A lot of people are wondering whether they should sleep naked. Apparently, according to one mattress and bed retailer, recent searches online for 'is sleeping naked healthy?' have surged by 400%.
Whatever the reason for that may be, Happy Beds have teamed up with Dr Katherine Hall, a sleep psychologist who specialises in treating insomnia, to answer the questions Brits are asking. Surprisingly only 20% of people in the UK sleep naked, according to a You Gov study, but Dr Hall has revealed that going to bed in the buff can benefit you more than you would expect.
She said: ‘’There are definitely benefits that come with sleeping naked, perhaps the biggest being that it improves blood circulation. When you sleep your blood circulation increases regardless, but sleeping naked stops any clothing like socks or tight pyjamas from restricting blood flow. Remember that good blood circulation is crucial for your heart and muscles.’’
What are the benefits?
Down with the flu? It’s that time of year when the flu and nasty illnesses are everywhere. But it’s proven that sleeping naked can regulate your body temperature, which is always higher when you're ill.
Avoid tight underwear. Sleeping naked can help both men's and women's health. For men it can increase fertility and for women it will lower the chance of infections caused by uncomfortable underwear.
Your relationship. Dr Hall advises that skin-on-skin contact with your partner can boost your oxytocin levels, which can help combat feelings of Seasonal Affective Disorder in the winter.
What do you need to consider before sleeping naked?
‘’There are a few things to consider before you decide to sleep au naturel," said Dr Hall.
She said that, when you sleep naked, you leave more bacteria on your bedsheets. Of course, this can be fixed by washing your bedding more regularly. However, more bacteria means you could be more susceptible to picking up germs and bugs whilst you sleep naked.
Dr Hall added: ‘’Sleeping naked is great, but it’s always better in your own bed. When sleeping somewhere else such as a hotel, stick to pyjamas!’’
If you are part of the 20% who choose to sleep naked, you should wash your sheets more often. As studies have revealed that after one week, bed sheets can have 17,000 times more bacteria than a toilet seat, said Dr Hall.
