Health is Wealth
Wearing no clothes could lead to cooler skin temperatures that put ZZZs within reach
Many people believe they were born with the only pajamas needed for a good night’s sleep, but here’s the naked truth: No research directly confirms that sleeping in the buff leads to better slumber.
There is, however, some validity behind the idea of sleeping naked — namely regarding how a cooler skin temperature improves sleep quality.
So, should you consider stripping down at bedtime before sliding under the sheets? Let’s look at the potential benefits (and risks) with behavioral sleep disorders specialist Michelle Drerup, PsyD, DBSM.
There are some possible perks to nude sleeping … so, maybe? Here are a few reasons why you might want to slip off your clothes before slipping off to sleep.
Your body naturally works to lower its thermostat to doze off at night through its circadian rhythm, which regulates your sleep/wake cycle. The faster you cool off, the faster you typically catch some ZZZs, says Dr. Drerup.
That’s also one of the reasons why sleep experts recommended that you keep your bedroom temperature between 60 degrees Fahrenheit and 67 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 degrees Celsius to 19.44 degrees Celsius) for optimal snoozing.
Ever toss and turn in bed because you’re too hot? Sleeping naked certainly removes any possibility of pajama-induced overheating interfering with a good night’s rest. It’s the absolute final move in shedding layers to stay cool.
“There’s no question that cooler is better than warmer for overall sleeping,” says Dr. Drerup.
And getting enough rest is key to … well, just about everything in day-to-day life. Waking up refreshed can help you manage stress more effectively, improve focus, boost performance and make you a more pleasant person.
Tight-fitting underwear can trap heat and moisture between your legs. What makes a yeast infection thrive? Yep — heat and moisture.
Sleeping naked (or even in loose-fitting cotton bottoms) allows for some air circulation around your vagina. Keeping the area cooler and drier may help reduce your chances of getting a yeast infection, too.
Heat isn’t a friend of male fertility. Regular exposure to higher temperatures for your testicles can cause sperm counts to drop. Wearing underwear that keeps things packed tight doesn’t exactly offer a cooling effect.
Studies show that men who wear boxers have a higher sperm count than their buddies in briefs. So if loose-fitting boxes help that much, imagine what 8 hours of no clothing might do.
Sleepwalkers may want to give the idea some extra thought to going au natural to avoid any potential awkward encounters, notes Dr. Drerup.
And if you’re not a fan of doing laundry, consider this: Your washing schedule for bedding may need to increase with more skin-to-sheet contact. (Gross fact: The skin cells you shed in a day can feed 1 million dust mites. You don’t want to turn your bed into their buffet.)
Going to bed “nearly” naked while wearing lightweight and loose-fitting garments can bring you similar quality sleep results as taking everything off. “Tank tops and boxer-style briefs don’t possess a ton of warming qualities,” says Dr. Drerup.
And while being cool is desirable for sleep, you also don’t want to be cold. There’s even evidence that wearing socks to bed to warm your tootsies can help you drift off to sleep.
Ultimately, what you wear to sleep is a personal choice. “There’s no proven benefit or harm to sleeping naked,” says Dr. Drerup. “Just do what feels right and then rest easy with your decision.”
Why not try your hand at making homemade tomato sauce? The freshness of the tomatoes and the smokiness of the roasted vegetables make this a great topping for spaghetti. If you don’t have your own garden, use canned Roma tomatoes for a tasty dish that includes roasted mushrooms, broccoli and peppers.
Tomato sauce
Olive oil cooking spray
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small carrot, minced
1 shallot, minced
4 cups peeled, seeded, and diced ripe tomatoes or one 28-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Pasta
1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti
3/4 pound broccoli florets and stalks, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
2 portobello mushrooms, halved and thinly sliced
1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly grated pepper
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Makes 4 servings
Calories: 363
Total fat: 4 g
Protein: 15 g
Carbohydrate: 71 g
Dietary fiber: 4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 100 mg
Potassium: 93 mg
— Cleveland Clinic Healthy Heart Lifestyle Guide and Cookbook (© 2007 Broadway Books).
“Eat your broccoli,” may be a familiar refrain from your childhood. Maybe you didn’t love broccoli as a kid, but your parents were onto something. The “little trees” are full of fiber, folate, vitamins and more.
Broccoli is a member of the Brassica genus of plants, also known as the cabbage family. Broccoli’s relatives include Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, chard and watercress. Many Brassicas have strong flavors and mix well with meats and other vegetables.
“A pile of steamed broccoli doesn’t appeal to everyone,” recognizes registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD, LD. “But broccoli is incredibly versatile and can be used in so many different dishes. Toss it in with your stir fry, chop it fresh in a salad or roast it with your baby potatoes. And with an abundance of nutrients, there are many benefits of eating broccoli.”
A cup of chopped raw broccoli has approximately:
In addition, a cup of raw broccoli offers:
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
It’s worth finding ways to add broccoli to your diet because it’s a health-boosting dynamo. Here’s some motivation for you to get your green on: Some of the beneficial substances in broccoli are somewhat unique to the Brassica family of vegetables. Broccoli provides nutrients that may:
As a superfood status, broccoli can improve your health with these five components:
“Broccoli offers some powerful molecules that protect your cells from damage,” says Czerwony. “Some of them even destroy cancer cells.”
Cancer-fighting molecules in broccoli include DIM, indole-3-carbinol and sulforaphane. According to studies, they may help:
These anticancer molecules are in several of broccoli’s cruciferous veggie relatives, too. These nutrients don’t survive cooking or freezing. So, to get the benefits, raw broccoli is best.
“Some of these compounds are even more concentrated in broccoli sprouts,” notes Czerwony. “You can find broccoli sprouts in health food stores and many grocery stores. Sprouts are also easy to grow at home using a sprouting kit.”
Both human and lab studies suggest compounds in broccoli may help lower blood sugar in people with Type 2 diabetes. This effect may be due to the antioxidants in broccoli, like vitamin C.
Research shows that fiber can also help with blood sugar management. At 2.5 grams of fiber per cup, broccoli is a good source of this nutrient.
In a nonhuman study, researchers found that broccoli can help protect the lining of your small intestine. Compounds found in broccoli, called aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands, help keep small intestine cells working well.
Why do those cells matter so much? When your small intestine lining is healthy, it only allows water and nutrients to pass through it into your bloodstream.
But when the cells of the lining are damaged, undigested food particles, bacteria and other disease-causing particles may pass through. A damaged small intestine lining can lead to infections and inflammation. It can also prevent you from absorbing the nutrients you need.
Vitamin C is well-studied as an immune-boosting nutrient. When you don’t have enough vitamin C, you’re more likely to get infections.
The antioxidant effects of vitamin C also help your body keep free radicals under control. “Free radical damage is linked to all kinds of problems, including Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune diseases, cancer, heart disease and Parkinson’s disease,” says Czerwony. When you don’t have enough antioxidants to neutralize free radicals, they damage your cells.
Surprising but true: Broccoli has more vitamin C than oranges. In 1 cup of the green cruciferous veggie, you get a whopping 81 milligrams of vitamin C. That’s 90% of the daily U.S. recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for adults. (An orange has about 70 milligrams.)
Research suggests certain bioactive compounds in broccoli may boost your heart health in a variety of ways. It may:
“If you want those anticancer compounds like sulforaphane, choose fresh broccoli,” advises Czerwony. Freezing inactivates sulforaphane.
“Frozen broccoli also loses a bit of its vitamin content. But overall, frozen broccoli is still very healthy. It’s better than not eating any broccoli because you still get a lot of the health benefits,” she continues.
Need some broccoli-inspired meals? Try these easy recipes:
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Tip of the day: Include the right food categories in your breakfast. A healthy, balanced breakfast includes lean protein, whole grains, and fruit. — #HarvardHealthTipoftheDay #HarvardHealth #HealthyBreakfast #Breakfast
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