Sleeping nude is more than just a quirky habit. Experts say it may improve your sleep quality, reduce stress, and even support healthier skin…if done right.
When we think about how to improve the quality of our sleep, it typically comes down to a set of specific habits we need to maintain, such as making sure we keep to a regular sleep schedule, or ensuring we don’t drink coffee too late in the day.
According to Dr Seng Kok Han, a Psychiatrist Consultant at Nobel Psychological Wellness Clinic, these acts fall under “good sleep hygiene practices”, and are simple but effective ways for guaranteeing we get a good night’s rest.
However, there is another simple, albeit unusual, practice that we rarely think about, but may want to start contemplating.
Sleeping in the nude.
As it turns out, just ditching your pyjamas can boost your sleep quality.
And if you’re already a fan of sleeping in your birthday suit, great news: there are quite a few other health benefits that just happen to go along with it.
Reasons for Going Au Natural in Bed
Research has marked out a variety of advantages for slipping into bed naked, with some of the most compelling being:
Better Sleep Quality
One factor crucial to good sleep is the space we do our snoozing in.
“We need a very conducive sleep environment,” said Dr Seng. “Preferably the room is cool, quiet, and dark.”
Our thermal environment in particular has a strong influence on our sleep, with higher temperatures described to have a negative impact on our sleep stages. However, cold exposure helps us sustain sleep through improved thermoregulation – which is definitely something encouraged by sleeping nude.
When we sleep, our body temperature naturally drops, and sleeping without clothes on allows this process to happen more efficiently. Being able to sense the rising chill earlier on also lets our bodies know that it’s time to fall asleep, and this can help us ease into it faster, thus maximising our sleep duration too.
Lowered Stress
Insufficient sleep tends to have a negative impact on our stress levels by causing us to release more cortisol, the stress hormone. This means a natural remedy for heightened psychological states is simply good quality sleep, which might be more easily achieved by sleeping in the buff.
This is because staying cool in bed results in less sleep disturbances due to overheating, and has the effect of lowering our cortisol levels, thus improving our mood and mental wellbeing.
In addition, you might find greater freedom and comfort in sleeping without clothes, and this can contribute to a more peaceful and rejuvenating sleep experience.
Greater Support for Skin Health
Shedding off the layers of our clothes allows our skin to breathe, and prevents the irritation and chaffing that can occur from wearing tight or restrictive clothing.
Interestingly, research also suggests that our skin’s ability to heal wounds is more efficient for people who not only get adequate sleep, but who also get their shuteye in cooler environments.
So it seems that hitting the sheets without your clothes on does let you give your skin a little more love and care.
Why Going to Bed Without Your PJs Might Be an Issue
While there are positives to sliding into bed pyjama-less, there are definitely a few reasons why you wouldn’t want to.
Hygiene Considerations
We produce an abundance of dead skin cells every day, and continue to do so in repose. So going to bed without clothes means there’s no barrier between your body and your bed, which can lead to a buildup of bacteria and even sweat on your sheets. The bacterial cesspool your bed might transform into would make it a less-than-ideal sleeping spot.
And if you don’t sleep alone, there might be an uptick in the grossness factor.
Ultimately, if you don’t like doing laundry for your bedding, you might want to stick to wearing clothes, at least for the sake of your hygiene.
Personal Discomfort
Sociocultural norms can affect our level of comfort when it comes to baring it all, which means that even in the privacy of our bedrooms, the notion may not feel all-too-agreeable. It’s even possible that attempting to do so could disrupt our security and peace of mind. In fact, you might want to avoid doing it if you’re part of a shared household, and tend to be walked in on.
Furthermore, while sleeping nude should supposedly make you feel more at ease, not everyone might feel that way. If you get chilled easily, or feel too vulnerable at the thought of it, then there’s nothing wrong with sleeping clothed either.
Sleeping Your Own Way
Despite its drawbacks, it’s still possible to gain some true benefits from sleeping naked, which makes it worth the try if you’ve been having problems easing into dreamland.
So if you’re new to it, here are a few helpful tips for starting out.
Take It Slow
There’s no need to completely strip down from the very beginning. You can instead wear progressively less clothing to bed each night, until you feel completely fine with being nude.
Use High-Quality Bedding
You can employ soft, breathable fabrics, and even cooling sheets to make the experience more pleasant.
Keep Your Sleep Environment Clean
You need to wash your sheets more regularly to prevent bacterial buildup. You can also consider making showers part of your bedtime routine. At least your body will be a lot cleaner before you dive into bed.
Safeguard Your Privacy
You can use curtains and blinds to keep your bedroom safe from unintentionally prying eyes. It’s also recommended to keep a robe by your bed, so you can easily slip it on in the case of any emergency that requires you to leave your room.
At the end of the day, the decision to sleep unclothed can come down to preference. What matters more is whether the manner in which you sleep is the most comfortable for you.
External References
- Cleveland Clinic. (2022, February 16). Is It Healthy To Sleep Naked? Retrieved from: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/will-sleeping-naked-help-you-sleep-better
- Dillon, M. (2024, May 3). Sleeping Naked: Why Some Experts Say You’re Better Off In Pajamas. Forbes. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/article/sleeping-naked/
- HealthHub. (2021, June 22). How Sleep Deprivation Affects Your Mental Wellbeing. Retrieved from: https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/sleep-deprivation
- Ohwovoriole, T. (2024, May 15). Why You Should Try Sleeping Nude Tonight, According to Science. Verywell Mind. Retrieved from: https://www.verywellmind.com/why-you-should-try-sleeping-nude-8641252
- Okamoto-Mizuno, K., & Mizuno, K. (2012). Effects of thermal environment on sleep and circadian rhythm. Journal of Physiological Anthropology, 31. Retrieved from: https://jphysiolanthropol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1880-6805-31-14
- Mutchler, C. (2024, December 2). Why You Should Sleep Naked Tonight: 11 Benefits. Health. Retrieved from: https://www.health.com/sleeping-naked-benefits-8742860
- Sutton, J. (2024, March 28). Top 10 Benefits of Sleeping Naked. Healthline. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-sleeping-naked
