Recently, most of us have been experiencing temperatures that were more than simply summery. All over the world, we’ve been feeling the impact of climate change. Whether it is scorching temperatures, droughts or wildfires, none of them are very pleasant. And they all mean that we have to adapt our day-to-day lives as nothing remains the same. Working, eating, relaxing, they all ask for a different approach when outside temperatures get unbearable.
And let’s be honest, more often than not, our mood doesn’t change for the better either. When it gets too hot, we’re all a bit more prickly than usual. Our bodies have difficulty coping with all that change and are constantly busy trying to cool off. That asks for a lot of energy, meaning every little bit of extra effort is too much to ask. We’re short-tempered, sleepy and constantly irritated.
Some of that is due to the fact that sleeping during a heatwave or simply when it’s very hot at night can be a challenge on its own. Our bodies like to be cool at night in order to be able to enjoy a good night’s rest. If temperatures rise too high, our body and mind can’t really relax to their best and reaching that deep sleep stage is almost impossible. In such a scenario, sleeping with as little clothes as possible – aka naked – sounds like the best thing to do. We’re sorry to disappoint you, though, but it’s not the best solution.
If you’re wearing light clothes to sleep in, it soaks up any sweat you have, which can cool you down.
Julius Patrick, Lead Sleep Physiologist at Bupa’s Cromwell Hospital
“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,” Julius Patrick, Lead Sleep Physiologist at Bupa’s Cromwell Hospital, told Cosmopolitan UK. “And 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.”
In other words: sleeping naked won’t guarantee you the best possible night’s rest if it’s tropically hot outside. Instead, you better put on a very thin, cotton pair of pajamas to keep you cool. Of course, it’s okay if you decide to sleep naked anyway because it makes you feel good or because you want to feel close to your partner. We’re merely passing on the information in case of a heatwave – whether or not you listen to the advice is up to you.
