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By Kerry Hale

The Best Shower Temperature For Your Body & Hair

  • Monday 20 September 2021
  • 5 Minute Read

There’s little more comforting than a hot shower; feeling warm jets of water saturate your skin as you relax after a long day. But what is the best temperature for your shower? There’s no hard and fast rule for how hot or cold your shower water should be, but it’s generally advised to keep the average shower temperature between 37°C and 38.3°C. The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering recommends that this shouldn’t exceed 41°C, and that 37°C should be the maximum showering temperature for babies. Any hotter than this, and you might find that your skin gets dry and itchy, and your blood pressure might drop, causing you to feel lightheaded. On different days, at different stages of your life and in different circumstances, you might want a warmer or a colder shower, so let’s take a look at the optimum shower temperatures in different scenarios.

Best shower temperature for your skin

The ideal shower temperature for your skin is lukewarm or cooler. Hot water strips your skin of natural oils, which can lead to dry and itchy skin, so it’s best to stick to an average shower temperature of between 37°C and 38°C.

If you have sensitive skin, then the spray settings on your shower, as well as the temperature, can also affect your showering experience. Opt for the Mira Switch – a showerhead with a dermatological accreditation from the Skin Health Alliance. It has four spray modes to choose from, including a soft pressure spray designed for sensitive skin.

Best shower temperature for your hair

As with your skin, hot water can strip your hair of natural oils, which can dry it out. If you colour your hair, hot water can cause the colour to fade more quickly than it would if washed at lower temperatures. Aim for temperatures between 37°C and 38.3°C.

Find out more about the benefits of hot vs cold showers.

Best shower temperature for children

Young children have very sensitive skin, which means that they are easily scalded by water that is too hot. For toddlers and small children, the ideal shower temperature is between 37°C and 38°C, while for babies, the ideal water temperature is 36°C. Always check the water before your child gets under the shower to ensure it’s the right temperature for them.

Best shower temperature for elderly

As we age, we should slowly decrease our average shower temperature, as our skin and our hearts are less tolerant of hot water. Skin may react more severely to hot water and become dry and itchy, while excessive blood flow to the skin can put a strain on our cardiovascular system. The ideal shower temperature for the elderly is therefore between 36°C and 38°C.

Best shower temperature after a workout

Having a cold shower after a workout can help your muscles recover more quickly and prevent you feeling stiff the next day. However, hot water helps to relieve tense and tight muscles, so switch to a hot shower the next day to soothe any stiffness.

Best shower temperature when you’re pregnant

According to the NHS, a significant rise in your core body temperature could be harmful during pregnancy. As such, it’s best to set your shower to the same temperature as your body temperature: around 37°C.

Can showering raise your body temperature?

Yes, taking a long shower in water that is too hot can raise your body temperature and can cause dizziness and even heat stroke. Similarly, taking a long cold shower can also decrease your body temperature, which can make you feel dizzy and decrease your breathing rate.

It’s important to remain aware of how you’re feeling while in the shower, and stick to a moderate temperature as much as possible.

The best showers for temperature control

Thermostatic mixer showers

To get the perfect temperature time and time again, consider installing a thermostatic mixer shower like the Mira Opero.

Thermostatic showers work by taking water from both your hot and cold water supplies, combining them to create your desired temperature before releasing the flow through your showerhead. The temperature is maintained for the duration of your shower, even if someone flushes the toilet or runs a tap elsewhere in your home, so there’s no sudden bursts of scalding or freezing water.

The Mira Opero features the new Mira HydroGlo™ technology, which lights up the shower when the water hits your chosen temperature, so you know when it’s ready to get in.

Digital showers

Digital showers work in the same way as a thermostatic mixer shower, taking hot and cold water and mixing them to produce the required temperature, but a digital shower controller gives you even more precision when it comes to setting the temperature.

Some wireless models come with a remote control, so you can set the temperature from up to 10 metres away. Others, like our Mira Mode and Mira Activate ranges, come with an app that allows you to control the shower from your smartphone.

All Mira digital showers have a warm-up feature, which means the shower will heat up to your chosen temperature and then pause until you’re ready to get in – a much better alternative to standing there getting chilly while the shower heats up!

Ready to enhance your showering experience? Browse our full range of showers, or find out more about the Mira Opero.

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