I love being nude, am often naked around my house, and for nearly my entire life, have slept unclothed. Even as a kid, I absolutely hated pajamas. They always felt restrictive as I was trying to sleep. Now as an adult, I still feel that way, so of course, I continue to sleep in the nude – even in the winter. Who knew all along I was doing my psyche a huge favor? If your ears just perked up at the sound of helping your psyche, you’re not alone.
As it turns out, Americans in particular spend a large portion of their income on self-help products. In 2016, the entire U.S. self-improvement market was worth $9.9 billion, with the industry steadily climbing since 2011. And yet with all this interest in self-help, few people are aware that there is a simple, 100% free solution waiting for them at home: going nude.
Yes, going nude is actually a self-help tool! How? It raises your self-esteem among many other wonderful things. Its magical self-help powers have even been scientifically proven in an assortment of studies. So do yourself a favor and take your clothes off the next time you’re alone and feel comfortable. You just might find yourself loving your unclothed time and loving life a little more because of it.
How Going Nude Increases Self Esteem
I never would have guessed that this lifelong habit was secretly supporting me. Each time I took off my clothes, I was shedding ego, anxiety, worry and so many other emotions that ultimately were not serving me.
Today, I go nude around my home and always in the ocean (even if it means I take off my bikini in the waves and hastily put it back on before swimming back to the shore.) Being naked is something that I own and adore. It is very much a part of who I am as a person.
Even during my interview for my university’s honors program, I was asked what would I be doing if I wasn’t going there, to which I replied, “Being a part of a nudist colony!”
Okay, tangent over. Enough about me. I only mention my personal experience to pair it with the psychological findings, I’m about to unpack.
In 3 studies (1 large-scale, cross-sectional study and 2 prospective studies) scientists researched knowledge about the prospective “benefits of naturist activities” aka being nude. They concluded that “more participation in naturist activities predicted greater life satisfaction.” But where did the satisfaction come from? Why were these individuals happier in life compared to their non-nude subjects? Researchers found it was “a relationship that was mediated by more positive body image and higher self-esteem.”
But the findings didn’t stop there. They also discovered that by participating in the actual naturist activities, body image and self-esteem steadily improved. In other words, it is not just people who already have positive self-esteem who are taking their clothes off. Rather, people who are taking their clothes off are gaining self-confidence as a result of having that time in the nude. So in theory, if you were to take off your clothes today before going to sleep, no matter how self-confident you were, to begin with, over time you would grow even more self-confident as a direct result of this habit.
Pretty compelling stuff.
Going Nude Makes You Look Better Naked Too
It’s crazy, right? A bit of a mind fu*k if you ask me. And yet it’s true too! A study found that going nude more often can in fact “help people look better naked.” This improvement is because being completely unclothed prompts “the growth of brown adipose tissue—also known as good fat—and decreases the amount of white adipose tissue, which is the unhealthy fat.” This is just another awesome way being naked boosts your self-esteem. As the old saying goes, when you look your best, you feel your best!
Being naked has even been found to lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone known to enable weight gain. By lowering cortisol levels, being naked also helps people lose weight and maintain their physique. On top of its amazing weight loss properties, going nude helps with the look and overall health of our skin. How? It’s simple. Wearing clothes traps dirt and oil on our skin, reducing the amount of airflow. As a result of the fabric being present, wearing clothes can lead to increased sweating in certain areas where sweating doesn’t normally happen, and consequently, it can have negative effects on the ph of the body leading to skin infections. This is why some athletes will break out around their uniforms as the skin can grow irritated over time.
Aside from positive skin benefits, a survey done in 2014 found that about 57 percent of individuals who slept naked “reported satisfaction in their relationships” as opposed to much weaker percentages of those who slept in some sort of pajamas. So to sum it up, being naked is good for your mental health, physical beauty, and your romantic life… what’s not to love!?
If you’re ready to put it to the test, check out these easy ways to get started going au natural.
Easy Ways To Start Going Nude
- Sleep Naked
This one is the easiest as you’re likely alone when you go to sleep or with your significant other. If you happen to share a room with someone, this can be a bit trickier. Maybe wait until your roomie takes a trip out of town? Or try the next one on this list.
- Set A Timer
Go nude for 15 minutes at a time and take it slow. Try to do something around your home to distract yourself like chores or reading a book. This way it will be easy to zone out if you’re feeling shy about it.
- Meditate While Being Naked
Sometimes this is easier for people (rather than going with #2) as you do not have to move around and are supposed to focus on clearing your mind during the meditation anyway.
Going nude isn’t for everyone, but everyone can give it a try. It can’t hurt! Trying something new is good for your mental health too, so what do you have to lose? Take your clothes off and see what it does for your mind.