Why you shouldn’t sleep naked or masturbate during a heatwave – according to experts

The first proper heat of the year has arrived

This weekend, temperatures hit more than 30C in some areas as the UK recorded its hottest day of 2023 so far.

Heat in the UK is a different breed, as most Brits scramble to find the nearest swimming pool, they are quite possibly dreading bedtime. Sleeping in hot weather can be nasty - but according to the experts, you shouldn't be sleeping naked in an attempt to cool down.

"I've seen a lot of advice about sleeping naked," says Dr Sophie Bostock, a sleep expert at thesleepscientist.com, speaking to Women's Health Magazine. "But this isn't super helpful as what you can actually find is if sweat collects on the body, and isn't whipped away by a moisture-wicking surface - like you get from clothing - then it doesn't help you cool."

She instead suggests purchasing cotton pyjamas or "anything to take the sweat away from your body."

Sleeping in the summer is difficult for a number of reasons, one being that we "rely on a cooling of the body temperature as a stimulus for sleep," adds Bostock.

The same doctor also says that sunny evenings and a later sunset contribute to difficulty sleeping.

Along with helping you keep cool, there's another reason you might want to stick a pair of pants on at night instead of going commando.

According to one sleeping expert from the Shut Eye TikTok account, there can be a pretty grim outcome from sleeping naked.

He explained: "The average person cracks one off 15 to 25 times a day, and this can happen when you're sleeping.

"A scientific study has proven that every time you beep the horn, you spray a tiny amount of faecal material."

There you go then - if you sleep naked you're probably spraying poo particles all over your bed.

So it's hot but why can't I masturbate?

If all this heat has got you hot, bothered and thinking: "Should I masturbate" then firstly - why? Secondly, though experts have warned against it, there doesn't seem to be any drastic side effects. So if you really want to scratch that itch, go right ahead.

Sexpert John Dugan would urge guys to think twice before self-pleasure as "masturbation is heavily dependent on friction."

In a blog post, he explained: "The rubbing of the penis, whether vigorous or more practiced, creates friction of varying degrees, which in turn stimulates the sensitive penile nerves and produces the sensation that makes masturbating so irresistible.

"But friction also produces heat, and on a hot summer night a little extra heat is the last thing a guy needs."

To combat the issue, Dugan recommends "spreading your legs" to keep things cool. Not only that, but he also recommends directing a fan at your crotch to keep the air flowing while also applying cold water or ice to your balls when approaching ejaculation.

If you'd rather not collect supplies for such an ordeal, just have a cold shower afterwards.

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