Do you spend a lot of time in the shower? Here’s what it could reveal about your loneliness.

Whether you’re the type to take a five-minute shower in the morning or a luxurious hour-long soak in the tub in the evening, it might be able to say a lot about how lonely you are.

Loneliness can look different to everybody, but the most general definition is to say that loneliness is the disappointment you feel in not feeling as socially connected to others as you feel you should be.

Loneliness can look different to everybody and we all accept our loneliness in different ways, explains an article in Psychology Today [1], surprisingly pointing out that it doesn’t actually have anything to do with the number of friends you have.

One can be surrounded by people who love them but still feel lonely within themselves. There may be a reason for someone’s loneliness, but sometimes it’s just a feeling that we all experience from time to time, but luckily, this study shows how you can use it to your advantage.

The study

Yale University carried out a study [2] into the way we clean ourselves and how this can link to how lonely we feel. The study looked at 51 college students and their levels of loneliness combined with their everyday habits, to determine if our shower/bathing routines affect our emotional states.

The research on physical warmth and social connection found that the hot water in the shower can act as a warm companion, warding off feelings of loneliness.

John Bargh, Ph.D., psychologist, and researcher from the University, spoke about the study, saying

“the lonelier a person is, the more showers and baths they take, the hotter the water, and the longer they stay under the water.”

Emotional & physical coldness

Surprisingly, our emotional coldness can actually be linked to our physical coldness, meaning when we are surrounded by something warm – such as hot water – we immediately feel warmer emotionally.

Simple things such as wearing a sweater or holding a warm drink can also mimic this feeling to some extent.

So next time you’re feeling lonely – pour yourself a cup of hot tea, cuddle up with a warm jumper and soft blanket, and embrace your emotions! It doesn’t have to be a negative thing.

Do you take a long time in the shower? Or does it depend on your mood? Do you agree with these findings? I’d say they’re pretty accurate from my personal experience – let me know your thoughts in the comments!

References:

  1. https://www.psychologytoday.com
  2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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This Post Has 7 Comments

  1. Thea Dunlap

    wow this something new to me. I always take my time in the shower just to think or day dreaming or find some inspirations to write or draw something. I didn’t think that it can measure up loneliness. Well this is one interesting article. 🙂

  2. AllByMyself

    As an hour-long (or more) tub soaker multiple nights a week (epsom salts, bubbles, music, candles, maybe some hanky-panky once in awhile), this article hit home. I can definitely say I was lonely before reading this. As a married person, loneliness is awful.

  3. Michelle

    Thanks for the article. Interesting conclusion. Yes, I see the loneliness in the people in my life that take long and hot showers and baths. Why are they more lonely than I am when we come from the same background or live similar lives? I’d like to see the study with a sampling of middle aged upper middle class and middle aged low income. I think the results would be surprising. I’d also like to see the study in people with hidden disabilities who are already prone to depression.

  4. Kumi

    As someone who takes really hot 2 hour long showers, this hit close

  5. Danie

    I can relate to this. Thanks for this interesting article

  6. free thinker

    That why I drink lot of tea. This means it good to express your emotions.

  7. Claire Pao

    Thank you for your sharing 🙂

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