Is it better to sleep naked?
In the modern world we’re living in – busy work schedules, hectic home life, socialising, working out, household chores, family commitments – we often find ourselves with so much (too much?) going on.
There are always places to be and things to do and the only respite some of us get are those precious hours spent in bed. With our minds and bodies in perpetual motion, sleep is more important now, in today’s world, than it has ever been before.
Why is sleep so important?
The experts believe that we sleep to restore and repair our bodies and brains. Whilst we sleep our body is able to carry out essential maintenance work and our minds can switch off and rest.
Without sleep our ability to function properly is diminished and we can find ourselves lacking in concentration, feel lethargic and unable to think clearly.
Studies have shown that the optimum amount of sleep for an adult is between 7 – 9 hours per night, with younger people needing more and older adults needing slightly less than this.
Is sleeping naked better for your health?
So we understand the importance of sleep but let’s get down to the crux of this debate – IS IT BETTER TO SLEEP NAKED?
There are limited scientific studies regarding sleeping naked, so we really can’t say for definite whether it is better to sleep naked, however we can look at the arguments both for and against naked sleeping to see why you should consider losing those layers.
Benefits of sleeping naked
With or without scientific evidence to prove it, there are some obvious benefits to sleeping naked.
✔ Temperature Control
There is an optimum temperature for falling asleep and as we begin to feel tired before bed, our bodies increase melatonin production which decreases our body temperature to enable us to fall asleep easily. Our temperature continues to decrease throughout the night.
Sleeping naked can help us to lower our temperature quicker at bedtime, not only helping us to fall asleep faster but the absence of clothing can help us achieve better sleep quality by ensuring we maintain a constant cool temperature all night long.
✔ Better quality sleep
Keeping cool is one of the main benefits of sleeping naked. Being cool and staying cool is an excellent way to maintain better sleep quality. Even a slight rise in room temperature during the night can interrupt your circadian rhythms and cause you to wake up.
Once awake, it can be tricky to get back to sleep, especially if it is warm. Wearing less, or no, clothing whilst you sleep gives you the best chance of staying asleep by keeping your body temperature at a consistently cool level.
✔ Improved sexual health
For both men and women, the absence of underwear for a prolonged amount of time, such as when asleep, can help airflow around the genitals. In women, this ventilation can reduce bacteria and make yeast infections less likely.
For men, exposure to cool air by sleeping naked can reduce the testicular temperature which may lead to improved fertility.
✔ Fertility
Some experts believe that tight-fitting underwear can have an adverse effect on mens fertility. Compression of the testicles can lead to increased testicular temperatures which can potentially reduce sperm count and motility.
Sleeping naked could be beneficial for men by lowering the temperature of the testicles and improving sperm health.
✔ Improved relationships
For couples who share a bed, sleeping naked may actually improve your relationship. Skin-to-skin contact leads to increased production of oxytocin, also known as the ‘love hormone’.
This hormone plays an important part in attachment building and promoting feelings of connection. Evidence to support this can be found amongst studies into ‘skin time’ between parents of newborn babies and the importance of this skin-to-skin contact in building attachments.
Sleeping naked with your partner can promote feelings of intimacy, not just while you’re in close contact in bed but outside the bedroom too. Shared intimacy makes couples feel close to one another which can help improve relationships.
✔ Mental wellbeing
There is a certain sensuality in sleeping naked. The heighted sense of connection with the materials touching your skin can feel good and promote feelings of positivity and confidence.
In fact, one study in 2017 found that spending more time naked increased ‘life satisfaction’, boosted self-esteem and promoted positive body image perception. It’s not always possible to spend time naked during the day, so grab your fix at nighttime and pass on those pyjamas.
When should you sleep naked – or not
We would suggest that you only try sleeping naked if you live in your own space either by yourself or with close family who don’t mind seeing you naked. We’re not saying that you have to parade yourself around the house in front of your mum, your nan and your neighbours.
Just that if you have housemates, roommates or people in the household you’d rather didn’t see you naked, you might want to consider alternatives.
Sometimes we have to get up in the night to use the toilet, if there is an emergency, to make a midnight snack or maybe you sleepwalk. These are examples of why you should consider wearing pyjamas to bed instead of nothing.
Choose nightwear made from natural fibres that is loose-fitting and comfortable instead if you’re unsure about sleeping totally naked or opt for loose underwear instead and take a step towards sleeping naked.
Top tip – if you do decide to sleep naked, keep a dressing gown close in case you need to get up during the night!
How to fall asleep fast – naked or not!
Whether you decide to sleep naked, semi-naked or not at all naked, there are still some surefire ways to get to sleep fast.
• Reduce screen time before bed
• Maintain a healthy diet
• Exercise regularly
• Sleep in a dark bedroom or wear a 3D Sleep Mask
• Keep to your sleep schedule
• Avoid work, confrontation or anxiety close to bedtime
• Get lots of daylight exposure during the day
• Wear blue light blocking glasses in the evening
• Use supplementation like 500mg of Magnesium Glycinate or use Sleep Patches
You can read more information on how to get to sleep fast by following the link.
Sleeping naked won’t work for everyone and it’s more important to go to bed feeling comfortable to ensure the best night’s sleep.
