Here is the bare truth about minimalist sleeping. I don’t know what other minimalists do, but I simply cannot get a good night’s rest while wearing clothes. I sleep in the raw. It feels great … somewhat like skinny dipping.
Don’t get your panties in a twist
I have tried sleeping with various types of bedclothes on, but awoke numerous times with the garments twisted uncomfortably around me. I tried nighties, pajamas, negligees, large t-shirt, panties, boxers, briefs… but none of those were acceptable. My entire body needs to be free to breathe. Like the Princess and the Pea, I very much feel the wrinkles of the cloth and it is such an irritant to me that it’s extremely difficult to get comfortable and fall asleep. (Note: I have always been a very sound sleeper and can simply tell myself to become unconscious whenever I choose, most of the time). When I did successfully manage to fall asleep while wearing clothes, upon awakening, I noticed that the fabric left dents in my skin (pressure lines on my body from where the cloth was wrinkled).
We all know what happens when we don’t get enough sleep:
irritability, lack of concentration or ability to focus, reduced memory capacity, lethargy, and many more subtle yet debilitating consequences. It appears that we need to sleep to regenerate the cells of our entire bodies, and to subconsciously process the events of our lives. That is extremely important work, which takes about a third of our lifetimes to do.
The desired end result of a great rest is to wake up feeling energized and ready to do anything. If we spent half the night wrestling to establish some comfort, rather than feeling revitalized, we’d start the day feeling drained and tired.
That’s why my bed is better dressed than my body.
This decision was made with great care to invest in superior bedroom gear. Here was my thinking. Since I spend a lot more time on my mattress and under my blanket, than I do in any other outfit, to me it makes sense to invest more in high quality bedding. My mattress is extremely comfortable. High thread count sheets and duvet covers are smoother fabric and last longer than lower thread counts. My duvet is filled with pure silk fibres. I bought it several years ago and I love it a lot. It is thin but feels substantial and retains heat better than a down duvet.
When I was a kid people said, “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite!”, which I thought was only a silly rhyme, or a myth like the Sandman. In the last decade though, bedbugs have resurfaced from legend. Silk is a natural, antibacterial, breathable fibre that prevents dust mites and other acarids.
I feel that sleeping nude in a super comfy bed is simple yet a luxury.
What do you wear to bed? Do you find people who wear nothing to bed silly, sexy, or sensible?