Breaking nudes! Going naked makes you feel happier, scientist discovers

Got the January blues? Try taking off all your clothes. At least that’s what one scientist suggests after discovering that humans feel more content when completely naked.

Naturists are happier than most people and feel more secure in their bodies, a study by Dr. Keon West of Goldsmiths University in London has found.

When the psychologist conducted further research, he discovered that people report feeling happier after baring it all than they did when clothed.

“A lot of research has shown people don’t like their bodies, and that this is fairly independent of what their bodies actually look like,” said West, as quoted by the Times.

“Most people think they are too fat or too skinny, and it is a very serious problem that makes a lot of people unhappy,” he explained.

People who engage in nudist activities – such as topless sunbathing, naked bike riding, and visiting nudist colonies – seem to avoid this problem.

“What we found was a very good correlation. Generally, if you did these activities, the longer you did them and the more frequently you did them, the happier you were,” West said.

Discontent with body image can lead to more serious mental health conditions, such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), which up to 20 percent of people who undergo cosmetic surgery could be suffering from, according research cited by the Guardian.

West’s study has discovered that the simple act of taking off one’s clothes could help people overcome negative body images.

In a second test, he psychologically assessed people before and after they took part in a ‘Bare all for Polar Bears’ event in Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Participants reported feeling happier afterwards.

Now the psychology lecturer wants to find out exactly what causes this positive boost in mood and pinpoint whether it is the act of seeing lots of other people naked or the experience of being seen nude by others that lifts people’s spirits.

Regardless of what he finds out, West advocates going nude as an affordable way to overcome negative feelings about one’s body.

“Lots of people will say: ‘Fine, I still won’t do it’. But it’s a widely available and very, very cheap way of fighting body image dissatisfaction. Everyone can take their clothes off, that’s pretty easy,” he noted.