While most parts of the United Kingdom continue to enjoy somewhat tropical weather, many of us have found ourselves tossing and turning, unable to get a good night’s sleep due to the heat.
However, while our natural instincts tell us we want to be wearing as little as possible to bed, to keep our body temperature down, it turns out that sleeping with little to no clothes on could actually be making us hotter.
According to Julius Patrick, Lead Sleep Physiologist at Bupa’s Cromwell Hospital, if we really want to get a good night’s shut eye, it’s time to bring back the PJs.
“It can be tempting to sleep with no clothes on to keep yourself cool, but this may worsen your sleep. When you sleep naked, sweat actually collects on the body and then remains there,” he told Cosmopolitan.
“However hot it is when you drift off, remember your body temperature will drop during the night. If you’re wearing light clothes to sleep in, it soaks up any sweat you have, which can cool you down.”
Meanwhile, consultant neurologist and sleep physician Dr Guy Leschziner, backed up these claims, telling Radio 4’s Today programme that people would most likely benefit from wearing light clothing at night time, rather than going commando.
“People may be better off sleeping in clothing rather than sleeping naked,” he said.
“If you’re wearing a natural fabric like cotton it acts as a wick for your sweat and it can increase the surface area for the sweat to evaporate, thus may make you feel much cooler.”
With temperatures of up to 30C predicted in parts of the UK this weekend, particularly in southern England, it looks like we’re in for another couple of sticky nights. Get the PJs out, people.