Is eating an orange in the shower actually good for your mental health? This quirky wellness hack has been floating around TikTok and Instagram for years, with creators swearing that peeling and eating an orange in the shower is the ultimate form of self-care.
Fans of the trend claim it’s like DIY aromatherapy, a stress reliever, and even a mood booster. It’s something about “happy hormones” and citrusy magic. Naturally, I had to find out if it’s another viral placebo… or if there’s really something to it.
Here’s the twist: I had never eaten an orange before. Ever. (I don’t know how, because I’m from Florida). I’ve had orange flavored candy, and maybe tasted a slice at some point, but I genuinely don’t remember eating a whole orange in my life — much less in the shower. So, I peeled my first one (awkwardly) and lost my orange virginity on a quest to improve my questionable mental state.
But first, I had to consult the experts. Dr. Ashwini Nadkarni, MD, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, notes that while eating an orange in the shower isn’t heavily researched, that doesn’t mean it lacks value. “The basis for eating an orange in the shower is that it produces an enhanced sensory experience,” she says, “People may feel that it produces a relaxing aroma and environment. This could prove useful to people to the extent that it’s found to be relaxing and a self-care ritual.”
Nadkarni isn’t the only expert who sees potential in this trend. Anat Joseph, a licensed clinical social worker and psychoanalyst, emphasises that the sensory nature of this experience has mood boosting potential. “It’s less about the orange itself and more about creating a moment of mindfulness or sensory pleasure,” she tells Her Campus.
Are “weird wellness” trends helpful, or are they mostly a placebo effect?
According to the experts, weird wellness can be great, but there are risks. “‘Weird wellness’ trends like this can actually be helpful when they give people permission to try something playful or new,” Joseph says. “Sometimes the placebo effect is still an effect—if a quirky habit becomes a personal ritual that helps someone feel more present, calm, or cared for, that has value.” If it makes you feel happy in the moment and encourages you to try something exciting, the trend is approved!
What’s the bad side? According to Joseph, “The risk is when these trends overpromise or distract from evidence-based care.” So no, eating an orange in the shower is not a valid excuse to skip therapy this week.
What are small, daily habits backed by science that boost mental health?
Before we go over my experience eating an orange in the shower, I want to give you a few of these evidence-backed tactics to make your brain feel good every day. Feel free to try the orange hack, but Joseph and Nadkarni recommended tactics like these: practicing gratitude, regular movement (I prefer to call it hot-girl walking), journaling, breathing exercises, and, of course, maintaining good sleep and nutrition. But Joseph says, “If eating an orange in the shower makes you smile and slows you down for a moment, go for it. Just don’t expect it to replace therapy or deeper emotional work.”
My experience eating an orange in the shower:
Now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for: Did I feel better after eating an orange in the shower? No. I might even say I felt worse. Apparently, I don’t like oranges. So, force-feeding myself one in the shower felt like a weird form of torture. However, I feel like if I were eating a fruit I enjoy like apples or blueberries, it could have been fun!
All that said, I think my experience is a testament to the value of “weird wellness” trends. If you like it, it might be wonderful, but ultimately, they aren’t tailored for everyone. Science-backed practices like creating a gratitude journal or going on a walk are strategies that will improve most people’s daily lives. So, have fun and try the weird trends, but try them on top of a well-rounded daily wellness routine.