One of our fears with sleeping totally n*ked is that should something terrible happen (touch wood), we can’t think of much worse than a paramedic, police officer or fireman arriving on the scene to find us completely starkers.

Therefore, many of us sleep in pyjamas in winter, and underwear in summer. However it turns out the latter could be doing more harm than good.

According to health professionals, going commando at night is necessary to let your nether regions “breathe” and to avoid infection.

“I often tell my patients to sleep without underwear,” Dr Alyssa Dweck told Shape. “If [the area] is constantly covered – especially by a fabric that’s not moisture-wicking or absorbent – moisture collects, [creating the] perfect breeding ground for bacteria or yeast.”

In spite of this, one study found that only 18 per cent of women go pants-less for bed, the magazine reported.

If you can’t forgo the undies for the night, Dweck recommends wearing a loose-fitting cotton pair.

“If there’s ever a time to break out the granny panties, this would be it,” she said.

The same rationale goes for men, who are just as prone to bacterial infection down there – but there’s also another factor at play for those trying to conceive.

“Your scrotum needs to be just the right temperature in order to optimise sperm production,” urologist Brian Steixner told Men’s Health.

Men who sleep in tight boxers or briefs can compromise the quality of their sperm as their genitals become too warm during the night.

“More bacteria makes for a higher likelihood that any chafed or irritated skin down there becomes infected,”Steixner added.

Fertility aside, there are added benefits to sleeping in the nude too.

“Cooling down will lower your blood pressure, which in turn helps your body activate its ‘rest and digest system’, otherwise known as the parasympathetic nervous system. Cooling down also helps the body release certain hormones and reparative enzymes,” Shawn Stevenson, author of Sleep Smarter, told Mic.

So there you have it – we’ll be breaking out the granny pants (as if we needed an excuse) tonight.