In just 10 seconds a day, you can sleep better, make more money, reduce stress, and lose weight? Sleeping naked can do all these things and more. All you have to do is take off your clothes! Here’s why:
You sleep better
The first reason, perhaps the most obvious, is that stripping down keeps your skin feeling cooler: A very slight increase in temperature can increase activity in areas of the brain that regulate sleep cycles, resulting in a more disturbed sleep. Studies have shown that a decrease even as tiny as 0.4°C (1.1°F) can make all the difference. Sleeping naked allows your body to better regulate its own temperature and stay cooler overnight. Better sleep, of course, has myriad health benefits, including an improved immune system, better regulated appetites, rejuvenated hair and skin, and stress reduction. Plus, studies have shown that sleeping naked can improve your sex life which also improves overall health.
Lets your vagina breath
Bacteria thrive in warm, moist areas, so ditching clothing, including underwear, can be particularly beneficial for women prone to yeast infections.
The vagina is many things–namely a moist, self-cleaning, pleasure vessel. That moisture, however, can be a bit of trickster. According to Dr. Alyssa Dweck, as quoted in the Huffington Post, “if the vagina is constantly covered — especially by a fabric that’s not moisture-wicking or absorbent — moisture collects, creating the perfect breeding ground for bacteria or yeast.”
And Dr. Dweck is hardly alone in this thinking–most gynecologists agree that the vagina can greatly benefit from getting some air every now and again. “You really should sleep without underwear if you’re prone to vaginal issues,” says Nancy Herta, M.D., an ob-gyn at Michigan State University, who highlights conditions such as yeast infections, vaginismus, and bacterial vaginosis. Why? Between discharge and sweat, your vagina is prone to product moisture overnight, Dr. Herta explains. Underwear can trap that moisture, creating a breeding ground for the bad bacteria that cause those conditions. “Allowing that area to get some air helps to keep it dry and clean,” Dr. Herta says.
Giving your vagina some breathing room lets it take better care of itself. Going underwear-free is an especially good idea if you have a yeast infection right now or are very prone to them and get them often, says board-certified ob-gyn Pari Ghodsi, M.D.
If sleeping without underwear isn’t terribly appealing to you, recommends switch to loose-fitting cotton underwear. Cotton can help absorb some of the moisture instead of keeping it right against you, the way silk or lace would. Silk and lace can also irritate the skin around your vagina,so at the very least if you’ve been wearing silk or lace underwear all day, it’s a good idea to switch out of them before you go to sleep. If you can’t imagine giving up your PJs, go commando under a pair of loose-fitting cotton pajama pants.
Also, other areas, including your armpits (and skin in general) also benefit from being able to breathe.
Improved metabolism
Lowering your body temperature helps activate brown fat — a type of body fat that helps regulate your body temperature by generating heat. Research shows that people with higher levels of brown fat have faster resting metabolic rates, better blood sugar control and higher insulin sensitivity. In one study, sleeping in a chilled room doubled the amount of brown fat participants produced.
Improved blood circulation
Without clothing your blood flow is less restricted, which benefits your entire body, especially your heart and muscles.
Balancing hormones
By allowing your body to stay cooler at night, sleeping naked helps decrease cortisol, increase growth hormone and balance melatonin, all of which help promote healthy sleep patterns and reduce anxiety, stress and food cravings.
Connect with your partner and improve sex life
Sleeping naked with a partner also has its biochemical benefits. Skin-to-skin contact (as well as orgasm) releases the “bonding” hormone oxytocin, which promotes feelings of attachment and emotional closeness. Since sexual contact typically occurs while naked, sleeping in the nude raises the chances of sex, which can bring a couple closer. It’s also healthy for men: a man’s testicles are designed to keep sperm at a temperature just slightly below core body temperature. Underwear that bunch the testicles close to the body may therefore reduce sperm quality and affect a man’s fertility.