The Link Between Spending Time in the Bathroom and Boosting Creative Thinking

Eureka! Eureka! Archimedes, the great scientist once ran naked on the streets of Syracuse shouting ‘Eureka’ ‘Eureka’. It translates to ‘I have found it’. This was when he found the principle of buoyancy while taking a bath. There are many such historic examples when creativity blinked in the bathroom. 

Steve Jobs did most of his thinking in the bathroom. He would sit on top of a toilet and dangle his bare feet in the water while thinking.

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan spends a lot of time in the bath, sometimes 2 hours at a stretch!

The famous writer Stephen King got most of his ideas in such subconscious moments. Great ideas come in the most relaxed state in the bathroom.

Writer, actor and director Woody Allen say that taking a shower gives him inspiration. He sometimes stands in the water for an hour to get the creative juices flowing.

The list of people getting path-breaking ideas in the bathroom goes on…

But I am not that creative!

Well, trust me when I say this, “Everyone is born creative.”

Research and studies too concur with this statement.

Every individual born with the capacity to think is creative. It’s just that some harness that potential and some do not. 

Creativity is not some gifted talent. It is rather a knack that sharpens with time and practice!

You can be an artist, a writer, a photographer, a dancer, or whatever you want to be. All you need is commitment, dedication, and desire. 

As the great scientist put it, “Genius is 1 % talent and 99 % hard work.”

Also Read: Creativity Sparks Bright in a Sleepy Brain

Science explains why creativity breeds in the bathroom

There are a number of reasons that has emerged in multiple pieces of research which explains this bizarre connection of creativity striking in the bathroom. 

When you are diligently chasing a complex problem, your brain is engaged in understanding the details. Your brain subconsciously engages in connecting the dots, when you take a short break in a warm stream.

For many people, a warm bath is the most relaxing activity of the day. Their stressful schedule and sedentary lifestyle of most people make this bathing time their only escape to solitude. This is the time when they disconnect from the digital world, snooze the ticking clock of deadlines and delve deep into their inner self.

Bathing boosts creativity: Theory

Showering is one of the most relaxing and stress-free experience. As the warm water washes off the stress, the mind is free to roam in free territories.

Theory 1 – Bathing-Dopamine-creativity

Renowned neuroscientists, Alice Flaherty explained that a warm shower can increase the flow of dopamine. The flow of dopamine is directly connected to creativity. Dopamine reaches out to certain brain areas and active creative wanderings.

Other activities that boost the production of dopamine and make us feel relaxed have the same effect. Walking, running, exercising, listening to music, meditation and body massage are some to name. Many people have reported high levels of creative alertness during these activities. 

Theory 2 – Bathing-brain-creativity

Another explanation of this theory is that regular mundane activities require very less engagement of the brain. The areas in the brain that are used to make decisions is largely inactive during such activities.

This triggers the creative part of the brain to wander. The “medial prefrontal cortex”, which is responsible to learn association, context, events and emotional responses become very active in such situations.

Theory 3 – Bathing-distraction-creativity

A third theory is put forth by Harvard researcher Carson which is about distraction. Sometimes being too much involved in a thought entangles the mind. A little distraction can help in striking on a completely different angle.

Distraction opens the window of creativity. When you get an influx of dopamine, a relaxed state offers that breadth of fresh thought. 

Shower your way to reach a solution

It has been seen multiple times when solutions to complex problems come in the most unexpected way.

The great Indian mathematician Shrinivas Ramanujan revealed that he got the answers to most of the equations in his dreams. 

Answers to our concerns come in the most unusual times. When the brain temporarily shuts its chase. One such time when the brain relaxes completely is during the shower. Scientist calls this time as the “incubation period”.

When you continuously concentrate on one particular thing, even your subconscious acts on the quest. So, when you give a break to your conscious mind, your subconscious takes over. The subconscious is more powerful, more alert and gives answers in the most unexpected ways.

This explains Archimedes’ Eureka moment. When he let his conscious mind rest, his subconscious took over and the answer floated! 

3 effective ways to capture your creative soul

1. Keep that waterproof notebook handy

Ideas can come in a blink and they can walk away in another. That’s why it’s important to keep your notepad ready to scribble down every shred of thought. 

2. Get more room for disengagement and distraction

The more disengagements you have, the more creative your mind will be! Take short coffee breaks, sneak a brisk walk, enjoy the bliss of coffee naps and wander in the lanes of nature.

3. Workout enhances dopamine release

Be it walking in the treadmill or jogging down the track, picking up some weights or grooving the body to some music, exercise enhances dopamine release.  

Conclusion: Creativity sparks in the bathroom

72% of people get their best ideas in the shower.

Bathing is that simple act which provides the perfect bed for creativity. High dopamine, relaxed stated and distracted mind – the perfect combination that oozes creativity.

So, keep bathing until you get your Eureka moment!!!