How to Love Being Naked

Co-authored by Kamila Tan

Last Updated: March 22, 2023 References

Loving being naked can be difficult, especially if you do not like your body or if you have low self-confidence. You can change the way you feel about being naked by improving your body image and taking good care of yourself. Things like spending more time naked, reframing negative thoughts, and spending time with supportive people can bring you closer to your goal of loving being naked.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Changing Your Outlook

1
Identify reasons why you want to love being naked. In order to motivate yourself to change the way that you feel when you are naked, identify some of the reasons why you want to feel good naked. Write these reasons down so that you can review them and decide if they are about you or about someone else. If your reasons are about you, then you have a healthy motivation for improving your body image. If they are about someone else, then you may not have a healthy reason for changing your body image and you may need to see a therapist for help.
- For example, reasons that are about you might be something like, “I want to feel good naked so that I will feel less self-conscious when I am with my partner.” Or, "I want to love being naked so that I can visit a nude beach when I go on vacation this summer."
- Reasons that are about someone else might sound something like, "I want to love being naked so that my partner will like my body more." Or, "I want to feel good naked so that people will not be grossed out by me when I visit a nude beach."
2
Spend more time naked. One of the best ways to start feeling more comfortable being naked is to spend more time in the nude. You can expose yourself to being naked and the more you do it, the more comfortable you should become. Make sure that you stay relaxed while you spend time naked. Try deep breathing or even do a bit of naked yoga to stay relaxed while you are naked.^{[1]
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- Try walking around your house (or bedroom) naked for a little while each day. If you have your own pool (where no one can see you), go skinny dipping!
3
Compliment your own naked body. Identifying your favorite features may help you to feel better when you are naked. Look in the mirror while you are naked and try to identify your favorite parts of your body. As you notice the parts of your body that you like, tell yourself out loud. Repeat this process every day and you should begin to notice more of your good features and feel better while naked.
- For example, you might say to yourself, “I really like the shape of my calves.” Or, “I have a great butt.”
- We tend to pick ourselves apart when we see ourselves naked, focusing on all the areas we’re insecure about. Try shifting that thought process to gratitude. Be grateful for all the amazing things your body does for you! For instance, if you’re a mother, your body has birthed a child. If you’re an athlete, it’s sustained you in competition and healed from injury and duress.
4
Remind yourself that your body is unique. There are so many different types of bodies in the world, so it is important to remember that you have a unique, beautiful body. Try to focus on how different other bodies are to see that there is a lot of variation in body types.
- Pay attention to how other people’s bodies look when you go to a mall or, better yet, a public pool. Note the different shapes, sizes, colors, and other features of people’s bodies. Just be careful not to stare or you may get into trouble.
5
Show compassion for yourself. Being compassionate towards yourself can improve your self-image and help you to feel better about yourself while you are naked. Self-compassion means being kind to yourself, even if you don’t feel deserving of kindness.^{[2]
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Research source} This kindness can come in the form of kind thoughts, kind behaviors, or kind words. If you find yourself thinking unkind things to yourself, ask yourself the following questions to determine if you are having an unkind thought:
- Does this thought make me feel good?
- Would I say this thought to a friend or loved one?
- Does this thought encourage me?
6
Turn your negative thoughts into positive ones. If you have a hard time feeling good when you are naked, you may be falling victim to your own negative thoughts. Changing the way that you speak to yourself can also help you to feel better when you are naked. The next time you have a negative thought about your naked body, stop yourself and turn the negative thought into a positive one.
- For example, imagine you have a negative thought like, “I look like a pig.” You can turn this thought around by changing it to something like, “I may not be the thinnest person, but I have a lot of great features and I love how unique my body is.”
7
Repeat a mantra. Repeating a mantra can help to calm you down when you are feeling anxious and it can also help you to silence your inner critic. Your mantra can be anything, but you will get the most benefit if your mantra sends a positive message to you.^{[3]
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- Try something like, “I love myself and I deserve to love being naked.”

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Caring for Yourself

1
Exercise. By exercising on a regular basis, you can improve your health and feel better when you are naked since some research has indicated that regular exercise can lead to a better body image.^{[4]
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Research source} Find some type of exercise that you enjoy and do it often. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day.
- Try walking, swimming, dancing, biking, running, or get into a sport!
2
Eat healthy food. Foods that are bad for you can harm your body and your mind. Some research has shown that high fat and simple carbohydrates (like processed flour sugar, etc.) can have a negative effect on your mood.^{[5]
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Research source} This negative effect may make it hard for you to enjoy being naked.
- Choose foods that will nourish your body instead, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
3
Get plenty of rest. Sleep deprivation can affect the way that your body performs as well as how you feel.^{[6]
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Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} If you constantly feel run down and sad, you may have an even harder time of feeling good while you are naked. Make sure that you are getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night to feel your best as you try to feel better naked.^{[7]
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- Try sleeping naked. Sleeping naked has multiple benefits including better sleep, a reduction in stress hormones, and improved intimacy with your partner.^{[8]
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4
Wear nice clothes to feel better when you take them off. What you wear can affect the way that you feel naked, so choose clothes that make you look and feel amazing. Choose clothes that fit your body well and that you are comfortable wearing. If you haven’t bought yourself any new clothes in a while, treat yourself to a new outfit. Getting yourself something new to wear will remind you that you are worthy of nice things, which may improve the way you feel about yourself when you take your clothes off.^{[9]
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- If your fears about being naked are related to being intimate with your partner, try getting some sexy underwear. Wearing some lingerie or silk boxers may help you to feel more confident as you strip down.
5
Make time for relaxation. If you are stressed, it could be affecting your self-esteem by leading to self-blame, self-doubt, or becoming anxious^{[10]
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Research source}. Relaxation is necessary for your overall well-being and it may also help you to feel better naked.Make sure that you set aside at least 15 minutes per day to just sit and relax. You can meditate, do some deep breathing exercises, or just lay around.
- Try taking a long bubble bath to relax. This will combine a relaxing activity with being naked, which may help to promote more positive feelings about being naked.
6
Pamper yourself. Another way that you can build more positive feelings about being naked is to do things to pamper your naked body. People who have a poor body image or low self-esteem tend to avoid pampering activities, but pampering can improve your feelings about yourself and your body.^{[11]
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- If you have been avoiding pampering yourself, visit a spa and get a massage, body mask, or some other enjoyable body treatment that requires you to be naked.
7
Spend time with people who love you. Consider the people that you spend your time with and how they make you feel. If you have a lot of negative or judgmental people in your life, that could be contributing to your dislike of being naked. It is especially important that the person who you are intimate with are accepting of your naked body.^{[12]
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- If your significant other does not appreciate your body, that may have something to do with why you don’t enjoy being naked. Consider moving on if the person you are with does not appreciate you for who you are, as you are.
8
Consider talking to a therapist. While you can do several things to feel good about being naked on your own, you may need to talk to a therapist if your body image problems are severe or if it is causing problems in your relationship. If you are having trouble functioning on a daily basis or if you have other problems, such as an eating disorder, you should seek help from a mental health professional as soon as possible.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do I become more comfortable naked?

Kamila Tan
Life and Recovery Coach
Kamila Tan is a Recovery Coach, former Division I Collegiate Athlete, Inspirational Speaker, and Mental Health Advocate. She is the Founder of Embracing Strength LLC, a coaching business with the mission to provide support for athletes recovering from disordered eating and body image issues and provide support for their families. Kamila informs her work helping athletes pursue recovery with her experience playing beach volleyball as a Division I NCAA collegiate athlete. Kamila holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master of Public Health from the University of California at Los Angeles, and is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California.

Kamila Tan

Life and Recovery Coach

Expert Answer

It sounds simple, but give your body a hug and remember all of the things it's done for you. For example, if you're a traveler, your legs have carried you far and allowed you to experience many things.

Warnings

Please be aware that being naked may not be acceptable in some places (work, school etc.)

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Check the laws of your state/country/providence. They may not allow nudism in certain places, and it can be punishable by law!

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