It’s a question that never fails to divide the room: is it better to sleep naked or in pyjamas?
While some people swear that stripping off is the only way to get a good night’s rest, others can’t catch a wink of sleep without their favourite PJs.
Now, scientists have finally settled the debate once and for all.
And it’s not good news for nude sleepers.
As the weather gets warmer and the UK swelters under ‘tropical nights’, it might be tempting to try and beat the heat by sleeping in the buff.
However, experts say that a good pair of pyjamas could actually leave you cooler, less sweaty, and more well–rested.
While sleeping nude is not intrinsically less hygienic, experts also say it could make your bedding dirtier in the hot weather.
Dr Faheem Latheef, of the British Association of Dermatologists, told the Daily Mail: ‘Loose, well–ventilated sleepwear made from natural fabrics such as cotton, bamboo or silk may help absorb sweat and keep it away from the skin longer during warm weather.’
It’s a question that never fails to divide the room: is it better to sleep naked or in pyjamas? While some people swear that stripping off is the only way to get a good night’s rest, others can’t catch a wink of sleep without their favourite PJs
The question of whether you should sleep in pyjamas or ditch your clothes altogether has raged on social media.
On the one hand, some die–hard fans of sleeping in the nude claim that it is the only way they can stay cool at night.
On Reddit, where the question sparked an intense debate, a commenter wrote: ‘I sweat less when I wear pants, it seems like my bare skin touching bare skin is what makes me sweat.’
‘If I have skin–to–skin contact I get really overheated, so I’ll be hotter in shorts than I will in long pants based on how I sleep,’ added another.
While one pyjama fan chimed in: ‘I used to sleep nude, but started sweating at random times when I hit my 40s. Now I sleep in lightweight merino base layers.’
While sleepwear advocates claim that pyjamas help them sleep easy, nude sleepers are just as adamant that their method is the best.
‘Why would you not? There is no benefit to wearing clothes while you sleep,’ one commenter claimed.
Another wrote: ‘I always find clothes in bed restrictive. Doesn’t matter what I wear, it ends up bunched or twisted up somehow.’
Although sleeping naked might seem like a good idea in the heat, scientists suggest that a good pair of pyjamas are more hygienic
Although it might seem like a good idea in the heat, scientists suggest that a good pair of pyjamas are more hygienic.
Dr Latheef says that sleeping naked is not inherently unhygienic, but when overnight conditions are unusually warm, this habit can become an issue.
‘Overnight, the body naturally sheds skin cells, oil, bacteria, and yeast with or without pyjamas,’ he said.
‘However, pyjamas serve as a small barrier between the body and the bedding, so people sleeping naked will transfer more sweat and skin cells directly onto the bed linen, particularly during hot weather or if they sweat heavily.’
Studies have found that we typically shed thousands of skin cells and produce about half a pint of sweat overnight.
Without pyjamas to act as a natural barrier, all of that dirt and grime gets rubbed straight onto your sheets, where it provides a feast for bacteria and fungi.
Dr Latheef says: ‘If bedding becomes heavily soiled and is not changed for a prolonged period, warm and moist bedding may lead to body odour, acne mechanica – spots triggered by sweating and rubbing on the skin – folliculitis or flare–up eczema.’
This isn’t necessarily a problem if your sheets stay clean, but it does mean that nude sleepers could be at risk of skin problems if they don’t change their sheets regularly and shower before bed.
Scientists have finally settled the debate over whether it is better to sleep naked or in pyjamas, and it’s not good news for nude sleepers (stock image)
Nude sleepers might still argue that ditching pyjamas helps them get a better night of sleep by keeping them cool.
Dr Sophie Bostock, an independent sleep scientist, told the Daily Mail: ‘Every night as it gets dark, a steep drop in body temperature coincides with the release of the hormone melatonin, and these signals cue the body that it’s time to fall asleep.
‘This natural nightly drop in body temperature is usually achieved by sending more blood flow to the skin.’
However, once the outside temperature gets too hot, our skin can’t radiate as much heat into the environment, and our natural sleep cycle starts to feel disrupted.
Studies have shown that being in a warmer environment interferes with falling asleep and staying asleep.
‘We tend to have less of the deep, slow wave sleep, which is very physically restorative,’ says Dr Bostock.
‘We also miss out on REM or rapid eye movement sleep, which is important for keeping us feeling balanced emotionally.’
While you might assume stripping off would help you stay cool and promote better sleep, research shows that this isn’t actually the case.
Studies have shown that woollen pyjamas actually reduce the amount of sweat produced overnight. Experts say this is because a moisture–wicking fabric helps to keep you cooler than sleeping naked
Scientists in Australia found that wearing woollen sleepwear helped the body stay in the ‘thermal comfort zone’ by wicking away sweat and regulating body temperature.
The researchers found that people in their 20s nodded off four minutes faster on average wearing merino wool rather than cotton, while those in their 60s fell asleep twice as fast.
Ben Dancer, founder of pyjama brand Zed, which uses materials designed with scientists and tested in partnership with Loughborough University, told the Daily Mail: ‘The instinct in a heatwave is to strip off – because more fabric must mean more heat.
‘But sleeping fully naked is often the worse option. When you’re bare, sweat has nowhere to go: it pools on the skin and against the sheets, leaving you damp, clammy and actually warmer.’
Mr Dancer explains that, while it is important for the bedroom to remain around 16 to 19°C (60–66°F), people often overlook the importance of the ‘microclimate’ right next to the skin.
‘That ideally stays around 30–32°C and, crucially, dry and stable,’ he said.
While tight or restrictive pyjamas trap hot, humid air next to your skin, breathable materials like wool or other moisture–wicking fabrics actually lift sweat off the skin.
This helps your sweat evaporate naturally and keeps your body cool and dry throughout the night.
