Going to bed in the buff has more perks than you might think. These research-backed benefits will have you ditching the dowdy flannels and sleeping naked tonight.
By Alanna Nuñez, Reader’s Digest
Sleeping naked could improve your Zzz’s
Several studies have shown that people tend to sleep better in cooler temps than warmer ones. Why? Your natural body temperature naturally declines as you sleep, says Christine Hansen, sleep coach and founder of Sleep Like a Boss. As your body temperature declines, your cortisol levels go down and your melatonin levels go up. “That’s why when it’s too hot, you feel nervous and jumpy and can’t sleep,” Hansen says. Because wearing PJs or sleeping under heavy covers can disrupt your body’s natural cool-down, it can in turn disrupt the quality of your sleep. However, you don’t want to be too cold either: If you’re so cold that you’re shivering, you’re probably not sleeping deeply. While there’s no one perfect temperature for good shut-eye, the National Sleep Foundation recommends setting your thermostat between 60 and 67 degrees—but if you’re sleeping nude and waking up shivering, feel free to turn it up.
Sleeping naked could boost your self-confidence
Admittedly, the research here is limited, but Hansen believes it’s possible that sleeping naked can make you more at ease with yourself and your body. “It’s more the idea that you’re shedding a social norm that says being naked is bad or something you shouldn’t be or do that helps,” she says. Sleeping nude is one of the 13 secrets to better sleep that doctors want you to know.
Sleeping naked is pretty great for your sex life
There’s something really sexy about sliding into bed next to your significant other and feeling their skin on yours. And that skin-to-skin contact releases endorphins like oxytocin (also known as the hug hormone or the cuddle chemical), which puts you in the mood for sex. The research is limited, but “being naked is definitely more attractive than being in an old t-shirt or pajamas,” Hansen says. “I think it could definitely make a difference in your sex life.” Check out the other habits of couples with steamy sex lives.
Sleeping naked is good for your vagina
Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles have found that sleeping in underwear, especially tight undies or thongs, creates a breeding ground for bacteria. Sleeping nude helps your vagina “air out,” as it were, and also reduces the chances of bad bacteria throwing its delicate ecosystem out of balance. Don’t miss the other things your vagina secretly wants to tell you!
Sleeping naked may also be good for guys’ sperm
If you and your man are trying to get pregnant, it may pay to ask him to strip before he hits the sheets every night. A recent Finnish study found that when men’s testicles are too warm, the quality of their sperm may suffer. Not only that, Brian Steixner, an Atlanta-based urologist has said that sleeping in underwear increases the likelihood of chafing, irritation, or bacterial infections down there.
Sleeping naked might help you lose weight
Your body has two types of fat, white and brown. White fat doesn’t do much, but brown fat generates heat and may help you burn calories as you sleep. A 2014 study in Diabetes followed five men who slept in a climate-controlled room set to varying temperatures over four months. At the end, the researchers found that after a month of the heat being lowered to 66 degrees from 74, the men had almost doubled their volumes of brown fat. Another study published in the journal Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism suggests that cooler temps might boost your calorie burn by 30 percent. Sleeping nude in a cool room isn’t the same as putting in a strenuous workout, but hey, when it comes to losing weight, every little bit helps, right? In fact, sleeping naked is one of the 9 ways to actually lose weight in your sleep.
Sleeping naked will make your skin glow
Especially if you have a really good mattress, Hansen says. A high-quality mattress that’s not full of artificial materials will allow for better circulation, which lets your skin breathe. That, in turn, helps your skin regenerate itself (your collagen production levels go up at night while you sleep) throughout the night. The result? A lit-from-within glow when you wake up in the morning after sleeping naked. Plus, research shows getting enough z’s helps skin recover and refresh. If sleeping nude helps really does help you sleep, then the skin benefits are a bonus. Prepping for a good night of sleep ends with going to bed nude, and starts with these 19 things you can do all day long for better sleep tonight.
