The Surprising Place Most of You Make Your Biggest Life Decisions
Some do it while out for a walk, run or swim. Others whilst dreaming in bed or relaxing on a sunbed.
But the majority of you make your biggest life decisions when completely naked.
Yes, a new study reveals most Brits make their most important decisions in the shower. 70 per cent of you in fact, according to the study.
The number one topic you think about
There’s also one topic that dominates while the soap is foaming and the warm water cascading over our heads. And, during this cost of living crisis, it’s no surprise.
The study of 1,000 Brits by bathroom experts at Drench found that the number one topic Brits think about in the shower is money – 47% of you.
The breakdown is all about personal economics: personal finances in general (17%), money worries (16%) or household bills (14%).
Not forced to focus
Molly Pottor, a hypnotherapist and speaker at Outlet 10 Discussions, reflected on why the morning ritual for many held such significance.
“In a shower there are minimal mental demands made of us and our attention is not forced to attend to any pressing requests,” she said,
“Much like when we go for a walk amongst the greenery of the countryside, this means we’re less ‘forced to focus.’ We’re freer to wander.”
She adds that this free style of thinking (compared to how we think when we’re stressed) is expansive, curious, able to consider more things in one go, able to make links and generally more flexible.
It leads to that wonderful thing: the epiphany or ‘eureka’ moment.
She also explained some of the science behind this.
“Our pre-frontal cortex, which is responsible for much higher-level thinking, can become metaphorically cluttered when we have too much on our plates. A shower can act to wipe this part of the brain clean as we mindfully relax into the experience of a refreshing shower and let go of our mental load. This re-boots our brain to return to anything that needs addressing with a re-invigorated capacity for thinking.”
An energising routine
Such thought processes seem to energise rather than drain us.
Over half of respondents (55%) still felt energised after a shower, with the average shower lasting 5-10 minutes. For many, this short yet effective period is a vital way to start the day, with 57% of respondents showering first thing in the morning as it provides a burst of energy that sets a positive tone for the hours ahead.
“Showers are an integral part of our day-to-day activities and our findings reveal that most of us wash in a routine way. This passive certainty is undemanding, helps us feel a sense of control and can be extremely soothing,” said Nancy Emery, bathroom expert at Drench.
“It was fascinating to learn exactly where our minds can explore while under the steam and we wanted to visualise this as part of the study.”
The endorphins post exercise
Of course, there’s another reason why many of us have our most active and grand thoughts in the shower: because it happens immediately after our morning exercise at the gym or outside for a jog.
With endorphins rushing and dopamine high, the calming shower comes at just the right time – so thoughts cascade as quickly as the water does.
It’s one of the reasons experts consistently tell us exercise is as good for our mental health as our physical wellbeing.
And also explains the phenomenon of singing in the shower – a sacred, upbeat, alert part of the day that’s just for us, without interruptions or expectations. More than a wash, it’s a ritual. Savour it.