Sleeping naked could help you burn fat (if you normally run hot)

According to The Internet, sleeping naked is pretty much akin to the green smoothie when it comes to creating the fittest, healthiest bodies in the world.

People like strength coach Charles Poliquin credit snoozing in our birthday suit with blitzing fat.

But sleep scientist Dr Carmel Harrington says there's no need for us all to strip off to get ripped. What we really need to focus on is getting as comfortable as we can because sleep and weight are intrinsically linked.

There's definitely merit to the idea that sleeping naked aids weight loss, which is primarily due to the fact that you're less likely to overheat in bed.

"Sleeping in an environment that's around 18 degrees is when you sleep the best," Dr Harrington, author of The Sleep Diet, told ninemsn Coach.

If you're too hot, then your sleep will be patchy, leaving you tired and potentially hungrier.

"A consequence of more fragmented sleep is that we don't get as much slow wave or deep sleep, which is when we get the growth hormone secretion, which helps build our muscle and repair," Dr Harrington explains.

"Fragmented sleep also leads to an increase in cortisol [the stress hormone that increases hunger], and everything then cascades from that – it's a domino effect."

But Dr Harrington says there's no point in stripping off if you don't sleep well in the buff.

"Some people feel really uncomfortable when they are sleeping naked – they feel very vulnerable," she points out.

More than anything, Dr Harrington says it's crucial that our sheets and mattresses are made from breathable materials.

"If you are going to wear pyjamas, make sure they are made from natural fibres so you're not building up sweat," she says.

As for rumours that sleeping naked improves relationships, Dr Harrington says that some research does suggest it's more intimate for partners to sleep naked together.

"You are closer but that doesn't mean it's for everybody," she says.

"You don't want people thinking their relationship isn't great because they have clothes on. The most important thing is how comfortable people are – when we go to sleep we want to feel nurtured and really safe, and some people don't feel safe without their clothes on."