Medically Reviewed by
Gabriela Pichardo, MD on July 02, 2023; Written by WebMD Editorial Contributor
If you don't already sleep naked, it may be time to give it
a try. This article will explain how sleeping naked can help you get better
rest, reduce your stress, and even help you to lose weight.
How Sleeping Naked
Helps You Rest Better
Sleep cooler. Temperature makes a big difference in the
quality of your sleep. If your skin starts to overheat, even a little bit,
you’re more likely to wake up too soon. Overheating also pulls your body out of
the important phase of deep sleep, which you need to fight infection and stay
alert during the day.
Sleeping naked is an easy way to keep your skin temperature
down without changing the room’s temperature. It also helps you to stay cool
overall. This improves your sleep quality and makes you feel less tired.
Brown fat. Sleeping at a lower temperature also
causes your body to produce more brown fat.
Brown fat boosts your metabolism by burning blood sugar and
stored white fat to keep you warm. High levels of brown fat may reduce your
risk of conditions like obesity and diabetes.
Less weight gain. If sleeping naked helps you to stay
asleep longer, it can help to reduce your risk of obesity and weight gain.
Adults who sleep 5 hours per night or less are more likely to gain significant
amounts of weight compared to those who sleep 7 hours or more.
The Benefits of
Better Rest
If sleeping naked helps you to rest better, your mental and
physical health will benefit. Better sleep is associated with:
Reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other serious
health issues
A stronger immune system
Clearer thinking and better focus
Better reasoning and problem-solving
Better productivity at work
Reduced risk of depression
Fewer toxins. Deep sleep is particularly important
for getting the full cognitive benefits of rest. When you sleep, your brain
clears itself of toxic proteins. Some of these proteins can increase your risk
of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Sleeping naked helps you stay cool, which is important for
getting the deep sleep you need. Taking off your clothes before bed may keep
your mind healthy long into the future.
The Effects of
Sleeping Naked on Relationships and Sexual Health
Oxytocin. Do you sleep with a partner? Sleeping naked
together might improve your rest by reducing your stress and anxiety levels.
Skin-to-skin contact between adults can increase levels of oxytocin, the “love
hormone”.
That increased oxytocin can help to reduce your stress
levels. It can also make you feel more connected to your partner.
Stronger bonds. By keeping you connected, sleeping
together naked can keep your relationship strong. Couples who remain together
tend to have higher oxytocin levels when they first get together. This is
possibly because the hormone itself strengthens the emotional bond.
Long-term couples with strong relationships also tend to
have higher oxytocin levels.
Fertility. For people with testicles, sleeping naked
may also improve reproductive health. Sperm count and concentration are lower
with tight-fitting underwear. This is possibly because it makes the testicles
warmer. By sleeping without underwear, testicles have a chance to cool off.
No matter your gender or relationship status, sleeping naked
is still good for your emotional well-being. It can also improve your
relationship with yourself. Spending time nude helps to improve your body
image, self-esteem, and overall feelings of well-being.
Tips for Sleeping
Naked
The right temp. The benefits of sleeping naked are
closely linked with keeping cool. Most people’s optimal sleep temperature is
between 66 degrees and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Different people will have
different comfort levels.
An uncomfortably cold room will also make it harder to
sleep. Let your comfort levels determine your room temperature. Also, make sure
your hands and feet are warm enough. Your body drops its core temperature for
sleep by sending blood flow to those areas.
If you tend to have cold extremities but want to sleep
naked, consider bathing or showering an hour or two before bedtime. This helps
improve circulation and your overall temperature regulation.
Bedding matters, too. Invest in quality sheets and
wash them often in warm water. This helps you ensure that sleeping naked
remains a healthy practice.
Finally, it’s okay if you’re not ready to sleep completely
nude. Sleeping in just a loose pair of underwear can be enough to get a lot of
the same benefits. Everyone’s sleep needs are different, and that goes for
clothing as well.
SOURCES:
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION: “The two faces of
oxytocin.”
Brain: “Skin deep: enhanced sleep depth by cutaneous
temperature manipulation.”
Environmental research: “Fatigue and sleep under large
summer temperature differences.”
Frontiers in Psychology: “Self-soothing behaviors with
particular reference to oxytocin release induced by non-noxious sensory
stimulation.”
Human reproduction: “Types of underwear worn and markers of
testicular function among men attending a fertility center.”
Journal of Happiness Studies: “Naked and Unashamed:
Investigations and Applications of the Effects of Naturist Activities on Body
Image, Self-Esteem, and Life Satisfaction.”
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships: “Relationship
quality and oxytocin: Influence of stable and modifiable aspects of
relationships.”
NIH: “How brown fat improves metabolism," "The
Benefits of Slumber."
Psychoneuroendocrinology: “Oxytocin during the initial
stages of romantic attachment: Relations to couples’ interactive reciprocity.”
Sleep and Breathing: “Association between weight gain,
obesity, and sleep duration: a large-scale 3-year cohort study.”
Sleep.org: “How Often Do I Really Need to Wash My
Bedding," "What is the Best Temperature for Sleep?”
UNIVERSITY of ROCHESTER Medical Center: “Not All Sleep is
Equal When It Comes to Cleaning the Brain.”
UT NEWS: “Take a Warm Bath 1-2 hours before Bedtime to Get
Better Sleep, Researchers Find.”
VCU NEWS: “Cooler bedroom temperatures may boost metabolic
activity.”
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