Achieving the Perfect Shower

Achieving the Perfect Shower

 There are two types of people in this world—showers and bathers. (Well, I guess a third category would be those who do neither, but I’d rather not explore that.) I’m a lifelong devotee to the nighttime shower; for me, there’s no other way to end a long day. One of my good friends, however, thinks showers are only for convenience and takes long baths for relaxation¹ instead.

Unfortunately for her and other bath enthusiasts², there’s rarely time in our busy schedules for a proper bath. But showers can be as relaxing as baths or as reviving as a cup of coffee with the right tools at our disposal.

The Recipe for Relaxation

Most people think of showers as the perfect way to wake up in the morning, but they’re an equally great pre-sleep ritual as well. The hot water elevates our body temperatures, which makes us relaxed and sleepy. Pairing hot water with other similarly soothing³ actions will ensure a peaceful and contented⁴ state of mind.

1. Invest in a good shower head.

A shower can go from enjoyable to downright infuriating if the water pressure is not right. Showering is something most of us do quite often, so there’s no reason to skimp⁵ on small luxuries like a decent shower head. Find one with a massage⁶ setting to ease tense muscles and joints⁷.

2. Get clean with your favorite smells.

One of the best parts about taking a bath is using bath soap with calming scents⁸ like lavender or vanilla⁹. Luckily, brands like Calgon and the Body Shop make aromatherapy body washes that have the same effect.

3. Take yoga to the shower stall.

I’m not suggesting you start doing downward dog poses and sun salutations behind the shower curtain, but yoga techniques like breathing deeply and closing your eyes to find peace can be easily incorporated into a shower session. Long showers waste water, but just taking an extra minute to decompress will have a great effect on your emotional well-being¹⁰ with minimal¹¹ environmental impact.

Invigorating Ideas

Many people I know rely on showers to get them out of bed and out the door in the morning. It’s the only thing other than a jolt¹² of caffeine that shakes the sleep from their eyes. However, a quick spray of water isn’t always enough to get the job done. That’s where these shower tricks come in handy.

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4. Lather¹³ up with rejuvenating¹⁴ face soap and shampoo.

Just like vanilla and lavender are relaxing scents, there are certain smells that invigorate the senses, too. Peppermint¹⁵ and citrus are especially good at turning on the brain, so look for face washes and shampoos in these scents. Minty products also have the benefit of making skin tingle¹⁶, which stimulates¹⁷ both body and mind.

If you’re really desperate, there’s also a soap called Shower Shock that releases caffeine into your system when you wash yourself with it. According to its makers¹⁸, it’s the equivalent of two cups of coffee.

5. Play uplifting music.

Shower time fun increases exponentially with a good soundtrack. Choose music that puts you in a good mood, especially songs that you can’t help but sing along to. Listening to music will get you pumped and ready to tackle the day in high spirits. Don’t let fear of being overheard stop you. The shower will help drown out some of the sound and besides, it’s a proven fact that everyone sounds better in the shower.

6. Turn down the heat.

Hot showers raise the body temperature and prepare us for sleep, so taking a steamy shower isn’t the best way to revive yourself in the morning. Some believe that our bodies benefit from alternating blasts of cold and lukewarm water. Water at these temperatures is supposed to improve blood flow throughout the body, which makes the brain more alert.

Showers are often given a perfunctory status, but there’s no reason why we can’t make our showers work for us—either by giving us a natural burst of energy in the morning or lulling¹⁹ us into the perfect mindset for slumber²⁰. With a few adjustments to our regular shower routines, we can have all the luxury of a bath or even more invigoration. Either way, taking a little extra time to make the most out of our showers will surely refresh, in one way or another.

1 relaxation   

n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐

参考例句：

• The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law.部长一向反对法律上的任何放宽。
• She listens to classical music for relaxation.她听古典音乐放松。

2 enthusiasts   

n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A group of enthusiasts have undertaken the reconstruction of a steam locomotive. 一群火车迷已担负起重造蒸汽机车的任务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Now a group of enthusiasts are going to have the plane restored. 一群热心人计划修复这架飞机。 来自新概念英语第二册

3 soothing   

adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的

参考例句：

• Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
• His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。

4 contented   

adj.满意的，安心的，知足的

参考例句：

• He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
• The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

5 skimp   

v.节省花费，吝啬

参考例句：

• She had to skimp to send her son to college.她必须节俭来供她儿子上大学。
• Older people shouldn't skimp on food or heating.老年人不应过分吝惜食物或取暖方面的开销。

6 massage   

n.按摩，揉；vt.按摩，揉，美化，奉承，篡改数据

参考例句：

• He is really quite skilled in doing massage.他的按摩技术确实不错。
• Massage helps relieve the tension in one's muscles.按摩可使僵硬的肌肉松弛。

7 joints   

接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语）

参考例句：

• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on gas mains. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在煤气的总管道上了。
• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on steam pipes. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在蒸气管道上了。

8 scents   

n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉

参考例句：

• The air was fragrant with scents from the sea and the hills. 空气中荡漾着山和海的芬芳气息。
• The winds came down with scents of the grass and wild flowers. 微风送来阵阵青草和野花的香气。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 vanilla   

n.香子兰，香草

参考例句：

• He used to love milk flavoured with vanilla.他过去常爱喝带香草味的牛奶。
• I added a dollop of vanilla ice-cream to the pie.我在馅饼里加了一块香草冰激凌。

10 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

11 minimal   

adj.尽可能少的，最小的

参考例句：

• They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
• I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家，所以我的花费很小。

12 jolt   

v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸

参考例句：

• We were worried that one tiny jolt could worsen her injuries.我们担心稍微颠簸一下就可能会使她的伤势恶化。
• They were working frantically in the fear that an aftershock would jolt the house again.他们拼命地干着，担心余震可能会使房子再次受到震动。

13 lather   

n.(肥皂水的)泡沫，激动

参考例句：

• Soap will not lather in sea-water.肥皂在海水里不起泡沫。
• He always gets in a lather when he has an argument with his wife.当他与妻子发生争论时他总是很激动。

14 rejuvenating   

使变得年轻，使恢复活力( rejuvenate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The rejuvenating ambience of autumn is immeasurably more ancient than even the calendar. 秋天那让人恢复青春活力的气氛远比历法还要古老。 来自名作英译部分
• Rhoda says that it's embarrassing to be so idolized, but also very sweet and rejuvenating. 罗达说，给人这样过份地崇拜是很发窘的，不过也是愉快惬意使人年轻的。

15 peppermint   

n.薄荷，薄荷油，薄荷糖

参考例句：

• Peppermint oil is very good for regulating digestive disorders.薄荷油能很有效地调节消化系统失调。
• He sat down,popped in a peppermint and promptly choked to death.他坐下来，突然往嘴里放了一颗薄荷糖，当即被噎死。

16 tingle   

vi.感到刺痛，感到激动；n.刺痛，激动

参考例句：

• The music made my blood tingle.那音乐使我热血沸腾。
• The cold caused a tingle in my fingers.严寒使我的手指有刺痛感。

17 stimulates   

v.刺激( stimulate的第三人称单数 )；激励；使兴奋；起兴奋作用，起刺激作用，起促进作用

参考例句：

• Exercise stimulates the body. 运动促进身体健康。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Alcohol stimulates the action of the heart. 酒刺激心脏的活动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

18 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 lulling   

vt.使镇静，使安静（lull的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Ellen closed her eyes and began praying, her voice rising and falling, lulling and soothing. 爱伦闭上眼睛开始祷告，声音时高时低，像催眠又像抚慰。 来自飘（部分）

20 slumber   

n.睡眠，沉睡状态

参考例句：

• All the people in the hotels were wrapped in deep slumber.住在各旅馆里的人都已进入梦乡。
• Don't wake him from his slumber because he needs the rest.不要把他从睡眠中唤醒，因为他需要休息。