The time of day you have to be having a shower to save lots of on vitality payments

A study of 2,000 adults found that two thirds prefer to have a shower in the morning, with just 32% opting for an evening cleanse and one in 10 choosing the afternoon

A survey of 2,000 adults revealed that a morning shower is the way to go for most, with two thirds opting for an a morning cleanse. In contrast, just 32% choose to have a shower before bed, while one in 10 prefer their showers in the afternoon.

A morning shower even formed part of the top three things to help people get ready for the day, alongside having a cup of coffee (34%) and a healthy breakfast (29%). It also emerged 28% claim a shower in the morning is vital to their routine, with 17% saying the same about an evening clean.

One in 10 even said they would be unlikely to shower if they couldn’t do so at their preferred time. Rarely do people stray from their routine, doing so only if they had to get ready for a special occasion (36%), travel plans (28%), and oversleeping (24%).

The study was conducted by Utilita Energy as part of its Power Price List series – a comprehensive guide on the running costs of household gadgets.

A spokesperson for Utilita explained: “Heating up water to shower consumes a lot of energy, so we were interested to better understand people’s behaviours.”

The main reasons Brits prefer an early morning shower included wanting to start the day clean and refreshed (70%), helping them wake up in the morning (50%), and getting energised for the day ahead (45%).

The top reasons for opting for an evening shower related to its soothing effects, with four in 10 using this time to unwind and de-stress before they turn in for the night. Moreover, 51% think showering before bed helps them to sleep more soundly, according to the OnePoll.com data.

Another factor contributing to the preference for evening showers is the extra time saved in the morning. These night owls utilise this additional time to either sleep in (24%) or focus on other activities (22%). However, it’s worth noting that taking showers in the evening might lead to increased energy bills.

The study revealed that morning showers are generally shorter and less relaxing, with individuals spending an average of two more minutes under the water in the evening compared to the morning, which could be contributing to higher energy bills.

A spokesperson for Utilita commented: “The cost of running a shower for eight minutes is around 32p on average – or £116 a year.” Therefore, spending less time showering in the morning could help bring those costs down slightly.

They added: “The Power Price List is designed to reveal how tweaking habits can provide sizeable savings for households.”