When I first started working in the U.S., I noticed that during an 8 AM meeting, my female colleague sitting next to me had wet hair, as if she had just showered.

I was a bit surprised. I thought she must have overslept, but it turned out that this was just a normal sight at work.

In contrast, I was someone who showered at night, as I did in Korea. I felt uncomfortable bringing the dust I accumulated throughout the day into bed.

So today, I want to explore this small difference. Which is more common in America: morning showers or evening showers?

According to a 2024 Harris Poll survey of over 2,000 American adults, 60% reported that they shower in the morning.

In the afternoon or evening, the percentage was 33%. It's important to note that since respondents could choose multiple time slots, the total exceeds 100%.

Still, it's clear that morning showers are the overwhelming favorite.

However, results can vary by survey. When the Sleep Foundation asked 1,250 adults in September 2022, the numbers were much closer: 41.8% for morning showers and 38.4% for evening showers.

This variation in responses suggests that it's not accurate to definitively say that Americans prefer morning showers.

So why do they prefer mornings? When I asked my colleagues directly, their answers were quite similar.

They shower to wake up and to look presentable at work. In fact, the Sleep Foundation survey found that 80.9% of morning showerers cited waking up as a reason.

Some even said that a hot shower is more effective than a cup of coffee.

American workplace culture tends to be quite sensitive to first impressions and body odor.

It seems that people here are more concerned about showing up with messy hair or body odor compared to Koreans.

There's also a historical context. The habit of showering daily became widespread in the U.S. later than one might think, around the mid-20th century.

Before that, many households would bathe once a week, leading to the term "Saturday night bath." This was commonly understood to mean bathing before Sunday services.

As water heaters and indoor plumbing became common, and soap and deodorant advertisements made body odor something to be ashamed of, daily bathing became the norm.

With the addition of quick showers, a routine of investing 10 minutes in the morning to start the day was established.

In contrast, in Korea and Japan, bathing is often seen as a ritual to end the day.

The evening bathing culture in Japan is well-known, focusing on soaking to relieve fatigue.

Ultimately, Americans shower in the morning for the sake of appearance, while Koreans shower at night for the sake of sleep.

It's a difference in perspective: whether the focus is on the outside or the inside.

Interestingly, there is also a significant generational gap in the U.S.

According to Harris Poll, 50% of Gen Z reported showering at night, while only 19% of Baby Boomers did.

Millennials were at 40%, and Gen X at 31%. It's clear that younger people are increasingly leaning towards evening showers.

As for me, I'm currently a mix of both. I always shower at night, and on rainy days when I exercise in the morning, I rinse off again before heading to work.

At first, I thought it was strange for my colleague to come to work with wet hair, but now I see it as just her way of starting the day. Cultural differences are like that, aren't they?

Which camp do you belong to? Some of you may have changed your habits since coming to America, while others may stick to evening showers. Personally, I plan to remain an evening shower person.