Sleeping Naked Will Change Your Life

I started sleeping naked out of necessity - my body runs at approximately the temperature of a small sun at all times, which is perfect for surviving the scottish winters (I rarely need a jacket), but a bummer when a heatwave hits. When the heatwave left, however, I just kept on doing it - even in winter. What shocked me the most was not the fact that my body temperature was more comfortable, that was a given, but rather that my body image, the condition of my skin, and the quality of my sleep improved immensely.

I was bigger then than I am now, and had such low self-esteem that I had taken to showering with the lights off. In around a year I've only lost about 3 inches from my waist and my weight has stayed much the same on the scales thanks to the muscle added by the gym, but my body image is drastically better. I believe sleeping naked has something to do with that, along with the addition of a few better habits. I'm nothing if not a researcher, however, thanks to my MRes, so I knew that anecdotal evidence just wouldn't pass muster. I spent weeks sifting through Google Scholar and JSTOR, even going so far as to email a local doctor (who, understandably, didn't respond - there are better things for them to do after all) - here's what I learned. Spoiler alert; I was right! Well... about some things.

Sleeping Naked is More Restful

According to Aminoff et al. (2011), we spend an average of one-third of our lives sleeping or trying to sleep - so making sure that we sleep well is important. In fact, many studies have shown that poor quality sleep, or a lack of sleep in general, is connected to stress, depression, anxiety, and even obesity. One 3-year study found that those who slept less than 5 hours per night on a regular basis were more likely to be significantly overweight than those who slept 7 to 8 hours (Kobayashi, D, et al, 2012).

So, how does sleeping naked help you enjoy a more restful night and get some quality Z's? It's all about body temperature!

Sleeping in the nude helps your body to regulate its own temperature more effectively. Not only will this help you to stay cool in summer, but it can actually help you to stay warm in winter by allowing your body to get used to regulating itself. This is absolutely crucial to getting a better nights sleep - a 2012 study found that the temperature of the sleeping environment is the single most important factor in getting quality sleep (Okamoto-Mizuno, K, & Mizuno, k,. 2012). This quality, REM sleep leads to a more refreshing and restful night, improved mood, lowered stress, and even a reduced risk of things like heart disease and strokes!

Bare Skin is Healthy Skin

The generally lower body temperature created by sleeping in your birthday suit is actually better for that suit. You see, sleeping enough is not only important for healing wounds (Smith et al. 2017), but for the general resilience and appearance of your skin. What's more the presence of clothing which can bunch up and pinch may damage the skin or lead to interruptions in your nightly rest.

More significantly, good quality rest and a well-regulated internal temperature have been proven to be important for reproductive health in both men and women. The presence of tight underwear was likely to cause issues for both genders, with women being particularly at risk of things like yeast infections, especially if their underwear is made of non-natural or breathable fibres. A study in Human Reproduction reported that men who wore tight underwear or otherwise allowed their testicles to become overheated on a regular and recurring basis experienced lower fertility rates (Minquez-Alarcon et al. 2018).

So, sleeping naked can be better for your health and wellbeing, no matter what your body looks like. The impacts on psychological health and wellbeing, however, have been less thoroughly studied.

Sleeping Naked can Improve Relationships and Self-Esteem

The studies which exist on the mental and emotional impacts of nudity almost exclusively focus on behaviours and communities previously labelled as 'deviant' - most notably the naturist communities. Interestingly, while many people still consider the naturist community, and others like it, to be strange and potentially harmful, a significant body of research has consistently failed to prove that nudist activities have a negative psychological or social impact on people of any gender or age (Okami, 1995). A more recent study, however, has found that there are actively positive side effects to naturist activities for adults, most notably an improvement in self-esteem and body acceptance which the study notes might be due to increased exposure to natural bodies of varied ages (West, K, 2018).

This is a little different from simply sleeping nude, of course, but there is limited research in this niche. This is where the anecdotal evidence comes into play - while I'm not a naturist, and I don't know anyone who is, I know many people who now sleep naked as standard. Without exception, they report being more accepting of their own bodies, and even the bodies of others. What's more, they say their relationships have improved and this is something that there is research to support. You see, sleeping naked beside your partner does two important things - it allows for skin-on-skin contact, and it promotes intimacy.

A study that was undertaken in 2015 found that skin-on-skin contact between adults was crucial in the release of oxytocin (Unvas-Moberg, K, et al, 2015). This is important because oxytocin is also linked with intimacy and bonding; it's the chemical that fuels love and care, for lack of a more scientific explanation. Sleeping nude, or even in just your underwear, with your partner can encourage feelings of closeness, lower stress, promote restful sleep, and do wonders for an ailing love life.

Of course, in order to maximize the benefits you see, it is best to also practice good sleep hygiene and build better sleeping habits.