Sleep: The bare facts
Opinion is obviously divided on the benefits of a nude snooze
Do you sleep in the nude? Generally speaking that is. Obviously no one sleeps in the nude during the South Island winter or when visiting their partner’s parents’ house. That would be stupid.
So maybe the question should be: during our beautiful New Zealand summers while in your own bed do you tend to sleep buck naked? If the answer is yes then you share that behaviour with many famous and important Kiwis. We’ll get to them soon.
There is some science supporting the benefits of nude sleeping. Apparently you experience better quality rest when you are cooler. As you tend to be when completely nude. The Goldilocks zone is between 16C and 19C. Hard to hit that in your jammies.
In a recent study, the America National Sleep Foundation found that good sleep helps fight obesity, depression, high blood pressure and heart disease.
So arguably the nude snooze is good for you. It’s also good to get some air on your normally covered parts. Let your downstairs breathe.
All very well, but what about security? How would you go fighting a fire in the nude? What about burglars? Zombies? When the worst happens you might not have time to get your pants on? Personally I’d prefer to have a pair of boxers on if I have to go toe-to-toe with a home invader.
On my radio show the other day we ran a statistically irrelevant sleeping study. The results were shocking. Out of 20 callers all but one slept nude. Here are some of the comments.
“I converted to nude sleeping about three years ago, changed my life for ever. Even if there is the odd chance of an earthquake I don’t care.
It’s so good I’ll take the risk.”
A young lady stated: “You’ve got to let it breathe.”
Another said: “I am female and sleep naked winter and summer love it.”
Finally this disturbing comment from West Auckland: “Nude all the way but with a T-shirt on that allows the downstairs to peep out just a little bit underneath.”
But what about those famous people? I decided to pry on the sleeping habits of some notable Kiwis.
I started at the bottom. Seven Sharp and Radio Hauraki Breakfast Host Jeremy Wells claimed: “My life has been so much better since I converted to nude sleeping. It’s so good for your health and your sex life. There’s a much better chance of getting some action if you’re naked already.”
He went on to say he also feels more confident he could protect his family in the nude: “It’s always good to bring some crazy to a scrap — who wants to fight a naked man?”
From the bottom I went to the top. I ask Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern if she sleeps in the nude. She said: “No, no I don’t.”
Apparently she has to be ready to go in case of a national emergency. I texted cricket broadcaster and Hits breakfast host Laura McGoldrick on this key issue. She answered: “I’m a pajamas girl. This isn’t for one of your articles again is it?”
I texted back “No, just wondering.” So I called Spark and TVNZ sports commentator Scotty J Stevenson in Japan: “It’s bloody humid over here in Oita Matty, I was buck naked until you woke me. I’d like to go back to sleep if I could.”
So I texted All Blacks captain Kieren Read on the issue. Didn’t get a reply yet. Clearly he’s very focused on the job at hand. I applaud that. What a great New Zealander.
Grant “The Hairy Jav” Elliot on the other hand answered my text with an emphatic “of course, why do you ask?” I replied “No reason.”
As luck would have it my mate Alternative Cricket Commentary head Mike Lane was playing golf with some other Black Caps at the time. I asked him to canvas the field.
Lockie Ferguson — nude, Tim Southee — nude, Dan Vettori — nude. Minister of Finance and Sport Grant Robertson — jammies. Vaughan Smith ZM — knickers. Toni Street clothed generally but sometimes no bottoms in summer.
Opinion is divided on this hot issue. Science says it’s good for your health to sleep nude. But the jury is out in terms of security and safety. In the end what people wear to bed in the privacy of their own home is their business. A very personal thing. Info others shouldn’t share. Something people shouldn’t go prying into. So what about you? Do you sleep nude?
Tell me. Slip into my DMs.