Sleeping in the nude isn’t as popular as it should be. Perhaps your jammies are already as comfy as ever or perhaps it feels a bit risque, even if you sleep alone. Going bare isn’t for everyone, but it turns out that stripping down for slumber actually proves to have a multitude of benefits for your well-being. Speak to a health professional prior if you have with sensitive skin, declining muscle mass, or low basal metabolic rate.
Deeper sleep
You know that feeling when you can’t sleep because your pillow is too warm so you flip it over to the other side to counter your body temperature? When we feel overheated during sleep, our body isn’t producing adequate melatonin (the hormone that helps your body prepare for sleep). Sleeping buff helps ensure that our body temperature doesn’t get too high. The cooler and more comfortable you are, the better and longer your slumber.
Improved genital health
After trapping our bodies in underwear and fitted clothing all day, it’s important to let our nether regions breathe when we sleep. Wearing underwear traps in moisture which serves as breeding ground for bacteria – causing potential vaginal infections for women or jock strap itch for men.
Improved intimacy between couples
Our bodies release happy chemical “oxytocin” whenever we are physically close to someone, and in skin-to-skin contact, the levels are increased and make us feel close to one another. According to Matt Hertenstein, associate professor of psychology at DePauw University, “Oxytocin is a neuropeptide, which basically promotes feelings of devotion, trust and bonding…. it really lays the biological foundation and structure for connecting to other people.”
Potential weight loss
Who would’ve thought that sleeping naked could boost your metabolism and help you lose weight? When sleeping in lower temperatures (like sleeping in the nude), your body responds by producing more brown fat. Unlike regular old white fat, which stores calories, brown-fat cells burn energy and produce heat.
Lowers cortisol (stress hormone)
On the nights where we don’t get much sleep, our cortisol levels are abnormally high – this triggers our appetite, increases tension/anxiety, and weakens the body’s immune system among other things. Sleeping in your birthday suit allows you to cool down at night which increases the growth hormone while decreasing cortisol during healthy sleep patterns.
