Surprising Benefits of Sleeping in Underwear: Why Less is More for a Good Night's Sleep

You likely know how essential quality sleep is for your health and well-being, but did you know that what you wear to bed can significantly impact your rest? Questions like "Should you wear underwear to bed?" or "Should women wear underwear to bed?" often arise, as your nighttime attire can affect everything from comfort to hygiene.

For many, sleeping in just underwear or sleeping with only underwear feels natural and liberating. There are considerations to keep in mind, such as airflow, temperature regulation, and potential health benefits or drawbacks.

Choosing the right sleepwear—or deciding to skip it altogether—can make a noticeable difference in how well you sleep and how refreshed you feel.

If you’re curious about how your bedtime clothing choices could improve your rest, read on for tips and insights to help you achieve the best night’s sleep possible.

Are There Any Benefits of Sleeping With Less Clothing?

It’s time to ditch pajamas - and don’t think you’ll be in the minority here, either. Close to 40% of Americans wear only underwear to bed - or sleep entirely in the nude! Why, you might ask?

Most think that wearing less clothing is more comfortable, while others do it just to save money. Regardless of where you might fall on the spectrum, here are some other reasons to consider dressing down for sleep.

Less Clothing Promotes Better Quality Sleep

If you’re trying to figure out some easy ways to get better sleep, one of the first things you should do is cool it down. Sleeping in a cool environment is one of the best ways to get a better night’s sleep.

In fact, the temperature of the room in which you are sleeping is one of the biggest predictors in your overall sleep quality. The ideal sleep temperature is around 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit. It can be tough to keep a room at this temperature naturally, but if you sleep naked (or with very few clothes) you’ll be able to keep your body’s internal temperatures much lower.

There are all kinds of conditions that can affect your sleep quality besides temperature, but it’s important to get good sleep regardless; getting too little sleep (or too little good quality sleep) on a regular basis can lead to all sorts of problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, and obesity.

Getting better sleep is essential. When you’re able to squeeze in eight to nine hours of uninterrupted shut-eye, you’ll benefit from an improved immune system, better brain functioning, higher energy levels, and more. You’ll enjoy tons of mental, physical, social, and emotional benefits, and you’ll be less susceptible to chronic illness, too.

Fall Asleep Faster Wearing Only Underwear

Light Women’s Pajama Shirt Ideal For Quality Sleep

If you struggle from insomnia or have a hard time falling asleep, you may want to consider sleeping naked. There are multiple studies that prove that heat exposure can increase your wakefulness and decrease your time spent in slow-wave and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

Why? Part of this explanation has to do with the fact that sleeping in the nude helps your skin cool off faster. This can lower your body temperature and help you get to sleep more easily. However, body temperature also plays a role when it comes to your circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm is a biological clock that determines when you wake and sleep.

Each person’s circadian rhythms are different, but there are some general tips you can follow to help make sure yours is functioning well for you. One of these tips is to wear fewer clothes to bed so you fall asleep faster and don’t spend a ton of time tossing and turning.

Otherwise, your body temperature will change during the day, gradually lowering at night. When your body temperature changes, it signals you to feel sleepy - you can expedite this by shedding a few layers.

Better Sleep Promotes Self-Esteem

This next benefit might surprise you, but trust us - it’s not a typo! Sleeping in the nude or in just your underwear is an easy way to boost your self-esteem. This is likely because it is one of your body’s most natural activities and states. By being your most authentic self, you’ll find that your body image, self-esteem, and life satisfaction all improve.

Prevent Disease

Sleeping in the nude (or in very little clothing or in loose-fitting clothing, if you must don some attire) can also prevent certain diseases. The most obvious one is a yeast infection. By removing some restrictive clothing, you’ll remove an environment where yeast and bacteria can grow - heat, moisture, and pathogens will all be able to escape, rather than being trapped by too-tight clothing.

If you’re a guy, it can also improve your fertility. Studies have proven that men who wear boxers, as opposed to those who wear more tight-fitting underwear, have higher sperm counts. That's probably because looser-fitting underwear helps keep things cool at night.

Improve Relationships

If you have a partner, sleeping in your underwear can provide a serious boost to your relationship. That’s because skin to skin contact between two people causes the body to release a hormone known as oxytocin.

Oxytocin, also known as the “cuddle hormone,” promotes increased social interactions, reduces stress, and can even boost your overall well being.

When you sleep naked or in just your underwear with your partner, you’ll increase the skin to skin contact and promote a relationship that is warm and positive.

Helpful Sleep Attire Tips

If you’re thinking about ditching the clothes and sleeping in just your underwear (or in nothing at all) you may want to transition gradually. You could try sleeping in just your underwear with a tee-shirt on top, for example.

You’ll want to consider your seat selection when you’re making the switch, too. Choose sheets that are soft and light, as opposed to those that are a bit more scratchy, to help you be as comfortable as possible. You might also want to shower right before you go to bed, which will help keep your sheets clean and sanitary.

If you get started with this new adventure and find that your bedroom temperature is still a bit too chilly, consider tossing a few extra blankets on the bed. You can adjust the thermostat in the room, too, but adding some blankets will be much easier to deal with when, in the middle of the night, you realize you are now too warm!

No Bra Is Good For Better Sleep

Ditch The Bra Before Going To Bed For Quality Sleep

If you’re going to sleep in your underwear, don’t feel the need to wear a bra or a sports bra. There are plenty of people who erroneously believe that wearing a bra will help prevent your breasts from sagging in the future. That’s not the case!

In fact, wearing a bra while you are sleeping can actually cause a variety of health problems. Not only is wearing a bra uncomfortable - meaning you will be more likely to toss and turn during the night - but it will put unnecessary pressure on your chest. You may find yourself straining to breathe as you lie in bed.

There are other problems that nighttime bra wearing can cause, too. You could develop cysts and skin irritation or even unsightly cysts when you start wearing a bra to bed.

When it comes to sleep quality and comfort, ditch the bra - less is definitely more.

Wear Loose Clothing

You will also want to invest in some loose-fitting clothing that you can wear specifically for sleep. This will not only help with your circulation, but it will help improve your ability to breathe naturally, too.

Wearing tight-fitting clothing, like wearing a bra, to bed isn’t just uncomfortable - it can harm your health. Research has shown repeatedly that wearing tight clothes to bed can affect the way your body produces melatonin. Melatonin is responsible for regulating your sleep cycle - and if your circadian rhythms are off, your melatonin production will be, too.

Stop wearing clothes that are overly binding. Whether that’s a form-fitting tank top or a tight pair of pants with an elastic band, too-tight clothes are going to cause you problems both during your slumber and your daytime hours.

Stick to Cotton

Soft Cotton Pajamas Ideal Sleeping Attire

Whenever possible, wear cotton attire to bed especially organic cotton. Cotton is a natural fiber that is breathable, comfortable, and soft. It’s also lightweight and will make it easier for your skin to breathe. It can eliminate rashes and skin irritation, too.

However, if cotton simply isn’t the right choice for you, you have other options. You could go completely nude, of course, but if you’d rather be more modest (and improve your health at the same time), stick to bamboo or silk.

Cotton and other natural fibers are the way to go when it comes to sleeping and sleep quality. Why? You don’t want to be sleeping in any fibers that aren’t natural. From your bedding to your mattress, your clothing, and everything in between, natural materials are the way to go. They’ll allow your body to breathe and detoxify properly.

After all, that’s one of the main duties that your body performs while you’re fast asleep.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to find clothing, linens, and mattresses made out of natural materials. These not only suffocate your skin and hold the heat, but they smother your body in chemicals, too. They can leach onto your skin and into the environment - including in the air you breathe.

There are other features you should look for in all of your clothes - but especially in your bedtime attire. Look for clothing that is made out of natural materials and includes natural ingredients. Lots of clothing companies use things like pesticides, toxic finishing agents, and toxic dyes in their products.

While these inclusions are well-intended (often, chemicals are used to make products stain-proof, fireproof, or wrinkle-resistant), they aren’t exactly doing your body any favors. They can be extremely harmful to your overall health.

Instead, if you must wear clothing to bed, choose clothes that are made from natural fibers and don’t contain any added chemicals. You may have to pay a bit extra, but organic cotton is a great choice for your nighttime wear. You’ll benefit from cotton in all of your attire, but if you aren’t ready to make the total switch (or just can’t afford it yet) start with your bedtime clothes and pajamas.

These fibers will not only allow your skin to breathe, but they’ll make it easier for you to regulate your body temperature and to carry out your regular nighttime duties!

Wear Socks

Like wearing socks in bed? Awesome - because there are plenty of good reasons to do so. Having warm feet can not only help you fall asleep faster, but it will promote a greater sense of relaxation, too. Wearing socks to bed can help lower your blood pressure and it will prepare your body for restful sleep.

If you tend to have skin problems on your feet, then wearing socks to bed can help absorb excess moisture from your sweat. If your feet are more on the dry side, socks can prevent dryness and cracking.

Try Sleeping In Your Underwear To Enjoy The Benefits Of Quality Sleep Immediately

What you wear to sleep is just as important as what you wear during the day - well, almost!

Still can’t convince yourself to sleep in just your underwear? Try making the transition by wearing just light or loose-fitting clothes. This will help you fall asleep faster and promote better-quality sleep. Avoid heavy fabrics, like flannel or fleece pajamas. These feel great when you’re chilly right before bed, but they can make it tough for your skin to cool.

Although many people wear pajamas to bed, it’s time to shirk this trend and start limiting the number of clothes you put on to go to bed. There are all kinds of health benefits associated with sleeping in the nude.

Who needs pajamas? Sleep in as little clothing as possible - or even just your underwear - and you’ll begin to reap the benefits immediately.

Shana Thompson is a full time professional writer and editor. Shana has worked extensively in the fields of content marketing, on-page and off-page SEO (guest posts, backlink acquisition), and creative writing. As an experienced pro content writer, Shana has worked on several magazines, publishing companies and marketing agencies. Many recent projects have included everything from nutrition and health services, where a lot of research and citations were needed, to writing about health, sustainable, eco-friendly products.

Follow Shana at Shana Thompson