When You Work Out Naked, This Is What Happens To Your Body

If you work out regularly, you understand the benefits of exercise on the body and mind. Engaging in regular exercise can make you stronger, faster, and more toned. It can even boost dopamine levels — the neurotransmitter that influences your mood and feelings (via Healthline). But are there any benefits to working out naked? 

As it turns out, exercising in the nude might be better for you than you think. While working out naked won't help you lose more weight or build more muscle than it does when you're fully clothed, exercising naked is associated with many important benefits that can help improve your emotional health. According to Ashlee Van Buskirk, personal trainer and founder of Whole Intent, working out naked can make you feel more comfortable in your natural state. "Nude workouts allow you to examine your body and come face-to-face with yourself, exactly how you are," Van Buskirk told Healthline.

Benefits of working out naked

Working out naked can improve your self-confidence and foster feelings of self-love and body positivity. Although it might feel strange at first, exercising in the nude can help you overcome your insecurities (via Greatist). According to a 2017 research review published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, spending more time with your clothes off can make you happier and increase your self-esteem. It can also help you accept your own body and the bodies of those around you. 

Another small study conducted by the Journal of Sex Research found that working out naked in a group can help normalize other body types and help rid you of the notion that there is such a thing as a "perfect" body. It may also help reduce social physique anxiety, defined as feelings of distress associated with the perceived evaluation of one's physical appearance. Furthermore, working out in the nude can make it easier to correct your form. Wearing clothes, especially baggy clothes, can hide your figure and make it more challenging to determine if your form needs to be corrected when engaging in exercise or physical activity. However, working out naked gives you a clear view of your body, making it easier to see your progress and alignment.