Naked or in pajamas: How to sleep healthier and more pleasant
The main character of the movie "Breakfast at Tiffany" Holly Golightly slept in one blindfold for the eyes and earplugs, wearing a shirt for meeting guests. Perhaps Holly knew something about the benefits of sleeping without clothes that we still don't know. According to a survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation in 2013 in the USA, England, Canada, Japan, Mexico and Germany, 56 to 91% of 1,500 respondents sleep in clothes designed for this purpose.
We have not had such official studies, but the author of this text interviewed 900 people - and 67% of them confirmed that they prefer to sleep in clothes. In this case, washing pajamas, according to the company Ergoflex, people do quite rarely: once in two weeks. While some people choose pajamas, nightgowns and socks, while others prefer Eve's costume, we offer to make the choice conscious - and we understand how sleepwear affects its quality.
Between ice and flame
Lack of or poor quality of sleep are associated with many diseases, including diabetes, stroke and depression, and also have a bad effect on relationships. Researchers agree: for a good quality sleep, it is important not to overheat, not to supercool, and to be in the so-called state of thermal neutrality. At the same time, the ambient temperature is optimal and the body needs a minimum of expenses for adjusting its own temperature.
Before you go to sleep, the body cools slightly - this is a normal process that does not need to interfere, because it helps us fall asleep faster and deeper. If before bedtime you put on super warm pajamas not according to the weather and dive under a duvet, the natural course of thermoregulation may be disturbed; then the person tries to sleep longer, and overheats, wakes up earlier than planned. The body reaches the lowest temperature in the phase of fast sleep approximately two hours before waking up - on average it is about five in the morning. If you get lost with the temperature regime at this moment, you can wake up from the cold.
In search of balance, the air temperature in the bedroom is of great importance. If you are 30-32 degrees behind the bed, then sleeping without clothes will definitely be the best solution. If the room is 16-19 degrees, it is better to sleep in pajamas and at least under a thin blanket. In general, scientists believe that in the arms of Morpheus it is better to come naked: it allows us not to overheat and sleep better.
Cotton, silk or bamboo
If you are comfortable to sleep in clothes, choose loose, not too tight and not squeezing things from natural fabrics, in which you will not overheat. It is worth paying attention to the label with the composition: each fabric has its advantages and disadvantages (however, like all things in the world).
Perhaps the most popular fabric for nightwear is cotton. It is soft and well breathable, without irritating the skin. True, he badly removes moisture, so clothes from him are not the best option for people who sweat at night. In addition, cotton warms badly, in a cool climate one cotton pajamas cannot do without a warm blanket. But silk is a great thermostat that can warm when it's cold and cool in the heat. Unfortunately, silk clothing is expensive and difficult to maintain - ideally, it requires dry cleaning. If the weekly fee for dry cleaning of silk clothing does not scare, then pajamas made from this fabric can be your best friend in bed.
Concerning wool, opinions of experts differ. On the one hand, wool can cause overheating and skin irritation. On the other hand, there is evidence that it is easier to fall asleep in woolen clothes if it is cold in the bedroom. Research results say that at an air temperature of about 17 degrees, wool contributes better to falling asleep and sound sleep than cotton - the latter should be chosen for those who have 22 degrees in the bedroom. In general, if you spend the winter in one of the European cities where there is no central heating, choose woolen fabrics; skin irritation will not be if it is high-quality and soft merino wool.
Production of clothes made of bamboo cloth is now gaining momentum - it is soft, well breathable and absorb moisture, can have antibacterial properties and is 100% biodegradable. True, under the guise of bamboo, in most cases, another fabric is served - rayon; Formally, it is made from natural fibers, but in fact they are very much processed, seriously changing properties. Therefore, a thing that has bamboo on the label may not have the expected qualities.
Regarding whether or not to wear socks to bed: if you have cold feet and trouble falling asleep, wear them, this will help you fall asleep faster. Alternatively, you can use a heating pad or wrap your legs with an additional blanket. It is recommended to wash clothes for sleep once a week, and if you sleep naked, then bed linen is also better to change more often, once or even twice a week.
Pajama fashion
One of the main trendsetters who introduced the fashion for pajamas as outerwear was Coco Chanel. In the 1930s, women brought a night outfit to the street, using it as a costume for going out and for the beach. Then pajamas were very popular — everyone wore them, from Greta Garbo to Joan Crawford. The next wave of love has risen due to the Georgian princess and fashion designer Iren Golitsyna. The Golitsyn collection of 1963, on which the "pajamas of the palazzo", embroidered with pearls and precious stones, were presented, created a huge sensation. Diane Vreeland, editor-in-chief of American Vogue, called them clothing for television.
The fashion for pajamas outside the bedroom returned in the seventies, and then at the beginning of our century. Now pajamas have finally secured the right to exist not only in the bedroom - although they are still in the first places in the ratings of sleepwear. Of course, if you want to sleep in your pajamas and wear it outside, it’s better to get several sets.
Infections and Fertility
Once the pajamas served underwear: a white shirt and pants. People rarely bathed, and the skin secretions remained between the body and these things, which served as a barrier between the skin and the "good" outerwear. In general, the meaning of such underwear was not to protect the body, but to protect clothing from it. Now, when running water is available without restrictions, and washes the machine, we can think about our own comfort and benefits to the body. Scientists say that sleeping without panties is useful for women with chronic vulvitis or vaginitis, a tendency to yeast infections (thrush), itching and irritation. In this case, the love of fitting cowards in a warm bed can provoke exacerbations of these infections.
As for men, in one of the studies conducted in the United States, the rejection of tight underwear during the day and from underwear at night somewhat improved the quality of sperm, including DNA stability in sperm, compared to those who wore tight-fitting underwear at night and during the day. True, the difference was not statistically significant, and the probability of pregnancy or the speed of its occurrence was the same in all groups. In the journal Urology published the results of another study, where there was no significant difference between the types of underwear and sperm quality: "It is very unlikely that underwear significantly affects male fertility."
Photo:Oysho, Sleeper (1, 2)
