Some women like to sleep naked. Some women like to sleep in a T-shirt or sweats. Some women like to sleep in a nightgown or pajamas, while others like to sleep in a bra and underwear. If you like to sleep in a bra, there’s a good chance you’ve heard that “it’s not healthy to sleep in a bra” at night because it will cause sagging, it will stunt breast growth, or it will cause cancer – all rumors by the way.
John Hopkins Medicine says there is nothing wrong with someone wearing a bra while they sleep if that’s what they’re comfortable with. When a girl’s breasts are very sore and growing, some doctors even recommend they wear a bra for pain relief.
Busting the Myths About Sleeping in Bras
“You've probably heard all sorts of rumors, both positive and negative, about wearing a bra at night. But the truth is, there's no scientific basis to any of them. Sleeping in a bra will not make a girl's breasts perkier or prevent them from getting saggy. And it will not cause a girl to develop cancer or stunt her breast growth. (It's also not true that underwire bras cause breast cancer.),” according to John Hopkins Medicine.
If you want to wear a bra to bed, please understand that not all bras are created equal when it comes to sleeping. Our advice is to choose a lightweight bra that does not have an underwire. Beware of choosing a bra that’s too tight or that digs into you as this could cause pain and irritation, and interfere with your sleeping.
Comfort should always be your priority when it comes to wearing bras day or night. It’s best to avoid wearing bras that are too tight or that don’t fit you properly. It helps to make sure you take your time trying on bras at a specialty store or department store before you buy them.
Bras After Breast Augmentation
After a breast augmentation, we advise patients not to wear a regular underwire bra for at least six weeks after surgery. Instead, we ask them to wear soft, loose sports bras until the implants have shifted and settled into their pockets. When a woman wears an underwire bra immediately following surgery, it interferes with the breast implant’s settling and it can end up looking to high on the chest, causing them to look and feel less natural.
Recommended reading: “When Can I Wear a Bra After Breast Augmentation?”