Health benefits of sleeping naked

Here's why you should sleep naked. [Istockphoto]

Some women love spotting the cutest pajamas to bed, others ditch them for shorts while others still prefer nighties and then there are those who want to wear nothing.

"I sleep commando," says a city-based media practitioner who requested anonymity. "The only time I sleep in panties is when I am on my periods."

Her sentiments are echoed by Gladys Moraa, a 36-year-old mother of three who confesses to sleeping without underwear even when on her periods.

"I use tampons, those ones do not require undies but I always set an alarm to change during the night to avoid infections that are caused by wearing tampons for too long," she says.

Junior F Mukudi, a health system specialist and women's health advocate says as long as the underwear is free and allows free flow of air or your vaginal area to breathe then sleeping with an underwear is not a problem.

"However, sleeping without panties increases comfort, relieves dampness. Wearing underwear causes dampness, which leads to discomfort and soothes acne or pimples that grow from your pubic hair. Heat and moisture also causes folliculitis and bumps," says Mukudi.

He sleeping commando also prevents yeast infections as tight underwear can lead to vaginitis, which is quite troublesome.

"The infection causes itching as well as a white discharge like cottage cheese. It can also cause trichomoniasis, which causes similar symptoms but is characterised by a greenish yellow discharge," says Mukudi.

Kamlesh Sinha, a Gurgaon-based gynecologist told healthshots.com that "sometimes, not wearing underwear at night helps women who are more prone to dampness and infections.

"Plus, it might help to enhance her intimacy with her partner. One could also choose to wear cotton underwear that's breathable and absolutely comfortable. I would suggest allowing the vaginal area to breathe, if you are comfortable going underwear-free."