The next time you feel a bit disconnected, try something counterintuitive: rather than 'protecting' yourself with more clothing, perhaps take some off and allow your body to breathe. Notice the subtle shifts in temperature, muscle flow, and skin pressure as you shed your clothing, allowing some sunlight where it hasn’t before.

How long has it been since you enjoyed being nude? What was it that felt so good? Perhaps it was the sensation of a cool breeze ruffling your legs, or the warmth of the sun on your rear end. Or maybe you loved the feeling of lusciously cool water flowing over your entire body…

Many gay men experience shame and poor body image as barriers to being nude, particularly in public places or around other people. However, there are some great reasons why getting naked and enjoying the skin you're in can improve your mood.

Being naked and being sexual are not the same thing.

Perhaps you can recall a time as a child when you ran around naked— and the pure pleasure of that liberation. Our society has turned nudity into a sexual thing. Many of us don’t feel entirely at ease being naked anywhere outside the bedroom (or even within the bedroom!) because there is often a lot of shame associated with sex.

Being nude with others in a non-sexual context is a great leveler, and it can boost self-esteem because everybody's body is so radically different. It is important to be able to enjoy your body for what it is, not what it represents, by separating being naked from being sexual.

Wear less and you will feel more wonderful.

There are millions of touch receptors on your skin, all linked directly to your brain. These receptors receive sensation (everything from touch to temperature) and send a signal to your brain. Nerve endings, however, respond best to a variety of sensations. Your brain gets bored easily, and if the same nerve receptors get stimulated in the same way for too long, the sensation you feel from them will begin to fade.

When you put on a pair of jeans, you initially notice the rubbing against your skin, but soon your nerve endings are overstimulated and stop firing, and you forget you are even wearing them. Wearing a lot of clothing has the effect of numbing all the sensory receptors your clothes come into contact with eventually.

This is important because…

Having skin-to-skin contact can make you feel secure.

Despite having this amazing capacity for experiencing sensation through touch and the millions of nerve endings for feeling sensations, most of us have become disconnected from it to a greater or lesser extent. It is because of several factors— cultural or social conditioning, shame, or trauma among them— that many gay and queer individuals suppress their feelings and shun touch. We downplay sensation and shun touch because it can feel safer.

Your nervous system can be regulated by the chemicals released through skin-to-skin contact. Oxytocin is released in just 30 seconds, and this makes you feel really good - so good that it's known as the 'love' hormone, and is connected with bonding and feelings of belonging.

Being exposed to sunlight directly through clothes doesn't give the same sensation, so if you want a boost of feel-good hormones, be less clothed. Letting your skin breathe is important.

There are other ways to feel good besides getting naked, but instead of wearing more clothing the next time you feel disconnected, give your body a chance to breathe by taking some off.