Health & Life

Is it good to take a shower after eating? What is the proper bathing habit?

Taking a bath is a regular activity that we all do every day to keep our bodies clean. However, not everyone knows the right way and the right time to take a bath, and one of the reasons why you should not take a bath right after a full meal is one of them.

Administrator

6 January, 2024

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With increasingly busy lifestyles, we can hardly adopt a healthy lifestyle thoroughly. Therefore, if you feel tired and your health is declining, you need to pay attention to your daily habits.

One of the healthy habits is to take a shower at the right time. People are often advised not to shower immediately after eating. Both ancient medicine and modern science give similar reasons, according to Times Of India.

After eating, the stomach starts to function vigorously, and most of the fluid will concentrate in the stomach, reducing the blood volume in other organs. However, when taking a shower, blood vessels expand, and the skin and muscles require more blood, resulting in a shortage of blood in the stomach, affecting digestion. If you take a shower after eating, the body will have to exert itself without digesting food, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Not only that, taking a cold shower at this time is very dangerous as blood sugar levels are low, which could lead to fainting.

Furthermore, if you often shower after eating, it can cause gastrointestinal and stomach problems. If you have heart disease, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, you are more likely to experience complications.

What does ancient medicine say?

In the past, every daily activity needed to be performed at the right time. Doing otherwise meant breaking the body’s natural cycles, which would increase the risk of illness and other health problems. That’s why our ancestors used to say “there’s a time for everything.”

Returning to the topic of showering after eating, ancient medicine believed that the temperature factor in the body is activated during meals to facilitate the digestion process. However, taking a shower after a meal lowers body temperature, causing a delay in the digestion process.

That is why our ancestors did not agree with this practice and advised showering before sunset or at least two hours after meals.

What does modern science say?

After eating, blood circulation is concentrated in the stomach to digest food. This is called blood redistribution. That’s why you feel sleepy after meals because even a portion of the brain’s circulation is redirected to the intestines.

Showering lowers body temperature. Therefore, if you shower after eating, your body temperature will start to decrease and your body will have to work harder to maintain its temperature. In this case, blood from the intestines has to flow to other parts of the body such as the skin and subcutaneous tissue to maintain body temperature. As a result, the digestion process is disrupted, and digestion is delayed, according to Times Of India.

Therefore, showering after eating disrupts digestion and can cause bloating, discomfort, acid reflux, nausea, and even obesity.

That is why we should not shower immediately after eating to reduce blood flow to other parts of the body and increase blood flow to the digestive system.

Instead, it is best to shower before eating because it re-energizes all the cells in your body, giving you a fresh and refreshing feeling, rejuvenating you. From there, the brain will send signals to indicate that the body is hungry and ready for a meal.

How long should you wait to shower after eating?

There are many contrasting opinions on this topic. While modern science advises waiting at least 35 minutes after a meal, ancient medicine suggests a minimum of 2 hours.

Therefore, the advice is to wait for 2 hours, especially if you are unsure about your metabolism or digestion rate. Many believe that having a light meal helps smoothen the digestion process.

In addition, you should avoid eating fruits and napping immediately after meals as these also have a significant impact on digestion. Instead, you should shower before sitting down to eat. This is also an excellent way to kickstart your digestion process.

What is the appropriate showering habit?

Reading this, many people may wonder why they have been showering after eating without any issues. You need to remember that your body is not always healthy enough to withstand any potential risks!

Therefore, for those who have a habit of eating late, you should choose a suitable time to shower before going to bed. Minimize bathing in cold water as warm water will help you fall asleep better. Moreover, shower briefly and avoid soaking for too long.

In the morning, you can also shower before having breakfast. However, it is recommended to take a quick shower with cold water instead of warm water like in the evening. Research shows that taking a cold shower not only keeps you awake but also makes your skin smoother!

Furthermore, another study shows that showering in the morning helps reduce the risk of disease and improves energy levels for the body.

Conclusion

Showering is an activity to clean the body, but you also need to pay attention to the appropriate showering period. In case you feel tired, have trouble sleeping, or even suffer from constipation. The important thing to do is to reconsider your lifestyle. Make sure you have a healthy diet and give up processed foods. Build a habit of eating at the right time so that your stomach has enough time to digest food promptly and practice appropriate showering habits as mentioned above.

Wishing you good health.