Is It Better To Sleep Naked?

lauren hall 1
written by sleep expert Lauren Hall

After a long day’s work, nothing feels better than cleansing off the worries of the day and slipping into something more comfortable before going to bed.

On lazy days, you might find yourself lounging around in your pajamas, feeling cozy and relaxed.

An entire industry is built around nightwear, and some people do find a lot of comfort in sleeping in their carefully bought pajamas. Getting good sleep is about creating the optimum sleep environment where you can rest well.

While there’s nothing wrong with sleeping with pajamas, there’s research that suggests that maybe ditching clothes to reduce your body temperature might be better for you. And there’s no better way than sleeping naked.

Are there benefits of sleeping naked? In this article, we will discuss the answer to that question and learn everything there is to know about sleeping with pajamas or sleeping without them.

So… Sleeping Naked: What’s the deal?

Maybe you have the perfect set of pajamas that you’re extremely attached to. While that’s fine and dandy, you might want to consider letting go of your nightwear to help you get better sleep.

Why? Research has shown that sleeping naked might be better for you and promote deeper sleep. Below are some of the health benefits of sleeping naked.

Better Quality Sleep: When you sleep naked, your body temperature naturally lowers as it regulates itself. A slight drop in temperature signals to your body that it’s time for bed and promotes better sleep by releasing more melatonin, a sleep hormone.

With better quality sleep, you get all the health benefits of getting enough sleep, including increased weight gain, lower stress levels, and feeling more rested and productive the next day.

Good For Your Mood: If you suffer from insomnia or find yourself constantly sleep-deprived, the lack of sleep can sour your mood and even increase your risk of anxiety and depression.

This is because when you’re awake, your brain tissue accumulates a protein called beta-amyloid that is toxic to nerve cells. Catching those Z’s in the nude allows for a good night’s sleep which allows your brain to open up and flush away these toxic proteins, maintaining brain health and putting your headspace in a better mood the next morning.

Spices Up Your Sex and Love Life: If you sleep with a partner, going as natural means having more skin on skin contact. Having fewer layers of clothes, of course, also presents more opportunities to engage in sexual acts.

But sleeping nude goes beyond that, as a skin on skin contact also promotes the release of oxytocin, also known as the “cuddle hormone.” Oxytocin helps you feel attached and emotionally close to another person, which can help your relationship. Who wouldn’t be down for more cuddles anyway? (Probably one of the best benefits of sleeping naked, right?)

Promotes Genital Health: Sleeping naked means letting everything go free and restricted, which is also a good thing for your personal bits below the belt. For men, tight undergarments might leave their testicles too hot and go commando increases sperm count and sperm quality.

For women, sleeping nude supports vaginal health as it allows it to maintain, balance, and regulate its pH levels.

Constricting underwear traps heat and moisture that can encourage the growth of yeast and bacteria, leading to possible vaginal infections and inflammation. Letting things air out prevents this and leaves you feeling fresh.

Lowers Stress: A lack of sleep can lead to an imbalance in your hormone levels, including the increase of cortisol, the stress hormone.

Too much cortisol in your body suppresses growth hormones, damages your immune system, and even damages your skin and hair. Sleeping in the nude helps you sleep better and avoid this damage to your body.

Besides the aforementioned health benefits, sleeping in the nude might just be easier and feel more natural to you. It doesn’t take that much effort to strip all the way down before bed and you can even save money by not buying pajamas or turning on the air conditioner to cool yourself down.

Sleeping nude has also been said to make you feel more comfortable in your own skin, promoting boosted confidence throughout your day. That sounds like a pretty good payoff, right?

Not In The Mood To Go Nude? Maybe Just Ditch The Underwear

At this point, you might have seriously considered going to sleep naked but can’t due to circumstances. Maybe you live with roommates and would rather avoid any awkward situations. Or maybe you just aren’t comfortable with the idea of sleeping in the nude.

Whatever the case, you don’t have to strip all the way down to get your body temperature comfortable enough to go to sleep. Just ditching the underwear underneath your pajamas can be a good way to reap some health benefits and get a better night’s sleep.

This is especially the case for women. Going without underwear provides a good opportunity to keep their vagina aerated and cool, decreasing the chances of yeast infections.

It’s also a good idea to sleep without a bra as they can be quite constricting and cut off circulation in the torso. The tightness can also make it difficult to breathe throughout the night.

For men, going commando, again, promotes higher sperm count and sperm quality. Other than that certain findings have shown that it doesn’t really matter what underwear men choose to wear or not to wear to bed as it doesn’t affect their ability to father children.

(un)wrapping up

So know that we’ve discussed the question, “Is it better to sleep naked?”, here’s a recap of what we’ve learned so far and how you can make that decision for yourself.

  1. Pajamas or Nah? — the first thing you need to do is to decide whether you prefer sleeping with pajamas or want to give going as natural a go. If you do choose pajamas, be sure to choose ones with material that is suitable for your climate, making sure it doesn’t leave you too cold or warm as that can disrupt your sleep cycle. Avoid ones that make you itchy or irritated as well.
  2. Going nude the right way — if you do decide to go naked, there’s nothing much to do except start doing it by stripping down before bed every night. Do note that sleeping nude might not always be the option for a good night’s rest. If you’re sick or find yourself in the colder months, put on some layers to keep yourself warm enough that you sleep well.
  3. Ditch the underwear at least — if going naked isn’t an option for you, at least consider not wearing it to bed. It’s a good compromise that allows your body some time to be free from constricting underwear while still having a layer of clothing to keep your dignity around your house.

All in all, a good rule of thumb when it comes to sleepwear (or sleeping nude) is to do what feels most comfortable to you.

What works for another person might not work for you, so always do what you want in order to help yourself get the best sleep.

After a little bit of effort, you’ll find yourself sleeping in the most comfortable of pajamas, whether that’s cotton, silk, or just your own skin. And at the end of the day, you’ll finally be rewarded with a good night’s sleep!