11 Benefits of Sleeping Naked (Backed by Scientific Research)

Sleeping is one of the most important things we do every night.

Getting the right amount of sleep has an untold number of health benefits, and not getting enough sleep is a serious problem in many countries around the world, including the United States.

While there are many benefits of getting adequate sleep, did you know that you can get additional benefits by sleeping naked? This might sound a little naughty but bear with us here. Only 17% of Americans sleep naked, even though it’s healthier and improves more than one area of your life.^[1]

Are we all sabotaging our sleep, beauty, and sex, or are we just unaware? The following information may cause you to chuck those pajamas and bring out your birthday suit.

Here are some benefits of sleeping without clothes.

11 Health Benefits of Sleeping Naked

1. It is Easier

One of the benefits of sleeping naked is you don’t have to worry about sleeping in clothes. You don’t have to buy pajamas, which can save you money. You have fewer clothes to wash and fewer clothes to put away.

You may have to clean your bed sheets more often, but not nearly as often as you’d have to wash your pajamas when you run out. Apart from saving money, you’ll get time to do what you love.

2. It Forces You to be Ready to Go More Often

Some people get off of work, change into their pajamas, and use this as an excuse to stay home the rest of the evening. This can lead to a more sedentary lifestyle, which has been attributed to things like risks for obesity, high blood pressure, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers like colon, breast, and uterine cancers.^[2]

When you keep your regular clothes on, you tend to go out more often, and that’s a good thing.

3. Skin-On-Skin Contact

If you’re married or living with your significant other, sleeping naked gives a greater chance of skin-on-skin contact, especially when it comes to cuddling. This kind of contact can also lead to a more active love life. All of this releases copious amounts of oxytocin, which is the neurotransmitter that helps you feel those good feelings about your significant other.^[3]

4. It Could Lead to Better Sleep

Let’s revisit the scenario I described above. There are no drawstrings or clothes getting tangled in sheets. You don’t have to worry about shirts getting twisted. All of these distractions go away when you sleep naked, and it may help you get better, deeper sleep.

A study found that the regulation of in-bed body temperature could significantly help in reaching a deeper sleep for longer periods of time. Better, deeper sleep helps you be healthier.^[4]

5. It Can Help Your Skin

For once, your body gets to breathe. Your private parts, armpits, and feet are generally restricted all day and are often covered by multiple layers, even in the summertime. Give those parts a chance to air out and breathe. This can be helpful for those who suffer from skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis.

6. It Helps You Regulate Your Cortisol

Cortisol is a very strange chemical in the body, but it can do much damage. When you sleep naked, it helps keep your body temperature at the optimal ranges so your body can produce less cortisol. If you sleep overheated, your cortisol levels tend to stay high, even after you wake up. This can lead to increased anxiety, cravings for bad food, and more terrible things.^[5]

Researchers have found that those who sleep less than six hours are three times more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease and, therefore, unwanted weight gain. Because sleeping naked helps you get deeper sleep and keeps your body temperature at the optimal ranges, your body is better able to regulate cortisol.^[6]

Sleep naked so you can keep your body temperature down and sleep well so your body can properly produce and regulate cortisol.

7. It Balances Your Melatonin and Growth Hormone

Continuing along that same vein, keeping your sleeping environment below 70 degrees Fahrenheit can help your body regulate its melatonin and growth hormone levels. These chemicals help the body prevent aging and are essential to good health. When you sleep in clothes, your body heats up and prevents the effective use of these hormones. In other words, sleeping with clothes on can make you grow old faster.

Increased oxytocin and reduced cortisol levels – both previously mentioned – contribute to a more robust immune system. Keeping these important chemicals at their optimal amounts in your body’s ecosystem by sleeping naked means giving yourself the best shot at fending off germs, viruses, and other disease-causing organisms.^[7]

8. It Can Keep Your Reproductive Organs Happier

For men, the cooler sleeping conditions allow your testes to remain at a cooler temperature. This helps keep your sperm healthy and your reproductive systems functioning as normal. For women, the cooler and more airy sleeping conditions can help prevent yeast infections. Yeast grows better in warm, moist conditions.^[8] When it’s cooler and dryer, yeast growth is prevented.

9. Sleeping in the Summer is More Bearable

Summertime is a tricky time to get good sleep. If you don’t have air conditioning, then you may find your bedroom a bit stuffy at night.

Shedding those bedtime clothes can help the bedroom feel more comfortable. You may even be able to turn the A/C off on those cooler nights, which can save you a few bucks on your electricity bill. Don’t wake up drenched in sweat again because your thermostat is downstairs, and the hot air expands to your bedroom, where the thermostat can’t read the warm temperatures.

10. Being Exposed to Your Body Improves Self-Esteem and Acceptance

Over time, the practice of sleeping naked and spending more time naked improves self-esteem. This is because nudity literally and metaphorically strips us of the false notion that we have to apologize, hide, or be ashamed of ourselves– whether we’re talking about our physical body or emotional self.

When we get more comfortable with ourselves, other people feel more comfortable around us, too.

11. You’ll Experience Better Blood Flow

Without all those elastic bands around your waist, twisted t-shirts, and tight socks cutting off your circulation, your blood can more freely flow through your body. This increased circulation benefits the heart, muscles, and arteries as the oxygen-rich blood flows to your extremities.

With all this information on why sleeping naked is much better for you, why are you still wearing pajamas? Go ahead, indulge in a little naked time. According to science, there are a lot of health benefits to sleeping naked.

Sleep Well without Your Clothes

With these tips in mind, it’s time to start taking off your clothes at night!

Of course, there are times when clothes are preferable. If you are ill or it’s cold outside, then you should sleep with clothes on to help you stay warm and prevent further illness. Otherwise, go commando!

TL;DR

Don't have time for the full article? Read this.

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If you’re married or living with your significant other, sleeping naked gives a greater chance of skin-on-skin contact, especially when it comes to cuddling. This kind of contact can also lead to a more active love life.

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A study found that the regulation of in-bed body temperature could significantly help in reaching a deeper sleep for longer periods of time. Better, deeper sleep helps you be healthier.

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Increased oxytocin and reduced cortisol levels contribute to a more robust immune system. Keeping these important chemicals at optimal by sleeping naked means giving yourself the best shot at fending off germs and viruses.

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Sleeping naked can be beneficial to those who have skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.