Do you remember the joy of running around naked when you were a child? Before you learned shamed about your naked body. The opulent feeling of freedom and pure fun that you felt then? The feel of the sun, wind, and water against our bare bodies is so natural and freeing. If you put in the work to rediscover your inner child, it is totally worth it to recapture that innocence no matter what your age, your occupation, or your physical appearance. People who enjoy nude recreation distinguish between nudity and sex and keep the two in their proper perspectives. Nudity is not inherently sexual.
I (author Carly Steif) believe that nudity has the ability to help facilitate better attitudes on body image and sex. Outlawing your natural form in public causes people to be ashamed of their bodies, and in turn, perpetuates the cycle of sexual confusion and shame. People ogling at the naked body does not spur from nudity, but from a puritanical school of thought that demonizes the very essence of what it means to be human.
Body shaming
There are a lot of people in our society who are routinely told by society that their bodies are ugly. In fact, it’s probably a safe guess that most people are told that their bodies are ugly for one reason or another.
A lot of folks are shamed for their body for a variety of reasons. For example, not shaving, having stretch marks, or any number of naturally occurring parts of a human’s body, but society has made it all too easy to forget that. This message is given to overweight people, scarred people, people with stretch marks, disabled people, transgender people, people with extra skin, people who are older or wrinkled. The list goes on and on and is rooted in white supremacy.
So when people are told that their bodies are ugly, they are also told that they should be covered. So the simple act of not doing that, of forcing people to look at your body when society has made it so easy for them to forget that it even exists, is a liberating one.
What are some benefits of nudity?
It can also aid you in getting a better night’s sleep. For the optimum sleeping conditions, your body needs to reach an optimal temperature of around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Losing your pajamas is the easiest way to lower your body temp. When you wear restrictive clothing and underwear they often leave indentations and marks all over our bodies, leading to drying and wrinkling of the skin.
Going naked is great for healthy skin. It helps the elimination of sweat toxins that clothing can reintroduce to the body over and over again. It can also help overall blood circulation because you aren’t wearing tight clothing or underwear. Clothing can cause excessive sweating which may lead to inflammation of the skin follicles, rashes, and breakouts. Going au naturale gives your skin a chance to breathe.
Spending time in the nude is also a great way to get in touch with your body. Most people in today’s society are so disconnected from bodily sensations and this could help. Not having anything int he way of you touching and simply just being mindful in your body is something very powerful. Being in the nude can reduce shame by actively working to be comfortable in your skin without the barrier of clothing.
Additional benefits of being naked in the sun
Being naked in the sun not only boosts your Vitamin D intake and your mood, but it can also improve your circulation and detoxify your skin. Research shows that our bodies are better at absorbing Vitamin D from sunlight than supplements, and while exposing your skin to the sun for too long can have serious consequences, the dose of sunshine you get if you sneak outside for 10-15 minutes will be the best natural mood booster.
Tips for getting started with nudity
First, start in a place that you’re more used to being naked in — the bedroom. Simply delay getting dressed by 5 minutes in the morning. The options are endless on how you choose to be naked, but you have to practice. This sounds obvious, but the more time that you spend being naked, the more natural it starts to feel.
Get naked when no one’s around. And keep on doing it until you’re totally comfortable with being naked. Try to find ways to take care of your body and send it the message that it deserves love and pampering. Maybe that’s getting massages, manicures, or facials or something as simple as putting lotion on. Find a lotion you love and spending an extra few minutes naked really taking the time to put it on every inch of your skin. Appreciate your elbows, ankles, and every other body party you rarely spend time doting on.
More importantly, don’t put yourself down when you’re naked. When people feel self-conscious they tend to criticize or make excuses for their bodies before even taking their clothes off. Please don’t do this! Don’t beat yourself up in front of yourself or others. You don’t have to point out your perceived flaws or make self-deprecating jokes about your body. It’s unnecessary, it’s cruel, and it draws attention to things your partner probably wouldn’t have noticed on their own!
If you catch yourself thinking critical thoughts in the moment, try to talk to yourself like you would to your best friend. You wouldn’t let anyone say anything mean about them, so don’t let yourself be mean to yourself.