Should You Wear a Bra to Bed?

You usually put on a bra as soon as you wake up in the morning and take it off right before you go to sleep. Now you're wondering if you should wear a bra while you sleep to prevent sagging, but you're also concerned it might cause other health issues. What's true and what's false when it comes to wearing a bra to bed? Here are answers to the top four FAQs about sleeping in a bra.

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Will wearing a bra to bed keep your breasts from sagging?

There's a common myth that wearing a bra regularly can help prevent your breasts from sagging. However, there's no conclusive evidence that wearing a bra during the day or night will prevent long-term sagging. Whether or not your breasts sag, and how much, depends mostly on your genetics as well as breastfeeding patterns. (Although you should definitely wear a supportive sports bra during exercise to keep your boobs from bouncing around too much.) Your breasts don't even sag that much when you sleep, anyway - your entire body experiences less of gravity's force when you're lying horizontal, thus mitigating the need to wear a bra and make the girls appear lifted. When you're standing up and experiencing gravity's full effects, bras will make your breasts appear more lifted beneath your clothing, which is one reason why many people like to wear them during the day. However, if you've mostly been wearing bras at night to prevent sagging, you can skip it and let the girls go free.

Is wearing a bra to bed bad for your health?

There's also a lot of myths out there that bras are bad for your health and can cause cancer or stunt your breast growth. This isn't true at all, so you can lay those worries to rest (pun intended). However, wearing the wrong type of bra during the day or night can cause skin irritations of various kinds. For example, if your bra doesn't fit well, the band might chafe or the underwire might poke you. This is why it's essential to measure yourself and choose the correct bra size. If you frequently re-wear bras, the fabric can trap sweat, dirt and bacteria, which can lead to acne breakouts, rashes and other skin conditions. Whether you wear your bras during the day or to sleep, you should wash them regularly to prevent them from irritating your skin.

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Should you wear a bra to bed?

When it comes to wearing a bra to bed, it's really all about your comfort. Some people-especially those with larger breasts-find that wearing some light support helps them sleep better. If you sweat a lot when you sleep, especially under your boobs, wearing a bra can help absorb some of that moisture and help keep you cool and dry. Speaking of sweating during your sleep, if you do sweat a lot during the night, you'll need to wash your sleep bras more often. If you shower in the morning, and therefore get into bed with the grime of the day on you, you'll also need to wash your sleep bras (as well as your sheets and pajamas) more frequently than you would otherwise.

What type of bra should I wear to sleep?

If you do decide that you'd be more comfortable wearing a bra to sleep, you'll need to choose the right bra to wear to bed. You don't want anything tight or constricting, so leave the underwire for daytime wear. This also goes for wireless bras that have a high level of compression, such as sports bras. Instead, look for wireless, breathable bras that don't fit too tight. Many people prefer to sleep in bras that are seamless, tagless, wireless and sometimes clasp-less as well. The band should be small enough to stay in place but loose enough that it won't dig into your ribs. You should be able to slip two fingers underneath the band without too much difficulty. Look for breathable fabrics that won't trap sweat or cause you to overheat. Basically, sleeping in a bra should make you more comfortable, not less. If wearing a certain type of bra makes you uncomfortable or keeps you up at night, try a different type of bra, or even go back to sleeping braless. It's really all about you and what works best for your breasts!

If you're looking for comfortable bras, including some you can sleep in, consider our collections of t-shirt bras and wireless bras. We offer band sizes up to 42 and cup sizes up to DD and a wide selection of bras to fit bodies of all shapes and sizes.