Shower Science - Why Your Best Ideas Strike You in the Shower

Newton might have discovered gravity when the apple fell on his head, but the other 3 laws of motion definitely came to him in the shower.

We’re all familiar with the brain-boosting effect that showers seem to have on us. We rehearse imaginary arguments, devise witty comebacks and come up with the best ideas. There’s a reason Archimedes discovered the law of buoyancy just as he stepped in the bath. But have you ever wondered what the reason behind that eureka moment is?

Although it’s not something people give much thought to, there actually is a scientific reason behind why people get their best ideas in the shower, or more accurately, three reasons:

One of the hormones that drives creativity in our bodies is dopamine. It is also known as the ‘motivation molecule’. Higher dopamine levels means higher alertness, focus, concentration and, you guessed it, creativity. Taking a warm shower has a soothing effect on us which means we produce more dopamine. And all of that dopamine floating around our head boosts our creativity levels right up! 

We tend to be a lot more creative when we are in a calm and relaxed state of mind. It’s not hard to digest that a clear mind can better come up with ideas than a cluttered one. As we go through our daily routine, we face many stressors. One of the places where we can get away from these stressors and get time to relax is the shower. Warm showers have many calming benefits such as relaxing our muscles and relieving tension. So a steamy hot shower is just the place to get both relaxation, and our creative juices flowing!

Veteran bathroom thinkers will know that solutions to problems tend to occur just when we’ve stopped thinking about them. And no, this is not an excuse to avoid your problems. We’re just saying, maybe mull them over while you do other things - like grabbing a nice hot shower. Neuroscientists studying brain scans have noticed a pattern that shows that our brain lights up the most when we are sitting idle. This is why creative moments strike us when we’re at leisure or letting our mind roam rather than when we are focused on a task. 

The typical shower routine ticks all these points, which is why our brightest ideas tend to hit us when we’re in the shower. Of course, this won’t work if you are someone who takes your stress with you in the shower! Shower time is the time to relax, unwind and let your mind roam free. 

This is why the products that you use in the shower are so important. With a body wash like Yardley London English Lavender Moisturising Shower Crème by your side, there is no way relaxation can escape you. The sweet scent of lavender is all the aromatherapy you need! Use it along with a loofah to get your circulation going and ease any tension in your body.

So now that you know the secret to both relaxation and getting that eureka moment, it’s time to turn the taps on and unlock your creativity!