How bathing and body temperature can impact sleep

If you’ve ever wondered how a bath can positively impact your baby’s sleep (and yours, too!), this blog is for you! For most families, bath time is an enjoyable, relaxing experience at the end of a busy day. If your baby doesn’t quite love the bath yet, keep reading, there are some tips for you at the end. Let’s dive into it ;)

What you’ll learn from this blog:

• How body temperature impacts circadian rhythm (and how this impacts sleep!)
• The science behind baths before sleep time
• Does a bath have to be a part of your baby’s bedtime routine?
• Can a bath be used as a wake window activity?
• Tips for bathing your baby and toddler

Body Temperature and Circadian Rhythm

Your baby’s sleep-wake cycle is heavily influenced by many variables, one being body temperature, this is also called thermoregulation. Before night sleep occurs, the core body temperature drops to signal to the brain, which cues the circadian rhythm, it’s time for sleep. During the day, the core body temperature does not drop which supports wakefulness.

Science of Baths and Sleep

A warm bath (or shower) is referred to in research as “water-based passive body heating” and this process, when taken 1-2 hours before bed, has shown through emerging research, to positively impact sleep by improving overall sleep quality and falling asleep faster. The warm water stimulates blood flow by opening blood vessels and raises blood closer to the skin surface, specifically noted in the areas of hands and feet. When we are removed from the warm water, blood vessels remain open, which can cause our core body temperature to drop slightly, and signals to the brain it’s time to prepare itself for sleep.

Bath and Bedtime Routine

We know that having a predictable and consistent bedtime routine is an evidence-based strategy to support your baby’s sleep. A bath can be one part of the routine, IF it works for your family. For some babies with sensitive skin, having a bath every day is not helpful to their overall well-being. For some families, evening routines and availability of a bathroom doesn’t equate to a daily bedtime bath. No matter what your circumstances are, if having a bath every night doesn’t feel like the best choice for your family’s unique needs, then there’s no reason to implement this.

If not having a nightly bath, consider a hand and face wash as a modified version of the routine to signal to your baby that this is a bedtime routine now. Keeping the other components of the bedtime routine as consistent as possible will help your baby recognize bedtime is approaching. 

Wake Window Activity and Bath

There may be times you need to stretch your baby’s awake time or maybe your baby is getting bored on a rainy day. A quick bath is an awesome way to offer a novel activity that can also support their next nap.

My favourite daytime bath hack… bring a hot cup of tea and allow your baby to splish splash while you enjoy a well deserved break. 

Tips for Baths

If your little one isn’t in a bath loving phase right now, give it time. Stay consistent with offering mini baths and adding in elements of surprise, fun and choice into the opportunity.

This could look like:

• Choice for your toddler if they want to bathe solo or with you as a parent
• For your baby, having a bedtime bath together can be a mutually relaxing experience 
• Novel toys from the kitchen (e.g., scoops, ladles, silicone muffin cups, etc.) for your toddler to explore with
• For the toddler + preschool parents, bath bombs and bubble baths are a fun way to make a bath fun and exciting (check out @beyondthebomb if you’re local to Hamilton) 
• For your baby, consider using a muslin blanket or cloth to have over their body during the bath time to keep them warmer

Hope this blog was informative and showcased how sleep is impacted by so many variables! If you have questions about your child’s sleep and how to navigate a sleep challenge, come visit me here for a 30-minute custom consultation call and leave the call with actionable tips to improve your family’s sleep journey! 

Wishing you relaxing nights and happy mornings,

Chelsea

 

Chelsea is Mom of 2 young kids and a Certified Baby Sleep Consultant supporting families within Hamilton and beyond using gentle, effective, evidence-based strategies. She has a Masters of Professional Education and over 10 years of professional experience in parent coaching. She works collaboratively with families to empower them with the confidence and tools they need to reach their unique sleep goals. Hear what other rested families are saying about the process and Book a free call with Chelsea to discuss how she can support your family’s sleep journey. 

 

 

Sources:

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/shower-before-bed

Haghayegh, S., Khoshnevis, S., Smolensky, M. H., Diller, K. R., & Castriotta, R. J. (2019). Before-bedtime passive body heating by warm shower or bath to improve sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep medicine reviews, 46, 124–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2019.04.008

Okamoto-Mizuno, K., & Mizuno, K. (2012). Effects of thermal environment on sleep and circadian rhythm. Journal of physiological anthropology, 31(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/1880-6805-31-14

Harding, E. C., Franks, N. P., & Wisden, W. (2020). Sleep and thermoregulation. Current opinion in physiology, 15, 7–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cophys.2019.11.008