With clothes or naked? The best way to sleep according to sleep professionals | Cuyo Newspaper - News from San Juan, Argentina and the world

More than one will say that sleeping is the most pleasant moment of the day. However, in addition to the fact that you have to do it for a good number of hours to enjoy good mental health, there are certain positions and forms that make the habit even healthier. In fact, there are ways that are harmful to health and we are not aware of them. But today there is a trend that, thank God, is beneficial: sleeping naked.

Before, the "normal" thing in our society was to sleep in pajamas, or at least with certain clothes (usually old) that fulfill that function. Complete nudity was seen as a call for pneumonia, despite the fact that there was always that minority who preferred to sleep like this. Today, that minority is already a majority. There is a worldwide trend to sleep without clothes that was born from an erotic idea, but experts have proven that it brings many health benefits.

1. Helps sleep faster and better

This is the most noticeable effect for many people. Going to bed without clothes helps them fall asleep more quickly and sleep longer and of higher quality. This is due to self-regulation of body temperature.

When sleeping, the body temperature drops. Therefore, the most appropriate is that the room is around 18-22 ºC. Sleeping with clothes can be very hot and therefore make falling asleep more difficult.

2. Contributes to metabolism and reduces the risk of diabetes

Sleeping cooler increases the activity of brown adipose tissue, a fatty tissue that burns energy precisely to produce heat and maintain the body's core temperature. In addition, the body improves its sensitivity to insulin and burns calories (although in a very small amount, which does not represent any weight loss). The fact is that Franceso Celi, director of the aforementioned research, stressed that all these effects represent a reduction in the risk of diabetes.

3. Avoid vaginal infections

Vaginal candidiasis is a recurring problem in many women. Often, such an infection is caused by inadequate air circulation in the genital area, due to the use of very tight underwear or made of synthetic fabrics. Women who sleep naked will have better vaginal health as one of the benefits.

4. Improve semen quality

A study presented in 2015 revealed that, in men who slept without clothes, the risk of DNA fragmentation in their semen was 25% lower. The director of the research, Katherine Sapra, a scientist at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, also added that "better sperm quality parameters are observed in men who wear boxer shorts during the day" and not tight briefs. Subsequent work confirmed these results.

5. It favors the connection in the couple

For those who sleep accompanied, the benefits are multiplied. Sleeping naked favors skin-to-skin contact, which in turn causes the body to secrete oxytocin, the so-called "love" hormone, due to the role it plays in the well-being and intimacy of the couple.

6. Strengthens self-esteem

Being clothed almost all the time makes many people have a distant – and often conflicting – relationship with their body image. Recent studies have concluded that spending time naked is associated with higher self-esteem, a perception of one's own body more positive and, in general, a greater satisfaction with life.

What happens when you sleep with clothes?

Beyond the benefits that sleeping without clothes can have on many people, the FNS (National Sleep Foundation) emphasizes that the main objective is to have a healthy sleep: of good quality and of the recommended duration (adults, between seven and nine Daily hours).

Those who do not feel comfortable getting into bed naked need not worry, of course, it is not a problem to do it that way. At most, they will not be able to enjoy the benefits mentioned above. But it does not imply anything serious. In any case, they can try to do it with garments made of natural fabrics (such as cotton, wool or silk).