The shower may be a place where some people get straight to business but for more than half of women, it's a place to process their stressors, various emotions and the ups and downs of daily life.
According to a new survey, 52% of women say showers are the only "me time" they get on any given day -- and 79% are in need of that "me time" right now.
The survey of 1,000 women aged 18-35, conducted by OnePoll in partnership with Olay, also found that 2 in 3 women feel like they can do anything after a great shower, enjoying a boost of confidence that lasts over four hours.
However, not all showers are created equal. In fact, of the average six showers a week, women reported only four of those to be "great showers." As for what makes a shower great, women want to feel clean (73%), calm (60%), renewed (56%), ready for the day (55%) and more confident (43%).
"A shower is more than just a way to get clean, it's an escape that provides physical and emotional benefits. In fact, the majority of women agree that a great shower with the right body care routine can result in glowing, healthy-looking skin (82%) and believe that achieving this would positively impact their wellbeing (82%)," Dr. Maiysha Jones, principal scientist at Olay, told SWNS Digital, which shared the survey results.
Of those who have a shower routine, 79% agree that spending this time on themselves makes them feel good from the inside out, according to the survey. The majority of women also agree that missing out on their shower routine impacts how they feel mentally (61%), physically (54%) and emotionally (53%).
Among women shower in the daytime, they look forward to feeling energized (52%) and beautiful (45%), while those who shower at night like to feel relaxed (78%) and like they're glowing (30%), the survey shows.
Although they admit certain thoughts can creep up on them in the shower -- such as finances (27%), work (24%) and caring for their kids (19%) -- survey respondents said turning to the shower helps them escape it all by letting their random thoughts roam (60%), reflecting on the past day or day ahead (44%) and thinking about their memories (42%).