Why you shouldn’t sleep naked when the weather is hot

We all love to sleep naked from time to time, and when the weather is hot, sleeping in the buff can feel like the only option. But experts say that sleeping naked to keep cool at night, might actually be a bad idea. 

When the weather is hot it can be tempting to sleep nude, but experts suggest that it is a much better idea to wear lightweight summer sleepwear instead to keep yourself cool. The Lead Sleep Physiologist at Bupa’s Cromwell Hospital, Julius Patrick, explained to Cosmopolitan why pyjamas might be a better option than your birthday suit.

"It can be tempting to sleep with no clothes on to keep yourself cool, but this may worsen your sleep," the sleep psychologist says. "When you sleep naked, sweat actually collects on the body and then remains there. However hot it is when you drift off, remember your body temperature will drop during the night." 

He continues to say, “If you’re wearing light clothes to sleep in, it soaks up any sweat you have, which can cool you down.” This means that your pyjamas will remain cool and keep your body temperature regulated while you sleep. 

Sleeping in pyjamas when the weather is hot is also advised by other sleep experts, such as Dr. Sophie Bostock, a sleep expert at thesleepscientist.com (opens in new tab). 

Dr. Bostock told Women’s Health, “'I've seen a lot of advice about sleeping naked, but this isn't super helpful as what you can actually find is if sweat collects on the body, and isn't whipped away by a moisture-wicking surface - like you get from clothing - then it doesn't help you cool.”

She continues to say, “So wearing cotton pyjamas, or anything that takes sweat away from the body, may be better than being completely starkers.”

So how can we keep cool at night?

Julius Patrick has some various tips about how to keep cool during the warm summer months. "If it’s warmer inside than outside, open all of the windows before you get in bed, to get a breeze before you get your head down. This should bring down the room temperature slightly to make it easier to fall asleep when you get in bed," he said. 

He also advises that we invest in some good quality cotton bedsheets. He says, “keep covers handy," as, "thin cotton sheets will absorb sweat."

Finally, Julius suggests that showering before bed can also help you keep cool. "A quick rinse before bed can help you cool down, and it doesn’t have to be a cold shower. Some people find a hot shower or bath can help as this drops the core body temperature, helping to promote faster and deeper sleep."

So it seems keeping your kit on this summer will help to keep your body temperature down.