Why You Shouldn’t Sleep in Pajamas

Your bedtime routine probably involves slipping on your favorite pair of pajamas, brushing your teeth, and crawling into bed. But some of the population skips that first step, opting to tuck themselves in sans PJs. Turns out, they might be onto something. Sleep is controlled by your circadian rhythm, which is impacted by many factors, including your body temperature — which is directly affected by what you wear to bed. The jury is still out on whether health professionals recommend sleeping clothed over going au naturel. Still, there are several possible perks for ditching your PJs, all with science-backed reasoning. 

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Maintain Your Circadian Rhythm

Sleeping without clothes can keep your circadian rhythm in check. Your circadian rhythm is the 24-hour cycle of physical, mental, and behavioral changes experienced by living organisms. The main factors that impact circadian rhythms are daylight and darkness, but other factors, including temperature, also play a role. These signals tell the body when it is time to sleep or wake up, so if one of these signals is faulty, the sleep cycle will be interrupted. 

Because temperature plays a role in this system, being mindful of what you wear — or don’t wear — to bed is essential. The average human body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, which fluctuates by about two degrees at night. As you fall asleep, your body temperature naturally drops, steadily decreasing until the early morning when the body begins to warm again to wake you up. Sleep will be interrupted if your body warms up before it is naturally ready. This is why staying cool while you sleep is so important. Some people find that their body temperature cools down faster after crawling into bed in their birthday suit, allowing them to fall asleep quicker and stay asleep longer.

Promote Healthy Skin

For blemish-free, non-irritated skin, try sleeping with nothing on. Wearing tight-fitting or restrictive clothing to bed can cause excessive sweating, leading to breakouts, rashes, and other skin issues. This can be exacerbated by warm temperatures while sleeping, especially in pajamas under many sheets and blankets. If you decide to sleep in the nude, make sure your sheets are made from a soft, breathable material, such as cotton, so that moisture is absorbed and your skin doesn’t get irritated. (If you want to splurge, invest in a set of temperature regulation sheets.) Also, make sure to wash your sheets at least once a week. It’s also important to shower before bed to wash off any germs from the day.

Prevents Weight Gain

Keeping your body colder at night potentially helps burn calories. A 2014 study found that men who slept in colder temperatures had increased brown fat activity. Brown fat is packed with iron-rich mitochondria. When brown fat burns, heat is created without shivering (called thermogenesis), and calories are burned.

Additionally, poor sleep quality is often associated with weight gain. One study reported that people who slept less than five hours a night were more likely to gain weight. So, if you’re getting better sleep by sleeping in the nude, you’re potentially sleeping longer and reducing the chances of weight gain.

Other Health Benefits of Sleeping Nude

Since sleeping naked promotes better, richer sleep, there are several other mental and physical benefits:

• Reduced risk of diabetes

• A stronger immune system

• Better focus and reasoning

• Reduced risk of heart disease

• Increased productivity

• Reduced risk of depression

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