7 Benefits of Sleeping Without Clothes

Sleeping without clothes may improve your sleep, support your health, and simplify your nightly routine. It might seem like a personal quirk, but studies show that how warm you are, how much skin is exposed, and how comfortable you feel all affect how well you sleep.

From deeper sleep to hormone regulation, removing extra layers at night can have measurable effects on how your body recovers. If you often wake up tired, overheated, or restless, your sleepwear could be part of the problem. Small adjustments can lead to better sleep and stronger overall well-being.

1. Supports Deeper, More Restorative Sleep

Sleep quality depends heavily on thermoregulation. Your core body temperature naturally drops at night to signal your brain it’s time to sleep. If your body can’t cool down efficiently, it disrupts sleep architecture, fragmenting sleep and shortening the time spent in deeper sleep stages, such as slow-wave sleep.

Sleeping without clothes helps your body release heat faster, allowing for a smoother drop in core temperature. According to a study, cooling your body while you sleep helps you get more deep, restorative sleep and keeps your heart rate calmer. People who cooled down more had deeper sleep and less dreaming sleep (REM), especially in the second half of the night (1).

The optimal room temperature for restorative sleep is around 60–67°F (15–19°C). Wearing heavy sleepwear in a cool room counteracts this benefit. Removing clothing helps your body maintain a healthy thermal range. A cooler sleep environment has been linked to fewer nighttime awakenings and improved next-day alertness.

Deeper sleep is when your body repairs tissues, balances hormones, and consolidates memory. Even a small improvement in sleep depth can significantly impact mood, focus, metabolism, and immune health.

2. May Improve Metabolic Health

Sleeping in a cooler environment may help your body regulate blood sugar more efficiently. In a NIH-funded study, men who slept in a 66°F (19°C) room for one month experienced a 42% increase in brown fat volume, a type of fat that burns energy to generate heat and supports healthy glucose metabolism. Researchers also observed a 10% increase in brown fat activity and improved insulin sensitivity, all without changes in diet or physical activity (2).

Cooler sleep conditions activated thermogenic fat and shifted key metabolic hormones like leptin and adiponectin. This suggests that consistently sleeping cool may encourage the body to better manage energy and blood sugar.

On the flip side, even a single night of partial sleep deprivation has been shown to trigger insulin resistance. In a separate study, just four hours of sleep led to a 25% decrease in glucose disposal rate and signs of both hepatic and peripheral insulin resistance in healthy adults. Together, these findings show how quality sleep and nighttime cooling are essential for stable metabolic function (3).

3. Can Enhance Skin Health and Reduce Irritation

Clothing traps heat, sweat, and bacteria against the skin. This can clog pores, aggravate eczema, and trigger irritation in sensitive areas. Sleeping without clothes reduces friction and allows your skin to “breathe,” minimizing the risk of contact dermatitis or heat rashes.

Skin regenerates most during sleep, particularly during deep stages when growth hormone peaks. Letting air circulate around the body creates a cleaner, drier environment for this process. Areas like the underarms, groin, and feet benefit the most. These regions are prone to moisture accumulation and friction from elastic or synthetic fabrics.

Fungal infections such as tinea cruris (jock itch) thrive in warm, damp environments. Removing tight-fitting pajamas at night deprives fungi of the ideal conditions for growth. It is best to wear loose, breathable clothing, or none at all, for individuals with recurring fungal skin issues.

Acne mechanica, a type of breakout caused by prolonged contact with fabric, is another concern. Nightly exposure to seams, elastic bands, or sweat-soaked materials can inflame the skin and trigger flare-ups. Sleeping without clothes eliminates those triggers altogether.

For individuals with eczema, clothing materials and detergents are common irritants. By eliminating sleepwear, you reduce nighttime exposure to synthetic fabrics and residues that can aggravate sensitive skin.

4. Promotes Better Reproductive Health

The male reproductive glands are positioned outside the body because sperm production depends on staying slightly cooler than core body temperature. When heat builds up, due to tight clothing or poor airflow, sperm quality can decline.

In a large study of 501 men trying to conceive, researchers from Stanford University and the NIH found that those who wore loose boxer shorts during the day and slept without underwear had 25% less DNA damage in their sperm compared to men who wore tight underwear day and night. The cooler environment helped preserve sperm integrity and supported healthier semen quality overall.

Experts believe the benefit comes from minimizing heat exposure to the area. It’s a simple change with potentially meaningful impact for anyone trying to optimize reproductive health (4). For individuals trying to conceive, this simple change may be a low-cost fertility boost.

For people with female anatomy, moisture buildup from tight sleepwear can increase the risk of yeast infections (5). Candida albicans thrives in moist, warm environments. Going without underwear or tight pajamas during sleep helps the vulva stay cool and dry, conditions that discourage fungal overgrowth. So, wearing loose cotton underwear or none at all, to bed for this reason.

Breathable sleep conditions also reduce the risk of folliculitis and contact irritation in the groin area. Allowing skin to remain dry and exposed to airflow supports the natural bacterial balance of intimate areas.

5. Encourages Healthier Relationships and Physical Touch

Cuddling or skin-to-skin touch has been linked to better sleep and stronger emotional bonds. Physical touch helps release oxytocin, a hormone that promotes calm, lowers stress, and enhances emotional connection. For couples, sharing a bed without clothes may naturally increase this type of contact, even without intimacy.

According to a narrative review on social touch and sleep quality, affectionate touch such as hugging and skin-to-skin contact is associated with better sleep, while lack of touch is tied to poorer sleep outcomes. Researchers suggest that oxytocin and a greater sense of emotional security may be key reasons why. For couples, regular nonsexual touch during sleep may support better mood, deepen trust, and improve relationship satisfaction. Both overnight and throughout the day (6).

For relationships under strain, physical disconnection during sleep may quietly worsen emotional distance. Small gestures like holding hands or sleeping closer without restrictive clothing may repair intimacy that has faded due to stress, routines, or fatigue. There’s no need for elaborate rituals. Simply removing a layer can invite more connection.

Physical touch may also support deeper connection and better sleep. In a survey of over 1,000 people, researchers from the University of Hertfordshire found that 94% of couples who touched during sleep reported being happy in their relationship, compared to just 68% of those who didn’t touch. The closer couples slept, particularly those less than an inch apart, the more satisfied they were. In contrast, happiness dropped to 66% among couples who slept more than 30 inches apart. These findings suggest that physical closeness during sleep not only reflects emotional intimacy but may also help maintain it (7).

6. Can Help You Wake Up More Refreshed

Fragmented sleep leads to grogginess, irritability, and poor cognitive performance. Nighttime overheating is a leading contributor. When your body temperature remains elevated, sleep becomes lighter and more interrupted. Removing clothing reduces thermal insulation, allowing your core temperature to fall into the ideal range for sustained, deep sleep.

Thermoregulation affects not just how long you sleep, but how restorative that sleep feels. The National Sleep Foundation explains that small increases in skin temperature can reduce time spent in slow-wave sleep. People who sleep cooler spend more time in restorative stages and are less likely to experience early awakenings or sleep inertia.

Waking up drenched in sweat or feeling tangled in heavy sleepwear forces your body into a stress response before the day begins. That reaction elevates cortisol and disrupts hormonal balance, undermining energy levels. A simpler, cooler sleep routine can help your body ease into the day without triggering that spike.

Consistently waking refreshed requires minimizing nighttime disruptions. Light, temperature, and clothing are the three most controllable variables. Choosing not to wear anything to bed eliminates friction, reduces wakeups from overheating, and supports more predictable sleep-wake cycles.

7. Simplifies Your Sleep Routine and Lowers Laundry Loads

Routines shape behavior. The more steps a routine requires, the more chances for delay, error, or stress. Removing clothing from the equation simplifies your bedtime process. You no longer need to choose outfits, fold pajamas, or search for clean sleepwear at night. One less decision at the end of the day saves mental energy.

Washing sleepwear adds to laundry loads. If you sleep without clothes, your body only touches your sheets, which should be washed weekly. Pajamas need more frequent laundering due to sweat, oil, and skin cell buildup. That means less detergent use, less water, and lower fabric wear and tear.

For people with sensitive skin, laundry products contribute to irritation. Fragranced detergents, fabric softeners, or lingering soap residue can trigger eczema flare-ups or allergic reactions. Sleeping without fabric contact reduces the number of potential irritants your skin encounters.

Minimalism in routines can increase adherence. If your sleep environment feels complicated or inconsistent, skipping steps becomes more likely. Simpler routines are easier to stick with. That consistency strengthens your circadian rhythm and improves long-term sleep quality.

Are There Downsides to Sleeping Without Clothes?

For some people, sleeping without clothes presents challenges. Room temperature is one of the biggest concerns. If the room is too cold, you may wake from discomfort. Without pajamas, your body has fewer layers to trap heat. Bedding must compensate, and some may need multiple layers or blankets to feel secure.

Hygiene is another factor. Without clothing to act as a barrier, all skin oils, sweat, and bodily secretions go directly onto the sheets. This requires diligent bed linen hygiene. Sheets should be washed weekly at minimum in hot water to remove bacteria, dust mites, and allergens.

Shared living spaces can complicate this practice. Those who live with roommates, children, or in dormitories may feel self-conscious about walking around after sleep. Some prefer the sense of protection that pajamas provide when emergencies arise or privacy is limited.

Lastly, individual comfort matters. People who experience nighttime chills, anxiety about sleeping exposed, or dislike the feel of sheets against bare skin may find this practice more distressing than helpful. Every body is different. Personal comfort should remain the primary driver of sleep decisions.

Why Quality Sleep Matters More Than Sleepwear

Sleepwear preferences make no difference if your sleep isn’t truly restorative. You can wear cotton or sleep without clothes, but if you still wake up tired, something else could be affecting your sleep.

Poor sleep quality often points to hidden disorders like insomnia or sleep apnea. These conditions disrupt rest at a biological level. No change in clothing, diet, or bedtime routine will compensate for fragmented sleep caused by airway collapse, circadian misalignment, or hyperarousal.

Warning signs include:

• Taking longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep
• Waking up multiple times per night
• Gasping or choking during sleep
• Snoring, loud breathing, or restless movements
• Feeling fatigued despite sleeping “enough”
• Mood swings, brain fog, or poor memor

Sleep disorders often go undiagnosed. People dismiss the signs or blame external factors. But high-quality sleep affects nearly every health system, cardiovascular, cognitive, metabolic, emotional. If your sleep feels off, it's worth investigating.

There’s More to Great Sleep Than What You Wear

Sleeping without clothes can help with comfort, skin health, and temperature control. But when your nights still feel restless or your mornings start with exhaustion, the problem may run deeper.

We created Nightly to help you figure out what’s behind poor sleep. Struggling to fall asleep? Waking too early? Feeling drained all day? These can be signs of insomnia or sleep apnea.

Our free online sleep assessment is quick, private, and built by real sleep experts.

You’ve changed your sheets. You’ve tried winding down. Now it’s time to know what your sleep is really telling you.

Start your free assessment now.

References

1. Herberger, S., Penzel, T., Ingo Fietze, Glos, M., Alessandro Cicolin, Fattori, E., Grimaldi, D., Reid, K., Zee, P., Mason, M., & Kräuchi, K. (2024). Enhanced conductive body heat loss during sleep increases slow-wave sleep and calms the heart. Scientific Reports, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-53839-x
2. Cool Temperature Alters Human Fat and Metabolism. (2015, May 14). National Institutes of Health (NIH). https://stagetestdomain3.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/cool-temperature-alters-human-fat-metabolism?
3. Donga, E., Marieke van Dijk, Dijk, van, Biermasz, N. R., Lammers, G.-J., Kralingen, van, Eleonara P. M. Corssmit, & Romijn, J. A. (2010). A Single Night of Partial Sleep Deprivation Induces Insulin Resistance in Multiple Metabolic Pathways in Healthy Subjects. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 95(6), 2963–2968. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2009-2430
4. Spencer, B. (2015, October 19). Why men trying to conceive should wear boxers and sleep naked. Mail Online; Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3278964/Why-men-trying-conceive-wear-boxers-sleep-naked-Wearing-loose-underwear-reduce-sperm-damage-25-compared-tight-pants.html
5. Elegbe, I. A., & Modupe Botu. (1982). A Preliminary Study on Dressing Patterns and Incidence of Candidiasis. American Journal of Public Health, 72(2), 176–177. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.72.2.176
6. Xie, Y., & Feeney, B. C. (2024). A narrative review of research linking non‐sexual social touch to sleep quality. Journal of Sleep Research, 33(5). https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.14174
7. Research reveals what your sleeping position says about your relationship. (2025). ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140415203702.htm

‍