Women are so self-conscious about their bodies that over a third avoid being naked in front of their partners, according to new research.

Ladies are three times more likely to use cover-up tactics than men - with one in 10 women opting to change with the lights off.

And the problem only worsens when it comes to having a wash - almost a quarter (22 per cent) of females never enter the bathroom with their other half.

The survey of 3,500 men and women, by the revolutionary bathroom aid www.shuc.com, revealed that out of the 60 per cent of females who do go into the bathroom with their partner, a third said they felt self-conscious about being seen in the nude.

One in 10 women are so body shy they will even lock the bathroom door to avoid their partner bursting in on them.

And inhibitions only get worse with age - a staggering 68 per cent of females admitted they felt more reluctant to be seen bare-skinned due to their bodies not being as trim as they were in their youth.

Yet men don't seem to share women's worries - guys spend almost double the amount of time being naked in an average day than women.

And blokes are so fond of being in the buff - over two thirds (73 per cent) said they regularly walk around the house in their birthday suits.

Even though 46 per cent of women confessed they also liked to do the same - a third of these said they would never wander without a stitch on in eye-shot of their lover.

But it's not just their partners women are body-shy in front of.

A whopping 79 per cent of female gym-goers admitted they had hang-ups showering and changing in front of other members - compared to only 50 per cent of men.

Despite this, 43 per cent of men and women agreed they felt at one with themselves when they were bare-skinned.

And despite the survey proving how body-shy the nation has become - 90 per cent of Brits said it was important for couples to feel comfortable being naked together.

Jill Parkinson, from www.shuc.com, said: ''It's shocking how self-conscious people are about being naked in front of their partners - especially when it comes to the bathroom.

''This survey has revealed just how seriously people think about their body image - yet being bare-skinned is such a natural thing.

''Sharing time in the bathroom with your partner is a fundamental part of this - couples should enjoy bathing and showering together.''

Source: www.onepoll.com

Sample size: 3,500 adults