked at blue light from screens. Blue light is the kind of light that can affect sleep the most. When the blue light was lowered, people had less melatonin loss and fell asleep faster.

This means dark showers may help if they replace bright bathroom lights or phone scrolling before bed. But the effect may be smaller if you turn bright lights back on after your shower to dry your hair, pick out clothes, or clean up.

Darkness also takes time to work. Melatonin does not rise the second you turn the lights off. A short dark shower will not fix a sleep schedule that has been off for days or weeks.

Warm water may help too. Studies show that a warm shower or bath at the right time can help people fall asleep faster.

A 2019 review of 13 studies found that spending about 10 minutes in warm water, one to two hours before bed, helped people fall asleep about nine minutes faster. It also helped them spend more of their time in bed actually sleeping. Warm water helps blood move to the hands and feet. After that, the body cools down, which is one signal that it is time to sleep.

Dark showering may also help the body calm down. Low light can make the brain feel less alert. This may help the body move away from “fight or flight” mode and into a calmer “rest and digest” state.

In one lab study, people rested in a bath while sensors tracked their heartbeat. When the water was close to body temperature, around 37 to 38 degrees Celsius, the part of the nervous system that helps the body relax became more active. Their heart rate slowed a little, and their body showed signs of calming down.

Dark showers have not been studied on their own yet. But the benefits people feel do make sense. A dark shower brings together things we already know can help with sleep: less bright light before bed, warm water, a calmer body, and fewer things for your brain to focus on.

This is where the Havie lamp fits perfectly. Instead of turning on bright bathroom lights at night, Havie gives you a soft, warm glow. It is gentle enough for a dark shower, but still bright enough to help you move around safely. The calm light helps your bathroom feel peaceful, so you can shower, relax, and get ready for sleep without harsh overhead lights. For anyone who wants the benefits of dark showering without being in total darkness, Havie makes the routine easier, safer, and more relaxing.