While many people can't wait to get home at the end of the day to take off their bras, others prefer to wear the often-uncomfortable undergarment 24/7. Some people might appreciate the extra support while sleeping and even think it's necessary, but is it bad to wear a bra to bed?
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00:00While many people can't wait to get home at the end of the day to take off their bras,
00:04others prefer to wear the often uncomfortable undergarment 24-7.
00:08Some might appreciate the extra support while sleeping and even think it's necessary.
00:13But is it bad to wear a bra to bed? According to people who know about this sort of thing,
00:17wearing a bra to bed is completely safe. While this is largely a matter of personal preference,
00:23doctors may recommend sleeping in a bra if your breasts are sore.
00:26There is a rumor that wearing bras to bed, or wearing underwire bras, can cause cancer,
00:31but it turns out that's bunk. Underwire might not be the most comfortable sleeping choice,
00:35but that doesn't mean it's a carcinogen. The idea that underwire bras cause cancer
00:40seems to stem from a 1995 book called Dress to Kill. The book claims that
00:45bras restrict the lymph system, leading to a buildup of toxins.
00:49The authors claimed that women who wore underwire bras for 12 or more hours per day
00:53increased their chances of developing breast cancer due to those toxins.
00:57It sounds scary, but there's no actual scientific evidence to back it up.
01:02If that still doesn't reassure you, consider a 2014 study published in the medical journal
01:07Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention. The study examined more than 1,000 post-menopausal
01:13women with breast cancer and nearly 500 post-menopausal women without breast cancer.
01:18After interviewing the women about their bra-wearing habits, the study determined
01:22that there is absolutely no evidence that suggests underwire bras pose any sort of
01:26increased cancer risk. But while sleeping in an underwire bra won't give you cancer,
01:31it might pose other health problems, like cysts or irritation.
01:35Wearing a bra that doesn't fit properly can also lead to a host of problems,
01:39and wearing it 24 hours a day likely only increases the chances of a negative side effect.
01:44A bra that's too tight can inhibit the flow of lymphatic fluid. That can cause swelling
01:49of the breasts, which can potentially lead to pain and temporary skin discoloration.
01:54That doesn't sound pleasant, and it's probably enough to make many people reconsider wearing
01:58a bra to bed. But others find that they need the support that a bra offers.
02:02People with large breasts often find that sleeping in a bra is actually
02:06more comfortable than going without, since bras keep everything in place.
02:10Some people even think that wearing a bra to bed will prevent breasts from sagging.
02:14There's even a legend that says this is how Marilyn Monroe maintained her physique.
02:18But is there any truth to this anti-sagging speculation? Again, the answer is no.
02:23While sleeping in a well-fitting bra is perfectly safe, it doesn't necessarily
02:27provide any benefits beyond additional support. If you've been sleeping in a bra to keep your
02:32breasts perky, you're not doing anything beyond donning an unnecessary layer of clothing.
02:36As Dr. Seth Rankin, founder of London Doctors Clinic, explained to Cosmopolitan,
02:41sagging is actually caused by the downward pull of gravity on the mass of the breasts.
02:46Thus, bigger breasts sag more, as there's more fat within the tissue for gravity to work on.
02:51When lying down flat, the effect of gravity pushes breast tissue back towards one's chest,
02:55as opposed to down towards the toes. The point of wearing a bra is to support breasts from below,
03:01so wearing a bra is essentially redundant when lying in bed,
03:04since breasts naturally compress back down onto the chest.
03:07If you're the type of person who prefers wearing a bra to bed,
03:10it's probably a good idea to choose one without underwire, such as a bralette or a sports bra.
03:15It's also a smart idea to have bras specifically for sleeping in,
03:18as wearing your day bras to bed will wear them out faster. And remember,
03:22it's important to make sure that the bra you're sleeping in is comfortable and fits correctly.
03:27According to Woman's Day, nearly 80 percent of women are wearing the wrong bra size,
03:31so it's a good idea to get measured by a professional at least once a year.
03:35I have to take two bras and sew together because your breasts are very different sizes.
03:41Almost as if they were unrelated.