Yes, Sleeping Naked Could Help Your Anxiety & Sleep Pattern
2020 has made a weary world more restless and anxious than ever before. Pandemic anxiety due to navigating working from home, isolation, loss of wages, and overall survival has impacted the entire world; but with Black people being disproportionately at risk of contracting coronavirus, we are also at risk of higher rates of depression, anxiety, and lack of sleep.
According to a recent report from Express Scripts, the use of anti-insomnia, anti-anxiety, and antidepressant medications have spiked, with filled prescriptions increasing by 21% between February and March 2020. Those numbers peaked during the week of March 15—the same week the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic and the US declared a national emergency in response to the crisis, per the report.
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My sleep schedule has been altered tremendously and I spent many nights in quarantine crying, trying to find movies that fill me with joy before I sleep, rearranging my space, and applying essential oils before bed - none of that worked. I decided that I'd try sleeping naked to give myself an opportunity to feel free, and to literally take the weight of the world off of me as I rested every night.
Going to bed in my birthday suit centered me, it allowed me to face myself, the literal naked truth. It also allowed me to intentionally moisturize and wake up and assess how I felt the night before in ways that I didn't when I'd go to sleep fully clothed.
In case you need a bit more convincing of the naked truth, here are the benefits of sleeping au naturel:
You Sleep Better
A study from the National Institutes of Health found that the temperature of the room where you sleep is one of the most important factors in achieving quality sleep. The ideal bedroom temperature for getting to sleep is 60–67°F (15.6–19.4°C), and sleeping naked is an additional way to keep the body's internal temperature low.
It Can Prevent Vaginal Yeast Infections & Improve Overall Vaginal Health
The vagina is a warm environment, which makes it an ideal place for yeast to grow. Sleeping naked can reduce the risk of vaginal yeast by allowing room for your vagina to breathe.
You Can Develop A Positive Body Image
When you think of how many hours of the day we spend with layers of clothes on, we don't have many moments where we're facing ourselves and learning to love our bodies. For me, sleeping naked doubles as self-care, as you're examining yourself and learning to fall in love with every inch of you.
You’ll Likely Fall Asleep Faster
This 2012 study states that heat exposure increases wakefulness and decreases slow wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep. With your skin cooling off faster, you're more likely to fall asleep, and rest peacefully.
If you're struggling with sleep, consider ditching your nightgown or pajamas and hop in the bed in the nude, and share if it's improved your sleep pattern!
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Dubbed one of the "21 Black Women Wellness Influencers You Should Follow" by Black + Well, Yasmine Jameelah continues to leave her digital footprint across platforms ranging from Forever 21 Plus, Vaseline, and R29 Unbothered discussing all things healing and body positivity. As a journalist, her writing can be found on sites such as Blavity, Blacklove.com, and xoNecole. Jameelah is also known for her work shattering unconventional stigmas surrounding wellness through her various mediums, including her company Transparent Black Girl. Find Yasmine @YasmineJameelah across all platforms.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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ItGirl In Motion: Paige Shari Addison Shows Us Why She's The Hostess With The Mostess
Paige Shari Addison is the epitome of an ItGirl, which is why she is one of 100 ladies on xoNecole's inaugural ItGirl 100 list in partnership with Hyundai. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Paige started her journey as a host in high school by hosting parties. Since then, she has made a career in hosting, from parties to big-name events, and she launched Strictly RNB, a platform for new artists and R&B lovers. Paige reflects on her creative path in the limited video series "ItGirl in Motion."
“My first curated event at Criminal Records was incredible. It was all for up-and-coming artists,” she says. “I needed a platform for us as a collective to be able to give ourselves the platform instead of asking for it, instead of looking for it. I was like, I want to make sure I let people get this experience that I would give as a performer but enjoy the experience with them. It was a dream come true.”
The Atlanta native also has her own line of acai bowls called Soulfull Bowls. She started it during the pandemic after events and parties shut down. But it was her love for eating acai bowls and the reactions others had to them that made her want to make it her next business move. Being open to creating new ventures in the midst of uncertainty is a bold move and one of the reasons why Paige has the “it” factor.
“Being an ItGirl means you’re just authentic. There’s an air to us. We have confidence that exudes from the way we speak, the way we put our lip gloss on, the way we walk, the way we talk. I show up as myself everytime I walk into a room. I’m hospitable, I make sure everybody’s good,” she says.
Get to know more about the hostess with the mostess in the video above.
See our ItGirl 100 list in full here. Click through the gallery below for some BTS moments of Paige and our partnership with Hyundai.
Director: Mikkoh @mikkoh
Production company: @polly___studio
Producer/AD: Samuel Cho @choboi90
Producer/Tech: Paul Nguyen @paul__winn
DP: Cristian Bernal @cristianbernal
Editor: @30inthemorning
2nd Cam: Paul Nguyen
1st AC: AJ Paug @ajpaug Gaffer: Dennis Albert @dennisalbert_
Audio Mixer: Victor Chavez @vic_the__
PA: Rick Carreno @ispeakrick
PA: Tiffany Do @tivani.doee
BTS Photo: Prime @theartofprime
Car Detail: @sud_studs @slugglobal
Creative Director @hellobosco
Team Lead @kevgumbo3000
Project Manager @zakk_jullot
Creative Producer @iamkingsheyla
Designers @miacolemxn @noelspiva
@xoNecole
Director, Integrated Marketing @_vang
Campaign Manager @kingchachiii
Talent Lead @kaylawalker
Feature image by Prime/ @theartof prime