Take It All Off: How To Get Started With Nudism

Because clothes disintegrate pretty quickly, determining when humans first started wearing them has been rather a challenge. It was a study to find out when clothing lice began to develop as species distinct from human head lice that finally led to an answer — humans, this bit of research revealed, must have been clothing themselves for around 170,000 years.

The move towards wearing clothes was revolutionary; it was probably what enabled people to migrate out of Africa into colder climates.

Over time, clothes started saying a lot about people, from their gender to their age and social status, and nudity became frowned upon in many parts of the world. Being naked in public became taboo, associated with sex, and very often even illegal in most places. Nudists, people who prefer to wear their "birthday suits" more often, aren't just relegated to "special areas" such as nudist beaches and camps, but are also generally seen as, well, a little bit weird.

Have you been thinking about liberating yourself from the confines of clothing more often? If you are new to nudism, your own home is a great place to start. Getting naked on a regular basis has quite a few benefits that may just make you want to try it out even if you weren't previously inclined to take your clothes off at home.

Giving Nudism A Chance: Reasons To Get Naked

Being naked promotes skin health; Not only does it better enable the elimination of sweat toxins from the body, which might be reintroduced if you're wearing clothes, it also promotes better blood circulation. We've all dealt with very restrictive underwear, skinny jeans, belts, or shirts — and you probably remember times when clothing left red marks or even skin rashes on your body. Going nude helps combat some of the negative effects this restrictive clothing has, and in addition goes some way towards preventing infections that could more easily fester when we're clothed.

Great skin is a good reason to dump your clothes more often, but there's more. One study even found that being naked could benefit the brain and lower your risk of Alzheimer's. This is because bare feet stimulate neuron formation.

READ 6 Alternative Treatments for Alzheimer's Disease

Finally, nudism makes it easier for you to get the vitamin D you need straight from the sun. As glass blocks the rays that cause vitamin D production, you do need to get outside to reap these benefits. Sleeping naked, which means in colder temperatures unless you overdo it with the blankets or heating, has also been shown to increase your levels of brown fat, which makes for a faster metabolism and so may encourage weight loss.

The benefits of nudism go beyond physical health, though: you also benefit emotionally. Being naked on a regular basis increases body positivity and can make you feel more relaxed and natural.

How To Get Started With Nudism: A Noobs' Guide

Let's face it: being naked, despite being natural, can feel rather awkward at first. Are you hoping to go nude at home, but you aren't quite sure how to pull it off (excuse the pun) because you are simply not used to it? Here are some much-needed tips for you:

• Start by sleeping naked. Nope, not in your underwear but completely naked. If you're a woman, not wearing a bra at night reduces your risk of hyperpigmentation and fungal infections. It can also prevent vaginal infections. If you are a man, sleeping naked will improve semen health.

• Once you are used to sleeping naked, try just not getting dressed after having showers or baths.
• As time goes on, you will get used to being naked more often, and become more comfortable with your body and the fact that nudity is not always sexual by any means. You may want to start taking your clothes off as soon as you get home from work, or just not get dressed at all on days off.
• When you have that down pat? Well, you may like to try a nudist camp or nudist swimming. Being around all kinds of naked bodies in a completely normal way can be even more exhilarating than being naked at home alone. It really reinforces the idea that we're all the same, while also all being different.
• Don't cook while naked as your risk of burns goes up.
• You may want to make sure your neighbors or unsuspecting passers-by can't see you through the windows, because it might make them uncomfortable and they could even call the police.

If you are living with a partner, discussing your plans to see how they feel about the idea and allowing them to get used to it is a god idea. They may want to join in, or they may prefer to be covered up. Being naked when your partner is also naked can help you transition into nudism more easily, however.

READ Effective Ways to Talk to Your Kids so They will Listen

Nudism And Children

Nakedness has become such a taboo that many people would consider just running from the bathroom to the bedroom to get dressed after a shower wrong, if not child abuse, if you are a parent. There are, however, no reasons besides social reasons not to be naked as a family. Whether you are new to nudism and wondering where kids fit into the picture, or are already a nudist and your children are starting to object, here are a few thoughts:

• Nudism is only empowering if it doesn't bother anyone around you.
• If your kids just think it's weird to be naked, try having open and honest conversations about your reasons for wanting to dump your clothes and societal reasons for finding it weird, along with listening to their thoughts on the subject.
• If your kids are actively bothered by your nudism, covering up might be the most appropriate response. You could try only wearing loose fitting garments without underwear instead.
• If you don't like the thought of dressing to entertain house guests, they can decide not to come to your house. Your children don't have the same options.
• Asking children to be naked when they don't want to be naked isn't OK.

Having said that, family nudity can absolutely be a very normal and positive experience. If you're all on board with it, that is great!