Sleeping naked can add 7 years to your life? Truth behind viral longevity claim

Imagine if something as simple and free as sleeping naked could unlock longer life and better health. That is the claim that has been spreading online after US tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson shared a tweet that claimed that women who sleep naked live 7 years longer.

The post that he retweeted read, "Scientists report a simple longevity tip: cooling the body helps trigger deep sleep.

Clothing traps heat, creating a warm pocket that slows sleep. Cooler rooms promote faster, deeper rest. In cool sleep, melatonin rises, aiding sleep cycles and supporting cellular ageing defences."

However, Johnson claimed, "This is a false claim but sleeping naked can have some real benefits, including improved thermoregulation and more efficient nocturnal cooling, which may improve sleep.

Having no clothing while sleeping can also reduce friction, moisture, and irritation, allowing better skin breathability and comfort. When sleeping with a partner, skin-to-skin contact may improve intimacy and emotional connection, increasing oxytocin levels and supporting better sleep and recovery.

There are also sex specific considerations."He added, "In men, keeping the testes cooler is associated with improved sperm and fertility markers, while in women, improved airflow and ventilation may reduce the risk of genital yeast infections.

However, it is important to be clear that no long term epidemiological or clinical studies have ever linked sleeping naked to increased human lifespan. For perspective, even completely curing cancer would only increase average life expectancy by 2–3 years, due to competing causes of death.

Against this backdrop, claims that sleeping naked can extend life by 7 years are clearly exaggerated and not supported by any human evidence." Before you start ditching your PJs permanently, let’s see what science actually says.

Longevity claim of sleeping naked adds years to your life: True or false?

There are validated benefits to optimising sleep and body temperature that can improve sleep quality and related aspects of health but no human epidemiological or clinical research shows that sleeping naked adds years to your life. According to a 2012 study published in Journal of Physiological Anthropology, “Heat exposure increases wakefulness and decreases slow wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep… The thermal environment is a key determinant of sleep because thermoregulation is strongly linked to the mechanism regulating sleep.” This review showed that how the body loses heat (through thermoregulation) influences sleep stages, including deep sleep, the kind that feels most restorative. Sleeping naked can help the body shed heat faster, especially if the bedroom temperature is cool enough but this research does not show that it increases lifespan.

Sleep and body temperature are closely linked. A 2007 study in Sleep journal found, “Lowering the minimum and delaying the nadir of nocturnal core body temperature increases the duration of slow-wave sleep (SWS)… these data offer a suggestion that increasing passive heat loss during sleep has a positive effect upon sleep structure.” This controlled experiment in humans found that changes in body temperature influence how much deep sleep you get. It is a key marker of sleep quality. Deeper sleep is linked with better restoration but it does not equate to living longer.Optimal sleep temperature enhances sleep efficiency, not longevity. A recent 2025 synthesis published in Sleep Foundation/Sleep Medicine established, “Sleeping naked may help regulate body temperature, potentially improving sleep quality by preventing overheating… cooler conditions can support deeper, more restful sleep.” This expert-reviewed summary highlights that sleep quality can improve when overheating is avoided, which sleeping naked might help with for some people. It also notes potential reproductive and intimacy benefits. However, researchers emphasize that there is little direct research on nude sleeping itself, only on related factors like thermoregulation and sleep quality.A few studies in animals and temperature experiments (like rodent models where caloric restriction lowers body temperature and extends life) hint at broad links between temperature and aging, but they don’t apply directly to humans in everyday sleeping conditions. For example, a 2015 review on temperature and lifespan across species noted that while lower ambient temperature often correlates with longer life in some animal models, the effect is far more complex in humans, where genetics and physiology vary widely and simple temperature changes during sleep don’t translate to measurable lifespan increases. On the human side, expert sources like the Cleveland Clinic also clarify there is no proven benefit or harm specifically from sleeping nude and no human evidence linking it to increased lifespan.

So is the claim true or false?

False. There is no scientific evidence, epidemiological or clinical, that sleeping naked extends life expectancy by any number of years in humans. What is true from research:

Sleeping naked may help some people stay cooler and more comfortable but any benefits are likely indirect (via sleep quality), not a direct extension of lifespan.

Practical takeaways

Sleeping in a cool environment (ideal ~60–67°F / 15–19°C) is good for sleep quality. There is no evidence that sleeping naked adds years to your life. Better sleep is achieved through temperature control and sleep hygiene and it may support overall health, which indirectly affects longevity.Note: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new medication or treatment and before changing your diet or supplement regimen.