Why not take a bath every day ?: The Harvard University explanation

Bathing daily is a habit that many have included in their life. For example, in the United States, about two-thirds of the population does, and in Australia, more than 80% shower every day.

However, there are those who consider that a bath every day is excessive and They only do it a few times a week. This is the case in China, where approximately half of the people report bathing only twice a week.

Faced with these records, Robert H. Shmerling, current fellow of Harvard Medical School and senior editor of the Harvard Health Publishing, reflect on a post on whether it is really necessary to bathe daily, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of this.

Shmerling wrote the article Showering daily, is it necessary? (Bathing daily, is it necessary?), In this it indicates that daily bathing is more about habit and social norms than health.

Is it true that bathing with cold water transforms your body and mind?

Between the reasons why people bathe every day notes the following:

• Body odor concerns
• Help to wake up
• For a morning routine that may include exercising

According to the author, each of them has merit, especially if one takes into account that personal or work relationships they can be compromised by complaints about body odor or personal hygiene. However, he believes that it must be taken into account that what is acceptable in one culture may be the opposite in another.

This is the reason why more and more people stop bathing every day

On this he mentions that, in many cases, These habits are influenced by marketing. Have you ever noticed that the directions on shampoo bottles often say ‘lather, rinse, repeat’? There is no compelling reason to wash your hair twice with every shower, but more shampoo is sold if everyone follows these instructions, “he says in the post.

For this reason it expresses that it must be taken into account that a daily shower will not always benefit our health and that it can even be harmful.

The health effects of showering every day

Normal, healthy skin maintains a layer of fat and a balance of “good” bacteria and other microorganisms. Washing and scrubbing removes them, especially if the water is hot. As a result we get what is mentioned below:

• The skin can become dry, irritated, or itchy.
• Dry and cracked skin it can allow bacteria and allergens to break down the barrier that the skin is supposed to provide, allowing skin infections and allergic reactions to occur.
• Antibacterial soaps can kill normal bacteria. This alters the balance of microorganisms on the skin and encourages the emergence of more resistant organisms, less friendly that are more resistant to antibiotics.
• Our immune systems need a certain amount of stimulation by normal microorganisms, dirt, and other environmental exposures to create protective antibodies and “immune memory.” This is one of the reasons why some pediatricians and dermatologists do not recommend daily baths for children. Frequent baths or showers throughout life They can reduce the immune system’s ability to do its job.

And there may be other reasons for losing enthusiasm for the daily shower: the water we clean ourselves with. may contain salts, heavy metals, chlorine, fluorine, pesticides, and other chemicals. These may also cause problems.

Does washing your hair every day have benefits?

The article indicates that it must be clear that daily showers definitely do not improve health and that they can actually cause skin and other problems, as well as wasting a lot of water. Also, oils, perfumes, and other additives in shampoos, conditioners, and soaps can cause problems of their own, such as allergic reactions (not to mention cost).

How often should you shower?

There is no exact figure for how many showers to take, but experts suggest that showering several times a week is enough for most people (Unless you’re dirty, sweaty, or have other reasons to shower more often.) Short showers (three or four minutes) may be sufficient with particular attention to the armpits and groin. (I)