Can wearing a bra to bed be harmful? Yes – don’t do it, at least not with your usual bra.
Is it actually good to sleep in a bra? Or is it bad for your health?
It is sometimes claimed that it can help prevent sagging breasts later in life.
But is this true? And can there be any negative consequences?
Table of Contents
- 1 Can wearing a bra to bed be harmful? Introduction
- 2 Can wearing a bra to bed be harmful and why?
- 2.1 Disadvantages and risks of sleeping with a bra
- 2.2 Sleeping with a bra impedes blood circulation
- 2.3 It leads to restlessness while sleeping
- 2.4 Sleeping with a bra on leads to skin irritation
- 2.5 It leads to hyperpigmentation of the skin
- 2.6 Sleeping with a bra can lead to fungal infection of your breasts
- 2.7 It can cause chronic inflammation of the breasts
- 3 Can wearing a bra to bed be harmful? Is a special sleep bra a good idea?
- 4 Can wearing a bra to bed be harmful? Conclusion
Can wearing a bra to bed be harmful? Introduction
Wearing a bra while sleeping can do more harm than good to your breasts.
It does not prevent your breasts from sagging as claimed and in fact causes many negative effects on your health.
Can wearing a bra to bed be harmful and why?
Disadvantages and risks of sleeping with a bra
Sleeping with a bra on: how does it affect your body?
Although you may think that it is not harmful to sleep with a bra, it can cause many health problems.
You can read more about the disadvantages and health problems of sleeping with a standard bra below:
Sleeping with a bra impedes blood circulation
A negative health effect of wearing a bra while sleeping is that it can impede your circulation.
This is especially true if the bra you are wearing has an integrated underwire.
During sleep, the bra’s underwire is pressed tightly against your skin and the chest muscles (muscles of the chest wall) are constricted.
This restricts blood flow to the nerves in your arms and other parts of the body.
In addition, wearing a bra with tight compression such as a sports bra can damage your breast tissue.
Wearing it constantly restricts blood circulation to the breast tissue.
Did you know that poor blood circulation can lead to dizziness and cramps.
It leads to restlessness while sleeping
Just as wearing very tight clothing while sleeping can cause restlessness and discomfort, a bra can also cause irritation and restlessness.
In other words, sleeping with a bra can result in disturbed sleep.
Even a very small constriction caused by a bra can reduce sleep quality.
In short, it is absolutely not a good idea to sleep with a bra because it can affect your sleep (and your mood the day after).
Sleeping with a bra on leads to skin irritation
One of the other health effects of wearing a bra while sleeping is that it can cause skin irritation.
The hooks and straps of the bra can rub against your skin, causing skin irritation and sores.
These skin lesions can turn into cysts if you wear the bra for a long time, especially if the bra you wear has an integrated underwire.
While wearing a bra at night, you won’t notice anything.
It is not until the next day that you will notice this irritation. So don’t think you’re off the hook.
It leads to hyperpigmentation of the skin
Hyperpigmentation is the discoloration of skin or an uneven complexion or the appearance of dark spots on your skin.
The cause of hyperpigmentation is increased melanin pigmentation on a certain part of your skin.
Melanin pigment is produced by a type of skin cells called melanocytes.
This pigment determines the color of your skin and is present in the outer layer of the skin.
While sleeping, wearing a bra at night can cause friction, irritation and damage where the bra rubs against your skin.
This can stimulate melanocytes to produce more melanin pigment in that part of the skin, which then results in hyperpigmentation.
Sleeping with a bra can lead to fungal infection of your breasts
Sleeping with a bra can lead to a fungal infection of your breasts.
The warm and moist environment made by a bra is an ideal breeding ground for mold.
In addition, most women wear a bra every day, making them more susceptible to develop an infection.
So avoid wearing a bra while sleeping, especially if you live in a hot and humid climate.
It can cause chronic inflammation of the breasts
Wearing a bra at night while sleeping has a negative effect on the lymphatic system.
Blood flow and lymphatic drainage can be impeded, resulting in fluid retention and possibly even chronic inflammation.
The lymphatic system works with the help of the lymph nodes in the armpits which remove toxins from the chest area.
So impaired lymphatic drainage inhibits the excretion of toxins from the body.
It can cause edema, discomfort and chronic inflammation of the breasts.
Can wearing a bra to bed be harmful? Is a special sleep bra a good idea?
Although there are many disadvantages to wearing a bra in bed, many women feel more comfortable in doing so.
Nowadays, there are many types of sleep bras to choose from.
These take into account the problems we just discussed. So with these bras, it is indeed possible to sleep healthier.
When choosing a sleep bra, look for one that is made of soft material, has wide and soft straps and is seamless.
Do not choose a too tight bra or contains parts that may cause skin irritation.
Because it is a good idea to choose a sleep bra with a larger size, have a look at this guide where we compare bras for heavy breasts.
Can wearing a bra to bed be harmful? Conclusion
Is it better to sleep with or without a bra?
It is generally better to sleep without a bra to avoid the negative health effects above.
In addition, there are no benefits to wearing a bra at night as is sometimes falsely claimed.
It doesn’t make your breasts more beautiful, nor does it prevent them from sagging.
However, if you find sleeping without a bra is uncomfortable, choose a special sleep bra that is seamless, soft and comfortable and also has soft and wide straps without buttons or hooks.
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