What do you wear when you go to sleep? It’s a simple question with a whole host of answers. Some people snuggle up in matching pajama sets; others love a lacy nightgown. Still more others throw on an old T-shirt or sweatpants. Then, of course, there are the fans of sleeping naked— and they just might be the healthiest of us all.

Yes, according to the folks over at DNews on the Seeker YouTube channel, there’s tons of research out there to support the idea that sleeping in the nude equals sleeping better. And after listening to what they have to say and doing a little research of our own, we find that we’re ready to give this slightly scandalous sleeping strategy a try.

If you’re a person uncomfortable with nudity, or simply somebody who prefers resting in layer upon layer of soft, comfortable fabric, you’re probably shaking your head right about now. But since we’re all always trying to find the best habits and practices to get that all-important rest, and since pretty much everybody reports not sleeping well and/or enough, don’t we owe it to ourselves to give it a try?

Plus, when you actually look at the data on the subject of naked sleeping and hear what the folks at DNews have to say, it all makes a lot of sense. Ultimately, it all comes down to one simple equation: sleeping naked equals sleeping cooler.

And we mean that quite literally. Several studies have linked cooler body temperatures with a better ability to fall asleep more quickly, to reach the deep sleep part of the sleep cycle, and to sleep through the night without waking up. A University of South Australia Centre for Sleep Research study reveals:

About one to one and a half hours before falling sleep, the body starts to lose heat from its central core and that brings on increased feelings of tiredness in normal healthy adults. These physiological changes happen well before going to bed and may be occurring before people realise them [. . .] Temperature regulation is a significant factor in each of the two types of insomnia. [. . .]

Studies of sleep onset insomniacs show that they consistently have a warmer core body temperature immediately before initiating sleep, when compared with normal healthy adults. This results in a state of heightened arousal that prevents them from falling asleep when they go to bed, probably because they have to wait for their bodies to lose the heat that’s keeping them awake. We’re only talking about a half to one degree but that small temperature change can result in significant differences in arousal between insomniacs and people without sleeping problems.

Warmer skin is linked to increased activity in areas of the brain that regulate sleep cycles. So essentially, as the Australia study states and other studies, like this one from the Department of Sleep and Cognition at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, cooler skin equals better sleep. And what’s one way to guarantee cooler skin? Remove the clothes covering it.

“OK,” we can hear some you saying. “But couldn’t I just lower the heat, crank the air conditioner, or remove some blankets, and keep my pajamas?” Well, you could, but then you’d be missing out on some other benefits of nude sleeping, like increasing oxytocin, lowering cortisol, improving sperm count in men and decreasing yeast infections in women!

Plus, DNews claims that more naked time, in general, is good for your health. To hear their explanation, and to learn more about these additional benefits of sleeping in the nude, check out their video below.

Are you reconsidering your sleep wardrobe now? What do you normally wear to bed? Did any of this news surprise you? Share you favorite sleep-well tips with your fellow readers!