Get your PJs off (Picture: Getty Images/EyeEm Premium)

Sleeping naked isn’t just great for comfort or sex. It’s also proven to be good for your health.

Currently, only 20% of Brits sleep naked, according to a YouGov study, but search queries asking ‘is sleeping naked healthy?’ have surged by 400%.

In short, the answer is yes.

‘There are definitely benefits that come with sleeping naked, perhaps the biggest being that it improves blood circulation,’ explains sleep expert and psychologist Dr Katherine Hall who has teamed up with bed retailer Happy Beds.

‘When you sleep, your blood circulation increases regardless but sleeping naked stops any clothing like socks or tight pyjamas from restricting blood flow. 

‘Remember that good blood circulation is crucial for your heart and muscles.’

So what are the benefits?

Sleeping naked can help with the flu

It’s been proven that sleeping naked can help to regulate your body temperature, which is typically higher when you are ill. 

With flu and other illnesses’ in full swing during this time of year, it could be the perfect time to try sleeping naked.

Not only this, but your body temperature can actually impact how you sleep. It’s part of your body’s ‘clock’ for sleeping, known as the circadian rhythm.

According to Healthline, cooling down signals to your body that it’s time to go to sleep – so stripping off can lower down your temperature and send you off to snooze.

It avoids tight underwear

Dr Hall says that sleeping naked can help increase men’s fertility. A recent study of 656 men found that tighter underwear could be linked to a reduced sperm count.

Sleeping naked will keep testicles cool and at the ideal temperature to optimise sperm health.

Dr Hall adds that sleeping without clothes can also help to lower the chance women will get infections due to uncomfy underwear.

Sleeping naked can promote vaginal health and helps to avoid yeast infections which tend to grow in warm and moist places – giving your vagina a chance to air overnight.

It can benefit your relationship

‘Skin-on-skin contact with your partner can boost your oxytocin levels, which can help combat feelings of SAD in the winter,’ says Dr Hall.

The boost of oxytocin can also help to build attachment between partners.

But before you decide to sleep naked, there are a few things to consider.

Be careful

‘When you sleep naked, you, unfortunately, leave more bacteria on your bedsheets,’ explain experts from Happy Beds.

‘Of course, this can be fixed by washing your bedding more regularly. However, more bacteria means you could be more susceptible to picking up germs and bugs whilst you sleep naked.’

More: Lifestyle

Dr Hall advises that sleeping naked is best done in your own bed.

‘When sleeping somewhere else, such as a hotel, stick to pyjamas,’ she adds.

‘If you are part of the 20% who choose to sleep naked, you should wash your sheets more often. As studies have revealed that after one week, bed sheets can have 17,000 times more bacteria than a toilet seat.’

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It’s good for your health.