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OING naked in public may be a key to your happiness.
Dr Keon West of Goldsmiths, London University, said: “Naturists have been saying this for some time.”
He and his team have started research that seems to prove the validity of the claim.
A series of studies found a higher level of contentment and positive body image among those who spent significant amounts of time wholly or partially naked in public.
In my early twenties, I often shared a sauna with heavyweight boxing champion Brian London. That’s when false modesty ended and I realised all naked blokes – even athletes – looked like oven ready chickens.
The nudity and knowledge didn’t make me happy but it gave a certain kind of contentment: since then I’ve never been embarrassed about my body, although I still get the occasional dream about being locked out of the house in a vest too short to cover the essentials.
This, I suspect, is normal. But I have always shied away from the formal nakedness you might get at an organised gathering of naturists.
I once interviewed a young lady on the phone on the benefits of going au naturel. She sounded delightful but I declined her invitation to attend such an event in Harrogate. I mean, it’s a long way to drive with no clothes on.
I have an artist friend who almost became a nudist. An attractive lady in her thirties asked him to paint her naked.
“Okay,” he said, “but I’ll have to keep my socks on so I’ll have somewhere to keep my brushes.”
Fun nudity is fine but I can’t see it leading to romance. For that you need a certain mystery that only clothes and, possibly, low lights can provide. This allows social intercourse without distractions to discover intellect, humour and empathy in a person of interest.
Mind you, I’m happy to try anything new and if science says going naked can increase happiness and contentment, I’ll give it a go.
How about we organise naked meetings at the pub and club?
I don’t know about making people happy but it would give everyone a laugh.