Sleeping naked could be beneficial to our health and our waistlines

You snooze, you lose... weight. Photo / 123rf.

One in four people sleep in the nude but do you know its serious health benefits?

According to GP Dr Sarah Brewer, sleeping naked could aid weight loss, as the body overproduces the hormone cortisol when it gets too warm, resulting in an increased appetite, reports the Daily Mail.

Sleeping in the buff could also reduce the risk of getting thrush, as airing the intimate area helps to stop fungus from thriving in the warm, moist environment.

Going nude may also boost male fertility, as the hormone testosterone is released at night, with its production being reduced if a man gets too hot.

Couples could also benefit, as sleeping naked makes people feel more loving, as well as the sight of bare skin stimulating arousal.

Sleeping nude could do wonders for your health from aiding weight loss to preventing thrush. Photo / 123rf.

"Sleeping naked means that your body remains cooler during the night, which is important as overheating is a common cause of disturbed sleep:" Dr Brewer said.

"Being over-hot in bed by 3 to 4 degrees increases the chances of waking up and reduces deep sleep."

"Many worry about sleeping naked in the winter, however, if your bedroom is the recommended temperature of between 18-24 degrees Celsius all year round, then there shouldn't be a problem."

A survey from Furniture Choice, the online furniture retailer based in West Yorkshire, surveyed the British public to find out about sleeping habits.

Sleeping naked makes couples feel more loving, with bare skin also stimulating arousal. Photo / 123rf.

The results showed that 40 per cent of Britons do not generally get a good night's sleep.

Of those surveyed, 24 per cent only get six hours of sleep a night, despite the recommendation to get 7 to 9 hours.

More than a third reported that they wake feeling tired, with 32 per cent waking with a sore back and 27 per cent suffering an aching neck on rising.

This comes after scientists from the American Cancer Society found that sleeping for fewer than five hours a night makes men twice as likely to develop prostate cancer.

Men younger than 65 who get fewer than the recommended seven hours of sleep a night have a 55 per cent higher risk of developing the difficult-to-treat disease.