Sleeping naked has always been thought of as a bit taboo, but new research has revealed some surprising effects to our health when we sleep in the nude.

Despite its rather provocative connotation, which was the basis for its taboo status, sleeping in the nude doesn’t always have to be about sex (although it can help your relationship). It’s actually a remarkable way to boost several aspects of your overall health for the mind and body!

Whether you love to snuggle into bed wearing your cozy pajamas, or if you prefer to solely don your undies, you’re about to find out why removing all of your clothing before bedtime is the best thing for your health, and love life!

1. Oxytocin Is Released

When you and your partner decide to give this “sleeping naked” thing a try, here’s what you will discover: skin-to-skin contact is the best thing ever. One of the hormones that is released when we sleep naked is oxytocin, the “love hormone.” This hormone is beneficial to our health in many ways- it can lower blood pressure, decrease stress levels, help combat depression, and it makes you a happier person in general. Not to mention, your love life will probably improve drastically. Removing those unnecessary undergarments before bed may just be the thing that gives you the spark you’ve been looking for.

In 2014, a survey was taken of approximately 1,000 British married couples. 57% of the couples who slept naked reported feeling very happy in their relationship, while only 48% of the couples who slept in PJ’s reported the same. 15% of those who slept in onesies reported feeling only “satisfied” with their partner. Yeah… Maybe lose the onesie.

2. Cortisol Levels Are Lowered

When your body goes into sleep mode, it has an automatic response to drop its temperature, and sleeping naked helps to regulate this temperature. This act of regulation helps to maintain normal levels of cortisol. When there is too much cortisol in the system, you experience higher levels of stress, anxiety, junk food cravings, and even weight gain.

3. You Will Experience A More Restful Sleep

Speaking of body temperature, when you’re sleeping in pajamas, wrapped in a blanket, you are causing your body to overheat. This prevents the body from reaching its optimal temperature for deep sleep to occur. Tossing, turning, and restlessness can all be prevented by wearing less clothing and keeping your body cool.

4. You Will Look Younger, Longer

There are other hormones that are released when we sleep, and their effectiveness is based on body temperature as well. Melatonin and growth hormones, which contribute to anti-aging and skin health, are successfully released when the body temperature is lowered. To aid in this, it is recommended to keep your bedroom below 70F (21C). So if you want to keep those wrinkles at bay, take a walk on the wild side and give sleeping naked a whirl.

5. Testicular Health Is Improved

If you’re a guy and you are looking to keep those swimmers of yours as healthy as possible, sleeping naked is the answer to your problems. In fact, researchers from the National Institute of Child Health and Development and Stanford University have discovered wearing boxers during the day, and going commando at night improves overall sperm quality. The researchers studied 500 men, each of whom explained their sleeping habits and underwear choice, for a full year. They discovered men who followed the ‘boxer-by-day/commando-by-night’ routine had a 25 percent lower rate of damaged DNA in their sperm than did men who wore tighter underwear 24/7.

“We have known for some time that men who increase the temperature of their testicles, either through the heat exposure at work or by wearing tight underwear, have poorer semen quality compared to men whose testicles are cooler,” said Allan Pacey, a leading fertility expert and researcher at the University of Sheffield in England, told the New York Post.

6. Reduces Risk Of Yeast Infections

Although yeast infections are considered common and easily treatable, they are also easily avoidable. By preventing the conditions the infection needs to thrive, you can completely eradicate the need for treatment. Yeast grows in warm and moist environments. By sleeping in your birthday suit and (again) keeping your body temperature cooler, you can prevent these infections from growing and spreading.

7. You Will Gain Confidence

Maybe you need the boost, maybe you don’t. Either way, sleeping naked is a great way to really become comfortable in your own skin. Waking up in the morning and feeling completely refreshed from a good night’s sleep helps to create a happier you. A happier you is a more confident you, and a more confident you is a happier you.

8. It Feels Wonderful

Our body’s pores are great at releasing sweat when we overheat, but when we are sleeping their job can be inhibited by the clothes we wear. You’ve been there before- trying to sleep in the sweltering summer night while dressed in PJ’s. The clothes stick to your skin, the blanket makes you feel like you’re in an oven, so you kick it off and turn the A/C on only to discover you are now freezing because of the sweat created from wearing too many clothes. The next 2 hours are spent trying to find a happy medium- one leg and arm exposed from the blanket, socks off, fan on, A/C off, etc. until your body regulates it temperature low enough to give you some rest.

This can be avoided by sleeping wearing nothing. It feels great, really. You don’t have to worry about sweating in the middle of the night due to clothing.

With all of these things mentioned, you should definitely try sleeping naked. For those of you who are curious but “just don’t think it’s for you” or if you have any qualms about the taboo nature or sexual undertones implicated with sleeping in the nude, I suggest you keep this in mind: it’s just a body. Not everything needs to be sexualized, and some things are just healthier to do without clothing. Although if you have a partner and want to try sleeping together in the nude, then yeah, sexualize the hell out of it.

Originally published on http://iheartintelligence.com