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Experts reveal sleeping naked could mean more shuteye

Going to bed naked is officially the best way to get some shuteye, according to a new study.

'How to sleep' is Googled nearly four million times per month globally, so the experts at TheDozyOwl decided to find out what the best thing is to wear to bed in order to get better sleep.

sleeping naked
Sleeping naked is the best way to get a deeper sleep. Photo: Getty (Westend61 via Getty Images)

The team conducted a month-long study with 2,680 volunteers worldwide, who were asked to record their Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep cycles via a sleep monitor.

REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement) is seen as the most important stage of our sleep cycle as it stimulates areas of the brain essential for learning and memory. REM should make up around 23 per cent of our sleep.

According to the results sleeping naked will increase your REM sleep the most.

On average participants recorded a 26.5 per cent sleep score. Men gained the most out of sleeping in the nude with an average of 27 per cent REM sleep a night, with women following closely behind with 26 per cent.

In second place are a t-shirt and shorts set averaging a 26 per cent REM sleep score. Women sleep the best in this pyjama style (27%), with men resulting in a respectful 25 per cent REM sleep per night.

Another short pyjama style, boxers and underpants, came in third with participants seeing an average of 25.5 per cent REM sleep. This nipple freeing attire helped men achieve the highest REM sleep a night with an average of 27 per cent and women at 24 per cent.

Beautiful woman waking up in her bed in the bedroom, she is stretching and smiling
Short PJs are fine but longer pants not ideal for sleep. Photo: Getty (demaerre via Getty Images)

What not to wear to bed

On the flip side, a the t-shirt and pants combo should be avoided, as volunteers recorded a low average REM sleep score of just 17.5 per cent. Both women (18%) and men (17%) scored under the recommended average of REM sleep.

In second last place is the iconic bathrobe - it scored a 19 per cent REM sleep average.

Not the most obvious pyjama choice, bathrobes are best left hanging in the bathroom as women reported a mere 18 per cent REM sleep and men with 20 per cent.

To wear socks to bed or not

Finally, the sleep experts also wanted to settle the socks in bed on or off debate once and for all, asking a group of volunteers to add socks to their sleep attire.

It was pretty close in the end with participants who wore socks in bed recording an average of 27 per cent REM sleep as opposed to socks off (26% REM).

It appears that women sleep better with socks on, as the results illustrate a 3% discrepancy (socks on with 28% REM sleep and socks off with 25% REM sleep).

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