Experts have explained seven reasons why sleeping in your underwear isn’t a healthy decision.
Whether you forget to take your underwear off before bed or choose to wear them to sleep in on purpose, you may want to rethink your sleepwear.
A study by Style Seat found Americans’ most common sleepwear is ‘a T-shirt plus underwear, followed by underwear bottoms only.’
It might surprise you to learn that sleeping in underwear could have serious side effects on your health and wellbeing.
From infections and rashes to hormonal imbalance, here are seven reasons why you should avoid wearing underwear overnight.
Increased risk of yeast infections and urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Yeast infections and UTIs: inconvenient, uncomfortable, and could be caused by opting for underwear as sleepwear.
Underwear creates a warm space for your genitals, which can only get warmer and more uncomfortable overnight.
Sleeping in underwear keeps excess moisture close to your intimate area, making an ideal environment for yeast and bacterial growth and an increased risk of yeast infections and UTIs, the Guardian reports.
Increased risk of fungal infections
Bacteria thrive in damp, dark and warm conditions, which sleeping in underwear can both create and worsen.
Not only can this result in skin irritation, but it’s also a perfect environment for fungal infections to develop.
Sleeping in the same underwear you wore during the day can result in fungal infections, so if you can’t face sleeping commando, at least put on fresh underwear before climbing into bed, writes Summer’s Eve.
Skin irritation and rashes
Skincare experts at Estee Lauder shared that “while we sleep, skin naturally renews.”
Underwear can disrupt the nighttime renewal process, meaning less healing and recovery time for your skin after the day’s stresses and worries.
The materials in underwear can rub against your skin while you sleep, which can lead to rashes and redness.
Reduced s***m count
One for the guys now – did you know sleeping in boxers or briefs can impact your s** life?
Wearing underwear overnight can lead to an increase in the temperature of the t****cles. This affects s***m count, and your s** life too, per Skeptical Enquirer.
Human t****cles are usually maintained at 95˚F, about two degrees lower than body temperature (97-99˚F), WebMD explains.
A study revealed that an increase of a few degrees can impact spermatogenesis (the biological process of producing sperm cells) and ultimately cause infertility, due to reduced sperm production.
Lack of proper air circulation
Remember that Estee Lauder piece about your skin using nighttime to renew? Well, it needs proper air ventilation to do that.
Lingerie company Boux Avenue writes that sleeping without underwear gives your skin a chance to ‘breathe properly, which means less moisture and heat getting trapped.’
Wearing underwear to sleep in can also lead to blocked pores, odors, and spotty breakouts in the thigh and groin areas.
So if you want the best for your skin, ditch underwear at bedtime.
Poor sleep quality
Being comfortable at night is super important for getting a good night’s rest, but underwear can disrupt this, too.
Keeping underwear on overnight introduces material that can get bunched, twisted and dig into your skin as you toss and turn through the night.
Your sleep quality will most likely improve if you take your underwear out of the equation.
Hormone disruption
Last but certainly not least on our list is how sleeping in underwear can disrupt your hormones and lead to more serious health problems.
The synthetic fabrics found in underwear are treated with flame-retardant chemicals, dyes and finishes. These can transfer to your skin after being in contact for a while, like sleeping in underwear after wearing them all day.
Materials such as these are linked to endocrine disruption, once rubbed off on your skin, meaning ‘they can interfere with your body’s natural hormone production and regulation,’ explains Womankind.
Hormone disruption and hormonal imbalances can lead to a whole range of health problems, from irregular menstruation and infertility to diabetes and obesity, per the Cleveland Clinic.
There’s an easy way to avoid all these health detriments: take off your underwear at the end of the day.
Sleeping without underwear will reduce the risk of infections, allow your skin to breathe, and avoid issues such as hormonal disruption and male infertility.
But if you can’t face the thought of sleeping commando, try swapping your normal underwear for loose-fitting, 100% cotton underwear or pajamas that allow a decent amount of air flow.
