5 surprising benefits of sleeping naked
When it comes to listing the things that prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep, clothes might not be the first thing that you think of. You might consider that the position you sleep in, or even your perpetual habit of grinding your teeth each night causes more problems than your pyjamas. However, the truth is that while many things can contribute to lessening your quality of sleep, clothes are often more problematic than you’d think. Sleeping naked is surprisingly good for your health. Not only does it allow your skin to breathe more easily during the night, but it could also improve your chances of getting to sleep faster.
We have compiled a list of 5 surprising benefits of sleeping naked that might just convince you to ditch your PJs once and for all.
1. You’ll fall asleep faster and sleep deeper
According to research from the National Sleep Foundation, one of the most important factors in determining how quickly you’ll fall asleep, and how well you’ll rest is your body temperature. The hotter you are, the less likely you are to drift off into a peaceful slumber. Sleep has an important impact on your circadian rhythm – the system that tells you to fall asleep and wake up each day.
Cooling down informs your body that it’s time to go to sleep because you’re more likely to be cooler during the night due to the natural drop in temperature after the sun sets. Additionally, once you fall asleep, keeping your clothes off can also improve your quality of sleep. Experts suggest that staying cool throughout the night reduces your risk of waking up throughout the night.
2. You’ll protect and nourish your skin
Sleeping naked increases your overall sleep quality, which also has a positive impact on the health of your skin. According to one small study, poor sleep can potentially cause your body to take longer when recovering from a minor injury or wound. That’s because a good night of sleep allows you to release the proteins and hormones necessary for physical and mental recovery as you stay blissfully cool all night.
Aside from helping you to recover faster, sleeping naked can have a positive impact on your skin in other ways too. For instance, you’re less likely to get trapped sweat in your skin which can cause acne if you have no clothes on. Overheating at night can also cause heat rash and eczema in sensitive skin.
3. You’ll be less stressed and anxious
We know that poor sleep has a major impact on our stress levels and mood, but have you ever considered that your pyjamas could be causing you unnecessary stress? It sounds strange, but research is beginning to reveal that sleeping in clothing could be problematic for our mental health. While wearing clothes to bed by itself won’t cause mood changes (unless you really hate your PJs,) wearing a particularly restrictive piece clothing could alter your mood. What’s more, research indicates that the poor sleep caused by tossing and turning in your PJs each night could be linked to increased chances of depression.
4. You might prevent weight gain
By allowing you to fall asleep faster and achieve a better quality of sleep, sleeping naked could also protect you from weight gain. In other words, avoiding pyjamas could mean that you feel more confident when you stroll into the bedroom naked each night. One study of 21,000 people over a three-year period found a link between poor sleep and weight gain. In fact, people who slept for fewer than 5 hours each night were far more likely to gain weight. Even if they managed to workout they probably ended up taking a nap after.
There’s another way that sleeping naked could keep you slim too. Keeping your body colder at night may boost your ability to burn calories according to some small studies. One report found that exposure to colder temperatures helped people to increase brown fat removal activities.
5. Your risk of dangerous illnesses will be lower
Finally, sleeping naked each night could also significantly reduce your risk of chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Once again, the main reason for this is that sleeping without clothes can help you to get to sleep faster and enjoy more deep-wave sleep. According to one study into over 1400 people, there’s a direct link between lower levels of sleep, and increased risk of diabetes, which also increases your risk of heart disease.
Should you try sleeping naked?
Ultimately, falling asleep naked, without any PJs to restrict your movement or overheat your body, will improve your chances of drifting off faster. By achieving better quality sleep, you could make a huge difference to your overall health. Remember to keep your room at a comfortable temperature for sleeping, experts suggest between 16-18°C is optimal for sleeping. Also, keep some easy-to-put-on clothes next to the bed for emergencies.
Please note: This article is not to be used as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional before using any sleep treatments. This post may contain affiliate links.
Emily Alexander
Emily Melynn Alexander is a writer for Choose Mattress. She has a degree in English and Political Science from Metropolitan State University of Denver. She loves two things – sleep and travel.
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