9 benefits of sleeping 'commando' during this heatwave

    The mercury yesterday hit a record high for this year, thermometers hit 31C today and forecasters expect it to be even hotter tomorrow with some citing 34C highs.

While this is all very well if you're able to get out and about to enjoy it, the stifling highs are proving to be pretty consistent - even at night.

During these rare balmy nights, the quest to stay cool and get a decent night's sleep can seem impossible and frustrating. So no one could blame you for wanting to ditch your usual attire and go commando .

And as these nine benefits by SleepyPeople.com show - you'll get a lot more out of it than a good night's sleep.

1. Helps your skin

All day long your body is restricted by clothes, even in the summer when we wear a little less, there are certain parts of us which never feel the freedom of fresh air.

Sleeping as nature intended means that every part of you finally gets that release. This can lower the risk of certain skin diseases like athletes foot too.

Could you also feel happier as a result of sleeping naked?

2. Keeps cortisol in check

Cortisol is a biochemical in our body which must be looked after a best you can. If you are overheated in bed, cortisol levels tend to rise.

This can lead to increased anxiety and stress, cravings for bad food and ultimately weight gain, so keeping on top of this is really important.

Sleeping naked gives you the best chance of regulating your temperature and therefore keeping that cortisol down.

3. Improves relationships

If you have a partner who you share a bed with, sleeping naked creates the perfect scenario for some skin-on-skin contact.

Close contact with a significant other can massively boost the amount of oxytocin in your brain. This hormone is the neurotransmitter which helps you feel those impulsive good feelings to your other half.

4. Men's fertility

A study from the National Institute of Child Health and Development at Stanford University found that men who slept in the nude instead of wearing boxer shorts or briefs had a 25 per cent lower rate of damaged DNA in their sperm than men who did wear them.

Fertility may decrease as sperm gets overheated

Following the study, Allan Pacey, a leading fertility expert at the University of Sheffield told the New York Times:

"We have known for some time that men who increase the temperature of their testicles, either through the heat exposure at work or by wearing tight underwear, have poorer semen quality compared to men whose testicles are cooler."

5. Boosts metabolism

A number of different studies have shown that sleeping in a cooler environment allows the body to produce healthy fats which burn the calories to help generate body heat.

Sleeping in a warmer environment doesn’t have this effect, therefore metabolism is less effective. What’s one of the best ways to cool down? To sleep naked of course!

6. You'll have more sex

Let's not skirt around it too much, one thing that puts us all in a better mood is sex.

If you and your partner regularly sleep naked next to each other, the likelihood is that you’ll have more sex than you would when wearing those restrictive PJs.

Whether its physical, mental or financial, there is plenty of benefits to sleeping naked!

It could improve your relationship

7. Less distractions

We've all either had a bad nights sleep or woken up in pain because of a badly placed drawstring or unruly twisted t-shirt.

Why put yourself in a potentially compromising position which could ruin your sleep when you could sleep happily naked?

8. More refreshed mornings

Often when you wake up from a night’s sleep in your preferred form of pyjamas, you feel clammy and sticky from sweating during the night.