Which is better: bath or shower? An expert breaks down your hygiene routine

Both showers and baths can be a healthy part of your hygiene routine. But is one better than the other?

"Yes," says Keshnie Mathi, founder of Wellness Specialist.

Baths and showers send distinctly different signals to our brains.

The full-body immersion of a bath with constant water pressure activates the parasympathetic nervous system (our rest-and-digest response), creating feelings of safety and containment.

“It does calm you down, your muscles relax, your breathing slows, and your brain receives the signal that you are safe and contained,” she says.

Showers, meanwhile, offer rhythmic, dynamic sensory input that reorients attention and provides a faster sensory reset.

“You experience the sound of the water, the falling water on your body. We always say if you are about to go into an interview or you need to shake off the residue of an intense meeting, a shower is usually a quicker way and more practical tool for you to reset and realign."

Mathi suggests that even occasional bathing, rather than showering, can provide significant wellness benefits, especially when combined with intentional practices like breathing exercises.

The key isn’t necessarily the method you choose, but rather being mindful of the experience.

To listen to Mathi in conversation with 702’s Clement Manyathela, click below: