Will sleeping without clothes really keep you warm in a sleeping bag?

Naturally, many of us will spend the night in a sleeping bag when camping outdoors. And sometimes we also deal with the question of how to actually slip into the sleeping bag - should we stay in approximately the same layers as during the day, should we put on more clothes, or should we take off our clothes and be completely naked? Let's look at this question together.  

Sleeping butt naked will keep you warm. Really?

Some say that when sleeping in a sleeping bag, sleeping butt naked will keep you warmer than sleeping with your clothes on, but is that really the case? By common sense, we could come to the conclusion that if we wear more layers of insulation, we will get warmer than if we wear less layers. Which is true in most cases. But there is another factor – the insulation of the sleeping bag itself.

We wouldn't recommend you to sleep light in the Himalayas

If you crawl into a tight sleeping bag and have too many layers of clothing on you, you may as well compress the insulation. Part of the insulation also comprises a layer of air between your body and the sleeping bag itself. You warm up this layer with your body heat and thanks to it, it gets warmer in the sleeping bag compared to the surrounding air. If you wear all the layers of clothing you bring with you, you may eliminate this air layer and feel colder than with fewer layers of clothing (and in the same sleeping bag).

It is better to wear thermal underwear

Under normal circumstances, it is ideal to sleep in the lower layer of clothing, for example in thermal underwear. The reason is that it is thin enough to maintain an insulating layer of air, and at the same time will also help you generate enough heat.

When sleeping in a tent or in the open, it's more practical to put some clothes on.

It is also true that if you sleep naked, the sleeping bag will absorb your sweat and grease (regardless of whether you showered before bed or not) and therefore you have to wash it more often, which is definitely not good for the sleeping bag. Also, quite subjectively, the artificial fibers of a sleeping bag are not something you want to feel on your skin all night. Therefore, if you don't want to give up sleeping without clothes, we recommend buying a special sleeping bag lining, which you can wash afterwards instead.

Naked sleeping only in emergencies

There is probably only one case when it is better to lie down in a sleeping bag with no clothes on - and that is in an emergency situation, when there are two of you on the road, all your clothes are wet, and one of you is hypothermic and needs to be warmed up quickly and efficiently. Then the "body to body" way is perfectly fine, that is, if you are not too shy in front of each other (although in an emergency situation you will probabely have other troubles on your mind).

Sleeping without clothes is naturally comfortable and gives you a sense of freedom. Regardless of whether you sleep at home in a bed or in the nature in a sleeping bag. Yes, taking off all your clothes after a hard day can make us feel like you can finally breathe. Nevertheless, we would not recommend sleeping without clothes in a sleeping bag.

Be ready for unexpected situations

Having clothes on in a sleeping bag has one more indisputable advantage - if you are dressed, you will be prepared for unexpected situations. When sleeping in an unknown environment, we always need to keep one foot on the road. Danger can lurk anywhere, and although it is unneccessary to look for it behind every tree, it is better to be prepared. Whether you're caught by surprise by a wild animal, an unwelcome human intruder, or "just" the urge to use the bathroom, the necessity to put the clothes on will undoubtedly slow you down.

All it takes is that you need to go wee wee at night and you will need to put your clothes back on.

The bottom line is, that you'll simply be warmer when you sleep in your clothes. In addition, you will save the sleeping bag from your body grease and sweat, so you will not have to wash it as often. And besides, it will prepare you for unexpected situations, which for sure are lurking out there waiting for you.

This is why you should put on thermal underwear, comfortable pajamas or even a tracksuit in your sleeping bag. That is, if you are not currently sleeping in a cottage by a burning fireplace.