Is it a good idea to sleep with a bra on?

Sleeping with your bra on:one says it's so nice to do and that it can't hurt, another says it can give you cancer. What exactly is this?

Gynecologist Ann Mortie provides clarity on GoedGevoel.be. According to her, there are all kinds of myths about wearing a bra while sleeping. For example, you could get breast cancer, your lymph nodes become blocked and it prevents saggy breasts. “But none of those statements have been scientifically proven.”

Although the gynecologist does not want to encourage sleeping with a bra on, she says it is possible if you stick to a number of guidelines.

Read also: ‘Does your sports bra still fit well?‘

What are the guidelines?

• Get the bra the right size, because if it's too small or too tight, your blood supply and drainage to your lymph nodes can be disrupted. This disruption can put you at greater risk of, for example, edema.
• Wear a cotton bra, because it breathes better. A synthetic bra can cause less good circulation of body heat, causing the temperature of the breasts to rise.
• Do not sleep in a bra with underwire to prevent pressure sores.
  Incidentally, women who have just had breast surgery and women who are breastfeeding and want to prevent engorgement are sometimes advised to sleep with a bra on.