5 Reasons Why Sleeping Naked Makes You Healthier!

You probably know by now that good sleep is essential for good health. But does the way you sleep make a difference? Here’s why sleeping naked may be best of all when it comes to healthy sleep!

Lack of sleep is perhaps one of the least discussed health problems in our modern world. With our constant exposure to light and sound through telephones, televisions, and now computers, it’s hard for our bodies to relax and wind down. Our high-stress, fast-paced lifestyles, coupled with lack of regular exercise, make the problem even worse.

Without the right amount of sleep, our bodies are unable to rest and repair the damage from the day’s activities. In fact, over time, studies have shown that getting less than 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night may be linked to serious health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease.

But what about how you sleep? In fact, there is some evidence that sleeping in the buff can actually improve your quality of sleep, and help you get more of those all-important zzzz’s.  Here are 5 reasons why ditching the pjs and slumbering in the nude could improve your health:

1. It may encourage greater intimacy
Perhaps the most obvious reason to sleep naked is that it may help to amplify the intimacy and excitement between you and your partner. Not only can sleeping naked next to your loved one be exciting, it can also release oxytocin, often referred to as the “love hormone.”

A 2009 study published by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden, had the following to say about oxytocin:

“Oxytocin can induce anti-stress-like effects such as reduction of blood pressure and cortisol levels. It increases pain thresholds, exerts an anxiolytic-like effect and stimulates various types of positive social interaction. In addition, it promotes growth and healing.”

So, the release of this hormone can be beneficial to not only your relationship, but also your health!

2. It can keep you cool & comfortable

Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to sleep when it gets too hot? That’s because the core temperature of your body needs to be cool in order for you to sleep well. The optimal room temperature for sleep is between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Any warmer than that, and your body may not be able to cool as much as it needs to for truly restful sleep.

One great way to cool down — which saves on air conditioning costs — is to ditch the clothes!…

3. It may help relieve insomnia

A body of research is finding that regulating sleep temperature may bring some relief to sufferers of insomnia. According to Dr. Cameron Van den Heuvel, a research fellow involved in a 2009 study of body temperature and sleep performed by the University of South Australia’s Centre for Sleep Research:

“Temperature regulation is a significant factor in each of the two types of insomnia….
“Studies of sleep onset insomniacs show that they consistently have a warmer core body temperature immediately before initiating sleep, when compared with normal healthy adults….”

Based on this research, it may be worth shedding your clothes, as well as that heavy blanket, if you struggle with insomnia, or have any difficulty falling asleep at night.

4. It can help relieve stress

Not only can sleeping naked boost oxytocin levels, it can also help to relieve stress by lowering cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone commonly referred to as the “stress hormone,” and when levels are chronically spiked, health problems can arise, such as a propensity towards high blood pressure, weight gain, and a compromised immune system.

During the night, cortisol levels naturally lower, and then rise again to prepare you for wakefulness. However, if sleep is cut short, they may not have time to lower again before you wake up….

As mentioned before, one way to promote deeper sleep is to keep your body cool — hence sleeping naked.

5. It can keep you looking and feeling young

During sleep a variety of growth hormones, as well as anti-aging hormones such as melatonin, are released. These hormones serve to keep us looking and feeling young. To encourage the optimal release of these growth hormones, we need to get those seven to eight hours of sleep.

……………………………………………………………….

For more information on this topic, visit http://www.thealternativedaily.com/reasons-to-sleep-naked-they-arent-gross/.