According to the 2013 International Bedroom Poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, just 12% of Americans - compared with 30% of people in the UK - sleep in the nude. Here's why we should follow the example of our friends across the pond.

1. Sleep better

The ideal temperature for refreshing sleep is between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit: studies have shown that being even a few degrees too hot when you're trying to nod off messes with that delicate balance. Shedding PJs reduces your risk of overheating.

2. Balance your cortisol

When you've tossed and turned all night, you awake with abnormally high cortisol levels. Elevated cortisol can lead you to overeat, as well as exacerbating feelings of tension and anxiety. High cortisol levels also weaken the immune system and raise blood pressure.

3. Improve your metabolism

Researchers have linked sleeping in a cooler room with improved insulin sensitivity, decreased risk of diabetes, and other metabolic advantages.

4. Prevent yeast infections

Women prone to persistent, reoccurring yeast infections find going commando can help clear them up. Makes sense, given bacterial vaginosis and candida (yeast infection) thrive in moist conditions.

5. Maximize healthy sperm production

According to the Seattle Sperm Bank, it's important to keep your testicles cool while you sleep: in fact, they explicitly recommend donors either don loose-fitting sleepwear, or sleep nude.

6. Have more sex

BREAKING: being naked in bed with your partner means you're more likely to get busy. You don't need science to figure this one out.

7. Feel more confident

Freeing yourself from clothing before wrapping yourself in a blanket can be an exercise in liberation. Let loose, enjoy the sensation of the cool sheets, and feel comfortable with yourself.