WORLD
Good Reasons to Sleep Naked
Baku, January 21 (AZERTAC). According to a large survey, less than 1 In 10 Americans sleep naked.
Plenty of people like to feel cozy at bedtime, but a sleep environment that’s too warm can prevent the natural cooling that should take place in your body while you sleep. Keeping your body or your bedroom too warm (higher than 70˚F [21˚Cç) will disrupt the release of your main anti-aging hormones, melatonin andgrowth hormone. When we sleep in total darkness, melatonin is released, triggering a very slight but critical cool-down in the body. As body temperature drops, growth hormone is released and works its regenerative magic. In fact, sleep itself has been touted as a magic pill precisely because it encourages the release of this youthful hormone. In a study published in the journal Sleep, researchers showed that you can get safe, legal doses of growth hormone–and even improve athletic performance–just by hitting the sack for a deep, restorative sleep.
The result? People didn’t wake up as much during the night and the percentage of the sleep spent in stages 3 and 4 (deep sleep) increased. In elderly subjects a 0.4 C decrease in skin temperature caused a decline in the probability of early morning waking from 0.58 to 0.04. And believe it or not, you don’t sweat or shiver during REM sleep so have no fear that ditching the layers will have you dreaming of icicles.
If you and your partner both sleep in the nude, you can be reaping the benefits of this feel-good hormone. Skin to skin touching (with intimacy, a massage, intercourse, or cuddling) is all that is required. Also involved in sexual responsiveness and orgasm, the hormone oxytocin counteracts stress and depression by combating the harmful effects of cortisol and reduces blood pressure. It has also been shown to improve gut motility and decrease intestinal inflammation. Another bonus? More .. ahem … opportunities. Let’s face it, there’s nothing that turns your partner off faster than head-to-toe flannel pajamas. And orgasms are nature’s best sleep aid.