Why do sick people wear pyjamas?

I work in a hospital so sick people wearing pyjamas is genuinely par for the course. They wear pyjamas all the time, go anywhere in them, outside, inside, Starbucks, the lot. It's never really made me think about why, until this morning.

I needed a shower this morning. I don't believe in showering every day (your skin makes natural oils for a very good reason) so I dragged myself up to the bathroom. When I'm 'not at my best', personal care is like climbing a big pointless hill for me. The prospect of putting make up on is, well, frankly hideous. I have to force myself to brush my teeth. Like, really force.

So I dragged my sorry backside in the shower, feeling like I'd achieved something. Normally, I could spend hours in the shower. I love it. Hate baths, adore showers. Then the terrible realisation hits home. Being in the shower gives birth to the terrible reality that I'm going to have to a) get dried, and worst of all, b) get dressed.

I have no interest in putting clothes on currently. They are purely functional items, to stop me getting arrested and/or cold. At this moment in time, selecting five or six individual items to put on my person, is a terribly overwhelming task. If you don't suffer in this way, you may not understand this, but it genuinely is, a terrible prospect. So that's where the pyjamas come in. Warm, decent, comfortable, easy to launder and zero effort involved whatsoever.

I've often thought that pyjama wearing is to do with comfort in hospital or sick beds, but there are lots of items that are just as comfortable. I thought maybe because they are easy to manouvre for proceedures etc, I think that's certainly a factor.

But I think getting dressed is more of a statement. It says - 'I feel okay', 'I am ready to participate in the world', 'I have a sufficient amount of respect for myself and I posess the energy and intention to make an effort and move forward in the world'. Pyjama wearing says 'I have bigger fish to fry than what items to put on' and to a degree I think it says 'I'm healing' or 'I'm not feeling great - putting clothes on is not something I just can do today'

Today is very much a pyjama day. And I still haven't brushed my teeth,