better sleeping when camping - sleep naked or not?

see also:

• bushwalking in Australia
• the problem with cold air whilst camping
• keeping warm when camping or hiking
• tips for better sleeping when camping
• camp ground etiquette
• chill out and de-stress by car camping comfortably
• how to sleep comfortably and healthier at 7deg C without a sleeping bag

• the hiking world is divided on whether it is best to sleep naked or not when camping
• exposed skin on a healthy resting adult person becomes too cool and uncomfortable when air chill temperatures drop below 19-20degC (most comfort for a resting person is 22-24degC), and you are likely to start shivering if chill temperature drops below 15degC
• one can sleep semi-naked or naked under a light quilt comfortably (such as a Sea to Summit Ember II - rated to “2degC” with clothes on) down to around 12-13degC, but at lower temperatures need either:
  • something to keep your head and feet warm (eg. socks and a thin beanie or similar)
  • heating to keep a small sealed tent warm, or,
  • an additional thermal sleeping bag liner, or,
  • a warmer quilt/sleeping bag, or,
  • start layering up with clothes
• on hot nights, it can be difficult to sleep unless you can cool down, suggestions include:
  • minimal or no clothing
  • getting off the ground by using a stretcher which allows air flow underneath
  • as much ventilation as possible - the more mesh instead of fabric for your shelter the better (No-See-Um mesh is smaller weave and will reduce air flows so you will need to way up whether you need this or not)
  • consider a camp fan
  • consider sleeping under a wet sarong or similar

• don't need to carry extra weight of night clothes when hiking
• don't need to sleep in dirty or wet hiking clothes that really need some airing
• reduced skin pressure points from clothing creases and joins when lying on a firm “bed”
• reduced risk of prickly heat rash from your body overheating in a sleeping bag
• mental health self-care - a good night sleep is more important than worrying about PJs or no PJs
• reduced sweatiness and resultant cold or fungal skin infections from overheating in a sleeping bag
• more options for temperature control giving more comfortable sleep as long as you don't get too cold and shiver - you may need to layer up as the temperature drops overnight
• breathe easier: your 100W body heat output can be used to warm the air inside the tent by 5degC if ventilation is kept low and if not sleeping inside a sleeping bag or under a blanket
  • instead of all that heat being trapped in your sleeping bag giving you a hot body but very cold airways (you will need to lie on a thermal heated cushion if temperatures fall below 15degC otherwise you will shiver)
    • see keeping warm when camping or hiking and the problem with cold air whilst camping
  • you can feel a bull ant crawling on you far earlier and you can take more gentle and guided actions to remove it without blindly getting it aggressive and stinging you
• live longer - improved body metabolism, insulin sensitivity, cold acclimatisation and improved levels of brown fat stores
  • excursions to ambient conditions below the thermo-neutral zone (TNZ) (ie. for a resting naked body, below ambient temperatures of 21-26degC depending upon level of cold acclimitisation) can increase energy expenditure and improve glucose metabolism, and subsequently may reduce susceptibility to obesity and Diabetes type 2 ¹⁾
  • sleeping cool at 16-19°C not only helps you get off to sleep but doing it over a few nights increases the amount of beneficial brown fat stores rich in mitochondria and ability to burn fat and reduce overall obesity (if you don't over-eat to compensate) while providing improved cold tolerance - a win-win outcome ²⁾
  • exposing people to 6 hours of 15°C for 10 days significantly increased energy expenditure and was also associated with a 37% increase in brown fat
  • of course, exposure to very cold air below minus 15degC will risk frostbite and hypothermia so they need to be covered in freezing conditions

• your skin oils will build up on your quilt or sleeping bag
  • so you really should be using a sleeping bag liner or a sheet to minimise this
• you may still need to layer up if conditions get cold eg. ambient temperatures fall below 12-18degC
  • alternatively, a 12V thermal cushion or electric blanket under you and a quilt on top with warm socks will generally allow minimal layering for temperatures down to around 5degC as a thermal cushion plus a naked body in a thermally closed tent without ventilation will allow air temperatures to be 5-9degC warmer than outside temperatures