This will come as unwelcome news for the pajama industry: The best suit to sleep in, scientifically speaking, is the one you were born in. Still, only about eight percent of Americans routinely sleep in the buff.
If you’re accustomed to donning the plaid flannels or buttoning that granny nightgown up to the neck, listen up: Gettin’ nekkid between the sheets is healthier.
Here’s why:
You’ll sleep better.
When you doze off, your body temperature dips and climbs before you wake up. Clothing can interfere with this natural fluctuation, says Men’s Health sleep advisor W. Christopher Winter, M.D. The extra layers at night can keep you warmed up when your temperature is meant to drop. And a cooler body equals better sleep.
If you’re tossing and turning, waking up a hot mess at 3 a.m.? It’s probably not from a nightmare that Donald Trump is your new president.
Naked sleepers are able to maintain a comfortable core temperature. Plus, if your body doesn’t cool down enough at night, you’ll be unable to reach the deeper, most restorative stages of sleep. Interestingly, during REM sleep our bodies don’t sweat or shiver — so shedding the jammies probably won’t have you scooching under the blankets. Just sleeping more soundly.
You’ll have more sex.
Without clothing barriers, bodies that go bump in the night are more likely to seal the deal. That’s just common sense.
But even if there’s no happy ending (or you’re not trying for a baby bump), naked cuddling is good for you and your relationship. Skin-on-skin contact triggers the release of oxytocin, the “feel good hormone.”
Oxytocin is known to relieve stress, alleviate depression, foster intimacy and even lower blood pressure. And both Big O’s work almost as well as a sleeping pill.
You’ll air out your hoo-ha.
If you’ve got one of those, that is. (Men we’ll get to you in a moment.) Many women feel sleeping naked is unsanitary, but the reverse is actually true. Bacteria that can potentially cause vaginal infections thrive in a warm, moist environment. Better idea: Ventilate around the lady bits to discourage bacteria from flourishing.
As for you, guys — Brian Steixner, M.D., a urologist, tells Men’s Health that guys who sleep in their underwear “increase the odds that you’ll get an infection in the worst possible place.” Same as for women, drawers keep heat and moisture in, so bacteria can thrive, causing irritation and infection.
“Skip the skivvies to keep your balls clean, dry, and healthy,” he says. Plus, cooler temps are better for sperm production.
You’ll look better.
When you’re at a nice, cool sleeping temperature, in a deep, restorative stage of sleep, your body releases the anti-aging hormones, melatonin and growth hormone (HGH), which boost cell regeneration, and keep skin and hair looking healthy and young.
When you’re sleeping coolly and well, your body keeps the stress hormone, cortisol, in check. That’s a good thing: High cortisol levels may not only trigger an increase in insulin, it can decrease fat-burning and appetite-controlling hormones.
So, who knows? Maybe sleeping naked will help you stay slimmer.