7 Scientific Reasons You Should Sleep Butt Naked
For some, waking up naked is a sign that they got too drunk last night and may have brought home a stranger. For others, sleeping naked is a nightly routine that they look forward to because pajamas are overrated.
If you’re part of the former group, and you likely are considering only 10% of Americans admit to sleeping naked, you should reconsider. Sleeping naked is actually pretty damn good for you, and not just because you look damn good naked (which you do, of course).
1. You Won’t Wake Up a Sweaty Mess
There’s nothing, and I mean nothing, worse than waking up in a pool of sweat. First off, you feel disgusting. Second, you feel slightly guilty that you didn’t sweat this much in your yoga class this morning. Third, you end up going through the endless cycle of not wanting the covers because it’s hot, but also wanting something to snuggle with, and you end up with one foot out of the covers and have to totally re-make your bed the next morning.
By sleeping naked, you help regulate your body temperature by using your comforter as your warmth instead of a too-warm set of pajamas that you need to strip off at 3 a.m. The Los Angeles Sleep Study Institute reports that faulty regulation of body temperature could be preventing you from having a deep sleep.
Regulating your body temperature and giving your skin air can also help with acne. Save your skin by giving oxygen to body acne and allowing your skin to breathe while you sleep. Also, keeping sheets and pillowcases sweat-free will ensure that you aren’t clogging your pores overnight.
2. You’ll Get Closer To Your Partner
It’s no secret that sleeping next to your lover naked makes you want to touch each other even more and probably leads to more sex, but did you know that the skin to skin contact can alleviate stress and depression? By having skin to skin contact, your body releases oxytocin, known as the “feel good hormone.”
“The hormone oxytocin counteracts stress and depression by combating the harmful effects of cortisol and reduces blood pressure,” writes Dr. Natasha Turner for The Huffington Post. We’re sure your boo won’t mind your newfound passion for sleeping in the nude, and you’ll reap the benefits!
3. You May Reduce Your Belly Bloat
You know those mornings where you wake up to a totally flat stomach? Sure, it usually goes away by the time you house a sausage, egg, and cheese for breakfast, but that’s beyond the point.
When you cool down during the night and get a deep sleep, your cortisol will decrease. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that is produced from cholesterol and generally plays a role in your weight, according to Today’s Dietician. When you don’t get a good night’s sleep, you will wake up with high cortisol, increasing your cravings for foods high in carbs and comfort foods and giving you the tendency to overeat, according to Dr. Turner.
This explains why after a long night of drinking, when you don’t get a good night’s sleep, you wake up craving junk food. It’s also just another reason to remain as cool as possible when you sleep and to ditch the XL T-shirt for your birthday suit.
4. You’ll Give Your Lady Parts Some Fresh Air
This might be a weird one, but unless you’re regularly going commando under your skirts (which you’re probably not unless you’re trying to emulate Britney Spears circa 2008), your vagina probably doesn’t get that much air. By sleeping naked, you can ensure that there’s not an overgrowth of yeast or bacteria in your nether regions, which can certainly happen if it’s warm, explains Dr. Landa, author of The Sex Drive Solution for Women.
For your dude, sleeping naked actually makes men more fertile, which I’m sure any red-blooded male will be hyped about.
6. You’ll Be Young Forever
Remember when Mike Posner took a pill in Ibiza and looked ten years older afterwards? It’s probably because he didn’t get enough sleep. You probably already know that a lack of sleep can cause you to look old and tired, but did you know that sleeping at cooler temperatures can boost your anti-aging hormones?
“Keeping your body or your bedroom too warm (higher than 70˚F/21˚C) will disrupt the release of your main anti-aging hormones, melatonin and growth hormone,” warns Dr. Turner. “As body temperature drops, growth hormone is released and works its regenerative magic.”
7. You’ll Save $$
This may seem silly, but it’s also silly to spend $60 on that new Victoria’s Secret sleep set when you could be snoozing in your birthday suit. Ditching pajamas means that you don’t have to spend money on PJs, you don’t have to spend time washing them weekly, and you can have more space in your closet for shoes or dresses. Seems like a win-win to us.
