Ideally, you should wait until you've stopped sweating profusely to hit the shower; otherwise, you run the risk of still being hot and sweaty after you've washed. This will vary from person to person, but in most cases, this will take between five and 30 minutes, depending on the intensity of the exercise.
All in all, your cool-down should take about 15-25 minutes — so, that's the expert-recommended to time you should wait to shower after exercising!
By setting a four-minute timer for their showers, individuals can significantly reduce their annual water consumption, as showering accounts for a significant portion of household water use.
As it evaporates, it cools your skin and helps to prevent overheating. However, if you don't shower after exercising, the sweat and bacteria will remain on your skin until you get around to washing it off. This is what can cause issues further down the line.
The short answer is yes, but whether it provides all of the recovery benefits you might think it does is still up for debate. A 2019 study in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that taking a cold shower after a workout resulted in faster heart rate recovery.
Eat a meal that has both carbohydrates and protein in it within two hours of your workout if possible. Eating after you work out can help muscles recover and replace their glycogen stores. Think about having a snack if your meal is more than two hours away.
Do eat protein and carbohydrate-rich foods, support the muscles, drink plenty of water, practise a cool down, and try relaxing activities. At the same time, do not come to an immediate stop after exercise, avoid alcohol, don't eat sugary foods and avoid another workout!
Experts recommend 2 to 3 rest days between strength-training workouts like lifting weights. So you can plan resistance workouts that target different muscle groups. For example, you might do upper-body exercises on Monday and lower-body exercises on Tuesday. On Wednesday, you could do a cardio workout.
Post-exercise, your body undergoes repair and rejuvenation, and a nap can help in muscle recovery and fatigue reduction. It can also help replenish your energy levels. However, it's important to keep naps short—typically around 20-30 minutes—to avoid entering deep sleep cycles which might leave you feeling groggier.
If you have certain skin conditions, staying in the shower too long could have negative effects. Hot water can cause inflammation and worsen dry skin or eczema. These skin conditions can become more of a problem in the winter months, and adding extra stress to your skin with long showers should be avoided.
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. It depends in part on your lifestyle.
There's no one-size-fits-all equation for how many showers to take per day or week. The frequency that's right for you depends on your skin type and lifestyle choices, says Dr. Mary Stevenson, a dermatologist at NYU Langone Health. “Ideally, I think people should shower at least every other day,” she says.
Taking a hot or cold shower after exercise isn't a proven recovery method. But the proven benefits of heat therapy could make a hot shower a worthy addition to your post-workout routine. There are many ways to soothe sore muscles after exercise. Try proven strategies for post-workout pain relief.
“Don't sit down right away after a workout—this can cause blood to pool and lead to an accumulation of metabolic waste products,” Buchanan says. (Remember: That can contribute to muscle soreness later.)
A nighttime shower could help you sleep better
"A warm shower can help you relax, relieve tension, and potentially improve your sleep," Castilla says. "Counterintuitively, it helps cool the body by expanding the blood vessels in the skin.
However, skipping a workout here and there typically doesn't cause weight gain, and taking regular rest days is healthy for muscle recovery and preventing injury.
So, if you've ever asked yourself “do muscles grow on rest days?” Here's your answer: yes — with proper nutrition. Consistent daily protein intake is important for muscle repair, growth, and maintenance. Your body needs a steady supply of protein to support these processes, not just on workout days.
Experts recommend taking at least one day off from your daily workout routine each week. Taking a rest day after a particularly long or intense workout can be especially helpful.
Muscle Breakdown
Eating a meal after your workout is ideal for repairing and building muscle mass and preserving muscle while in a calorie deficit. 6 Not consuming a meal with protein and carbohydrates after your workout means you may miss out on benefits only gleaned during the post-workout window.
Think about your fitness goals. For example, if your goal is to boost your metabolism and start the day energized, morning workouts may be more suitable. If your aim is to improve performance and relax after a stressful day, evening workouts might be better. Consider your temperature preferences.
Lifting and doing strength training without adequate nutrition, especially without enough protein, can actually lead to loss of muscle tissue. Furthermore, if you aren't eating right you won't have the energy to do the workouts that lead to muscle gain.
Protein: Protein contains amino acids that help your body repair and rebuild muscle tissue. Animal-based foods, like beef, chicken, fish, and cheese, are good protein sources. Several plant-based foods, including beans, nuts, and seeds, also contain protein.