Film star Marilyn Monroe wore a bra in bed, saying it stopped her breasts from sagging. But although her approach has been dismissed over the years, it seems there is some truth in the belief that women with larger breasts can benefit from wearing one while they sleep.
I don't think there's ever been as much debate as there is about the question of whether you should sleep in a bra. Some experts say it's a good idea, while other doctors say it's completely unnecessary. But I wanted to get to the bottom of the age-old question: Is sleeping in a bra good for you?
The answer isn't super simple, and doctors and bra-fitting experts kind of disagree on this subject.
"There is certainly no evidence that sleeping in bras is either helpful or harmful," Dr. Amber Guth, a professor of surgery at NYU, told the Huffington Post. "Sagging or changes in the breast are due to a number of factors: Pregnancy and breastfeeding being the most common causes, along with time and gravity."
In some cases, however, sleeping in a bra can be a good idea. Bigger breasts can drag and pull sideways when a woman lies down, contributing to stretch marks as well as crease marks between the breasts over time so the extra support can prevent stretch marks that may naturally happen during your sleep.
Some bra fitters swear by sleeping in a bra as a way to prevent sagging, but there's no real evidence that that's true at all. In short, if sleeping in a bra makes you feel more comfortable, you should do it.
Professor Joanna Scurr, a world expert in breast bio-mechanics, said, 'there are no negative factors associated with wearing a bra all of the time. So if women find they get relief by wearing a bra at night, there's no reason why they shouldn't.'
So if you want to sleep in a bra, it's probably a good idea to choose a soft, comfortable one like the Playtex Comfort Revolution or a sports bra designed for low impact activity can be another great option for sleeping, especially if you have heavy breasts.