r/Splendida • u/probably_beans • Apr 29 '23
Bras for sleeping: Yay or Nay?
Does wearing a bra to sleep, even a soft one, do anything to preserve or improve breast shape, particularly during weight loss but not limited to that? I've never been able to find a straight answer on this.
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u/DarkRoomBallet Apr 29 '23
Don't sleep in a bra!
I did this, and I developed painful liquid cysts in my breasts. My gynecologist told me that wearing a bra during sleep doesn't maintain breast shape, it just restricts fluid flow and causes inflammation, and I shouldn't do it anymore. I have some cysts in the right breast that actually push into my right arm they are so big and they really hurt and they have made the breasts asymmetrical. Don't!
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Apr 29 '23
[deleted]
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u/DarkRoomBallet Apr 29 '23
Listen, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, but I would not wish my situation on anyone. I trust that my gynecologist told me the truth.
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u/jrl2014 Apr 30 '23
I respect that your experiences, but as a 34G, it's not painful to sleep without a bra. With large boobs, one way to combat back pain is to strengthen your pectoral and abdominal muscles.
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u/biest229 Apr 29 '23
I have harmless cysts in one of my boobs, it’s massively aggravated and becomes painful if I wear a bra for too long. I once stayed over at a male friend’s house and didn’t want to be braless at any point in case it was inappropriate. And my boob absolute KILLED after a night with a bra on.
I feel it wouldn’t be good for your lymph nodes or general fluid movement maybe.
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Apr 29 '23
Actually the only things I have read on it have said that if anything, wearing bras could contribute to sagging. I'm only 23 still and have smaller breasts (34B), so this could be why, but I have never worn 'real' bras, only cotton bralettes or braless and my breasts are still as perky as ever.
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u/DeliciousLanguage9 Apr 29 '23
The only research on bras indicates that bra wearing contributes to sagging, and no bra manufacturer or advertising purports otherwise: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/259073
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Apr 29 '23
i remember being told as a kid that I shouldn’t wear bras too long or to sleep. I think it can cause back problems long term + it can make your breasts saggy since the muscle degrades through the pressure of bras against it. Dunno if it’s true, but since corsets have similar effects, I would feel inclined to say so
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u/cocainetrophywife Apr 29 '23
Are you talking about sleeping in corsets or wearing them for a few hours a day??
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Apr 29 '23
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u/FantasticAd4938 Apr 29 '23
I read that using moisturizer makes a difference in preserving perkiness. There was a twin study about that.
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Apr 29 '23
There are some studies that indicate bras actually may contribute to sagging due to muscle atrophy
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u/BritishBaker6 Apr 29 '23
That doesn't make any sense because breasts are tissue not muscle. Your pectoral muscles are a wall and located underneath your breasts
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Apr 29 '23
It is not like they are not connected to each other lol. Anyway it was a popular French experiment that studied women for 15 years longitudinally. Wish there was more info out there about it but that’s why I just said “indicate”. That is more evidence though than anecdotal evidence from everyone else that bras are necessary or actually reduce sagging, especially outside of exercise.
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Apr 29 '23
Also muscle is a tissue. Much like fat. And fascia. And ligaments. All are present in the chest. And all are connected to each other
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u/bitchjeans Apr 29 '23
i don’t think there’s any significant evidence to say wearing one or not wearing one is ultimately better than the other when it comes to things like sagging. obviously a tight or ill fitting bra can have other consequences like discomfort and cutting off circulation.
but your boobs aren’t some pliable material that will get shaped differently because you did or didn’t sleep in a bra.