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Sleeping is one of the most important things we do. It’s fairly common knowledge that, along with good diet and exercise, getting several hours of quality sleep every night is one of the foundations of good health.
That’s all well and good… but what if I told you that in the span of just a few seconds, you could do something that would help you sleep better, lose weight, and reduce stress?
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It might sound like some kind of fake miracle product from a bad infomercial, but it’s true and it couldn’t be easier to take advantage of – just ditch your clothes when you go to bed! There are plenty of strategies to help you improve your quality of sleep, but this is easily the easiest thing you can do. Surprisingly, however, less than 10% of Americans said they sleep in the nude. Here are just some of the benefits that sleeping in the buff can provide.
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1. Better, More Restful Sleep
If you’re a light sleeper like me, then you know that getting a good night’s sleep is easier said than done. It turns out, however, that one of the biggest factors determining the quality of your sleep is the temperature of the room you’re in.
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A 2008 study published in the Brain journal found that the optimal temperature for restful sleep is between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. When the sleeping environment is within this parameter, it prompts the body’s core temperature to drop to a level that signals the brain that it’s time to sleep. If it’s too hot, the body never reaches that threshold and you end up tossing and turning all night. The fastest way to cool off? In the immortal words of Nelly, if it’s getting too hot in herrre, then take off all your clothes! Sleeping nude will help prevent the body from overheating, leading to higher-quality sleep.
2. Beauty Rest
You know why getting a good night’s rest is referred to as getting your “beauty rest?” It’s not just some funny expression – it turns out that having an ideal sleep environment (under 70 degrees Fahrenheit) allows anti-aging hormones like melatonin and human growth hormone to work more effectively.
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As discussed, sleeping naked helps you stay cool through the night, which in turn helps you to look younger and more beautiful.
Additionally, a 2012 study found that the release of human growth hormone from deep, restorative sleep plays a key role in improving athletic performance!
3. Weight Loss
Speaking of human growth hormone, as the body’s production increases, levels of cortisol – a.k.a. the stress hormone – go down. Higher levels of cortisol have been linked with increased belly fat.
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Cortisol levels are at their lowest between 10:00 pm and 2:00 am, rising back up again in the morning to get you energized enough to wake up. If you haven’t gotten a good night’s rest, your cortisol remains elevated throughout the night. Subsequently, you’ll wake up with abnormally high cortisol levels which trigger your appetite for fattening foods and lead to overeating. So, if you want to stick to your diet, give yourself a helping hand by getting a good night’s rest – which is easier to do when you’re naked.
4. Keep Your Nethers Happy
When it comes to your downstairs, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. While many women are skittish about sleeping in the nude due to concerns about it being potentially unsanitary, these concerns are unfounded. You see, bacteria thrive in moist, warm environments – particularly for women who are prone to vaginal infections. In an interview with Medical Daily, Nicole Prause, an Associate Research Scientist at the University of California Los Angeles, said, “Sleeping naked would reduce the ability of those (always-present) bacteria to overwhelm the normal healthy vaginal flora.”
By sleeping in the nude, the vagina gets more ventilation and stays dry. This greatly reduces the odds of developing fungal infections.
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As for the fellas, while the risk of bacterial infection should (hopefully) not be too big of a concern for you, sleeping naked can potentially increase your fertility and improve sperm quality by keeping the testes at a more comfortable temperature.
5. The Power of Touch
Finally, if you have a partner, sleeping in the nude has the benefit of creating skin-to-skin contact. Studies show that touch – whether it’s a massage, a hug, a squeeze of the hand, or some good ol’ fashioned nookie – has all kinds of benefits for the body. The power of touch helps to increase white blood cells, raise immune response, and lower blood pressure and anxiety.
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Skin-to-skin contact prompts the release of oxytocin, which promotes bonding, counteracts stress and depression, as well as increasing sexual responsiveness and the chance of achieving orgasm. Sleeping nude (or close to nude) helps increase intimacy between couples and creates happier relationships.
Furthermore, having an orgasm is known to be one of the most effective cures for insomnia.
So, you know…get to it.
