Wednesday 12 February 2014

Sleeping In A Bra--Is It Right For You?


Sleeping in a bra--especially a wired bra--is a fairly controversial topic because lots of women have a pretty strong opinion one way or another. There are three main camps: 

1. Women who cannot imagine sleeping in a bra due to discomfort, or who find it most comfortable to sleep braless (the largest group).
2. Women who sleep in an underwired bra and cannot imagine sleeping without the support of a bra with wires (a minority).
3. Women who prefer to sleep with support, but desire that support to be wireless. Members of this camp are often turned off by both the other methods.

There are also some of us who switch between methods depending on mood or circumstance.

I am a member of the smaller second camp, and I suspect a decent number of readers are making a face right now and thinking "Sleeping with wires? Wouldn't that be awfully uncomfortable?" I want to talk a little bit about my preference to do this because I think it has a few potential benefits that are not well known, and perhaps there are some readers who have not tried it but would like to. I don't want to 'convert' anyone, other than perhaps women who are uncomfortable sleeping braless and want information about a different option.
 
"Wouldn't that be awfully uncomfortable?" The answer is, some people do find it uncomfortable and therefore it's not a good method for them. I, however, find it to be more comfortable than any other method because of various tradeoffs, and I also find there are some other benefits to it as well. All of the methods have some benefits and some drawbacks, so I will go over my personal experience in the hopes that it can enlighten others. I would love to hear about other people's experiences in the comments.

I used to sleep braless, mostly because it was what I did when I was young and I continued to do it even once I was wearing bras every day. I was never very happy with the braless approach because I disliked the feeling of being unsupported. I especially hated waking up in the morning and either needing to put a bra on right away, or having to walk down the stairs gingerly clutching my chest. Eventually I began to experiment with various wireless options but was even more unsatisfied with them due to their tendency to push my boobs together so they touched in the center. Finally I started leaving my bra on all night out of pure laziness. I must say that it was a bit of an adjustment and in the first days, I would wake up wondering what had gotten into me that convinced me to sleep in a (new, non-broken-in) wired bra. After about a week and a switch to some better-broken-in bras, it started to seem totally normal and I have never looked back.

Since I began sleeping in a bra, I have noticed certain benefits. The shape of my boobs has actually changed somewhat. My theory is that since my boobs are rarely unsupported by a bra, the weight puts less stress on the skin, causing less loss of elasticity. My boobs are slightly more self-supporting now as the skin seems to have stretched back to a smaller shape. I believe this process was aided by my religious use of lotion and my youth, but that is not to say it could not happen to others as well. In addition to this small reversal of the work of gravity, I have a theory that sleeping in a bra (either wired or wire-free) could potentially reduce or delay changes in shape that come with age.

Obviously, all breasts will change over time, and that is fine and normal. According to most theories, the major factor supporting breasts naturally is your Cooper's ligaments. Your skin has some elasticity, which in some cases can cause very tiny shape changes, as I've described above. However, Cooper's ligaments don't have any way to bounce back from shape changes, which is why boobs usually lose elasticity as we age. This is a normal, inevitable process. Other factors can also cause shape changes--the most common being significant weight gains or losses, which is often something we cannot control for.

It does seem to be the case that relying on bras for support, rather than the Cooper's ligaments, causes less 'wear and tear' on them--many of us already rely on this during the day by wearing supportive, well-fitting bras. Good support matters most during the day, when you are moving around and standing/sitting upright. Depending on other factors like breast size, breast weight, and sleeping position, support during the night may also contribute. This theory is based on my personal experience and will be hard to prove, even over time due to the lack of a control group with identical breasts to mine. I've chosen to share my thoughts and experiences in case it is of interest to some women. I recognize others will disagree or have different experiences and I'm also looking to gather information about that from my readers.

What Kind of Bra Is Best for Sleeping?

If you are interested in trying out sleeping in a bra, don't just grab whatever bra you see in front of you. There are certain types of bras that are best suited to the practice. 

Wireless Bras
  A good option to start with is the wireless support style that I mentioned above. The upside is that you will never experience discomfort from poking wires. The downside is that good wireless bras can be nigh-impossible to find in large cup sizes. Unfortunately, a wireless bra, even while providing lift and support, will never be able to separate large heavy breasts unless it has a VERY firm structure—think all-over molding—which would possibly defeat the comfort purpose. You can check out Curvy Wordy's "Quest for a Sleep Bra" (links to other attempts at the bottom of this post) to see how difficult this search can be. If you don't mind your boobs touching, then this will not be an issue for you.
For those seeking out wireless options, there are several different categories you can check out. Several brands make wireless bras specifically for this purpose. From what I have heard, Panache's Sophie bra is one of the better options--I know two people who swear by it.




You can also check out sports bras without wires--Royce's Impact Free is one with which I have seen people have success as a sleep bra.


There are also nightwear items, likes those from Bravissimo, that provide a certain level of support. 



I personally find these to be less than ideal because they smoosh my boobs together and provide an unfathomable level of cleavage above the cup section, which for me nullifies the feeling of support. Part of the problem is, as a poster child for full-on-top boobs, I just have way too much breast tissue above where Bravissimo thinks I do. However, their nightwear line certainly has its fans and if you get along with Bravissimo's own-brand Alana-type bras, you most likely will have better luck with the nightwear items than I do.

A final option is just using a regular t-shirt or camisole that is tight enough to provide some level of support. In some size ranges, regular old camis with built-in bras might work surprisingly well for this.

Wired Bras
Although wireless bras are a good option for those craving a balance of support and comfort, an underwired bra will provide more separation, which is the major difference between wired and non-wired bras. My personal pet peeve is having my boobs touch in the middle all night, which makes it impossible for me to get comfortable, so wireless options are no good for me. I do NOT recommend wearing an underwired bra at night to those who find it uncomfortable--don't put yourself through pain; it's not for everyone. 

With that disclaimer out of the way, if you DO want to sleep in an underwired bra to get that separation, here is what to look for:

1. A high center gore to provide separation, especially if you sleep on your side or belly.
2.  A cup with a very round shape or a very well-fitted shape. It's tempting to sleep in a bra that doesn't suit your shape, since you won't be wearing it during the day, but that's not the best method. A cup that has more projection than your boobs--that is, empty space in the apex--won’t provide the same support while you are lying down as a bra that fits your boobs perfectly. It's also important to avoid bras that are too small or too tight in sections like the top. Any bra cup that smashes you down where you don't want to be squished could damage your boobs, whether it's during the day or night, so don't just jump to using your worst-fitting bras as sleep bras. However, it's fine to use bras that fall short in other ways--like displaying too much or too little cleavage, or having thick seams that show under shirts--as sleep bras.
3. The band should be looser than what you’d wear during the day. You don’t need nearly as much horizontal support while sleeping, and it’s important to allow your back a little break from that compression, especially if your boobs are heavy. An everyday bra that is past its prime due to lost elasticity in the band could be a good option. Personally, I buy bras in a band size up to use specifically as sleep bras.

My favorite sleep bras:


That's right--Curvy Kate's Thrill Me and Tease Me styles. These bras tick all the boxes for a perfect sleep bra--a high gore, a compact rounded shape that supports but doesn't smash me anywhere, too much cleavage for my preference during the day, and a nice comfortably stretchy band. 

When it comes to sleeping, you should do what makes you happy. Sleeping in a bra is certainly not for everyone, but if you're uncomfortable sleeping braless and have never tried sleeping in a bra, I recommend giving it a shot. You might be surprised at how comfy you find it...Or you might hate it and go straight back to bralessness. There’s only one way to find out.

41 comments:

  1. I used to sleep in underwired bras before figuring out my "true size"(28F), then I used my old size bras (they varied between 36B, 34C and the last one was a 32D) as sleep bras for a while, but given how loose the bands were I’m not sure how much support they gave. After that I tried to sleep in my new bras, but the first bras I had were by Panache and Curvy Kate and the wires are too wide for me, combine that with sleeping on one’s side and you get hell, woke up with angry red dots that turned into bruises in the place the wires end. This was when I started searching for alternatives and found Bravissimo’s nightwear on sale, tried it, loved it, have been using it since then.

    In the mean time I have also tried Lepel’s secret support camis and nightdresses, the main difference between these and Bravissimo’s nightwear is that Lepel’s have no hooks and eyes in the back, and that’s what makes me prefer Bravissimo, I find that they last longer because with Lepel it is just an elastic, so once it stretches out the only way is taking it to a seamstress to substitute it. Recently I have also tried Freya’s nightwear (also bought on sale) and even though the patterns on the fabric are lovely the “secret support” is exactly the same as H&M camis (when realizing this I was very happy to have found the pieces on sale): it consists of just a layer of thin stretchy fabric with an elastic on the bottom while Lepel and Bravissimo use nonstretchy “padded” fabric. This was very disappointing because I do not feel comfortable sleeping in Freya’s nightwear, it is very close to sleeping with nothing on.

    I would like to try wireless bras as well but being a 28 there are not many options, and quite frankly I find almost £30 too much for a sleeping bra. But I’ve made some experiences in the bra department as well: sometimes, when my camis and nightdresses are in the wash, I sleep in Panaches sports bras, is the only sports bra that fits me and even though the wires are wide the fact that they’re encased in foam makes this bras oh so comfy, I would use them more often if they weren’t so ugly (for nightwear that is, they are pretty as sports bras). I have also fallen asleep with my Ewa bra still on and also find it comfortable but given that I wear a custom size (60G/65GG) and at the moment only have 2 well-fitting bras from her I cherish them way too much to use them as nightwear. One bra that almost worked for me was Panache Andorra full cup, I hate the shape it gives me so use it around the house and once took a nap with it on, found it comfortable so experimented to sleep with it, unfortunately woke up hurting a bit between my breasts, guess the wires are too tall to use sleeping on the side for extended periods of time.

    To sum it up: given my experiences so far, my perfect sleeping outfit would be a cami or nightdress as pretty as the nightwear made by Bravissimo, Lepel, Freya and Fauve; with wires and cups like the ones Ewa Michalak makes and the marvelous foam encasing technology used by Panache in their sports bra.

    Sorry for the long comment, but loved the post and decided to share my own experiences, hope it helps someone.

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    1. I have wondered about the Freya nightwear. They are not very clear about what sort of support it contains in the descriptions. Good to know that it is not very substantial.

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    2. Glad I could help :) Well, now we know why they don't describe it better...
      I wish there were more nightwear reviews, I always search for them before buying and mostly come back empty handed, but given the price of "full bust nightwear" and the fact that many sleep braless it is understandable.

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  2. Really interesting post! I'm definitely a non-bra sleeper but I do loathe getting up in the morning and feeling unsupported as I bounce down the stairs to turn up the heat. I also don't love the feeling of my breasts touching while I lie down, though I don't dislike it tremendously. I'd be inclined to give it a try, on the basis of your considered approach, but I really feel I've had enough by the end of a 12 hour day.

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    1. Maybe some of the wireless options would be good? Even at my size, I have had surprising success with those camis with built-in bras, so that's another option--although they typically are not cut very well for larger breasts.

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  3. I hate the feeling of being braless pretty much ever. It may be because I have amnesia that covers my adolescence so I didn't get the chance to get used to my breasts gradually, but unless it's sexy time I don't want any reminders that I have them and don't want any movement from them at all (yeah, I know, but I've got higher psychotherapy priorities, I'll get to this issue eventually!).

    So anyway, I'm an underwire fan, I can't feel the underwires unless I am in a super-wrong size. I have very, very shallow, high, close-set breasts that make a high gore both uncomfortable and impractical. I sew 2 strips of soft 3"-wide stretch lace from the centre of a plunge out to the strap, one on each cup, which turns a plunge bra into a full coverage, effectively. Full mod takes about 4 hours but I can do it in front of the TV and the comfort when finished is amazing. My breasts are so shallow and wide that I have to sew a dart into each cup anyway as there are no bras with both wide enough wires and flat enough cups (why do clothing manufacturers hate me?!).

    For reference, I buy a 32G but am probably a 32F in terms of volume once the cups are taken in (estimate based on bras I have bought from 32DD upwards).

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    1. Good idea for improving separation without a high gore--thanks for sharing it!

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  4. I sleep in a wireless bra most of the time because having no support in a K cup is both uncomfortable and scary for tissue damage. I have a male friend who believes sleeping in a bra all the time is unhealthy (I presume he means underwired) ... He believes it interrupts the natural healing lymphatic flow that must occur every night and that you should occasionally go without a bra.

    I have no idea about his claims but it does feel better to go without a bra sometimes. As we weren't born with bras on it would make sense that NEVER giving your back/ribcage a break might have some subtle consequences.

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    1. The lymphatic drainage thing is not conclusively proved, but is something that I worry about occasionally. It is the reason that I suggest wearing a looser band at night. Even if it is necessary to avoid compression to improve lymphatic drainage, a comfortably loose bra band should not have any more effect than any other tight article of clothing, as I see it. If it is the case, I worry more about the women who choose to wear extremely tight bands during the day, but everyone makes their own tradeoffs for comfort.

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  5. Also, I don't get why you need a high gore for separation. My breasts are really close together (like no gore has ever tacked really) and I sleep on my side so if I slept in a wire bra (I think I used to sleep in an old one) it seems like the gore would just get squashed in between my heavy breasts and cause discomfort rather than doing anything useful.

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    1. If your breast tissue is very close together, then you might find that high gores will be uncomfortable regardless of when you wear them. For me, the gore in between does separate my boobs, whereas if I wore a plunge bra my breasts would touch in the middle. That may be different for you!

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  6. I'm pretty much in the no bra camp, unless my breasts are especially tender due to my period, in which case I'll wear a sports bra. I hate that they mash my breasts together, so I should consider a sleep bra, but it's so infrequently that I need one that it hasn't been a priority.

    Anyhow, I was wondering how the Curvy Kate halfcups can work for you. I am generally FoB, but my breasts do go up to my collarbone, and when I lie down, there's a shift of volume to the upper part of my breast. If I wore a half cup, I'd plop out of the top of it. The movement I most want to prevent is upward. How do you keep that from happening, with your FoT breasts?

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    1. The upward movement has never been an annoyance for me. I *suspect* this is because, since my boobs are so full on top, that I am just used to having most of my breast tissue above the cups of a bra, particularly half-cups, so maybe I just don't notice the feeling. Full on top boobs tend to also have a much lower apex than full on bottom boobs, so even if 75% of my boob is outside of the cup, my apex will still be inside the cup and thus feel like everything is more or less in place.

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  7. I have a few Enell bras that are a band size big. Mostly for my "gimme salt or die" PMS days. However, with a worn out compression top (still stretchy, getting holes), they're perfect sleep bras. If my back is particularly horrible (spinal arthritis, permanent damage from being at least a 30V), I swap top for a posture shirt to really keep everything in place.

    I do swap to Freya sports bras in summer. To fit, I get way too big cups or I spill. So, ha, I put jersey or cotton liners in. Fill up the cups and I can put those in the uber hot water bleach load, thus death to the fungii who try to move in. Thus not ruining the bra in three wears.

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  8. This is a great post. I sleep without a bra, but I'm not averse to sleeping with one. Someone else mentioned the issue of lymphatic flow, and that has been the only thing holding me back from wearing one. From what I hear, though, a good fitting bra (which most women don't have) does not cut off the lymphatic flow the way an ill fitting one does. I'd like to hear more on that topic from a medical expert.

    I think I will try sleeping with a bra, mainly because I am keen to keep my breasts in good shape and avoid sagging! I'll probably start with my Cleo Juna in beige--I never wear it because I hate nude/beige bras, so it's just sitting around. For sleep it might be a good thing and I'll get some use out of it!

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    1. From my research, it seems that the lymphatic flow issue, if true, would be most important with women who choose to wear very tight bra bands (+0 bands with very little stretch or -2, and only depending on body type). This is the reason (among others) that I suggest wearing a looser band at night. If you are wearing a bra with stretch that is not hugely tight at night, it will not have any more effect on lymph flow than wearing any other tight article of clothing. Bras are demonized by hack scientists all the time, but the scientific evidence (if you really go into it) shows there is no proof they are unsafe.

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  9. As a medical anthropologist, breast cancer researcher, and co-author of Dressed To Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras, I would like to suggest that you consider the much higher incidence of breast cancer in women who wear bras compared to bra-free women. The latter have about the same incidence of breast cancer as men. Women who wear bras 24/7 have over 100 times the incidence of b.c. as bra-free women. In addition, research shows that bras CAUSE breasts to droop, since the Cooper's ligaments you mentioned do not get used while wearing artificial breast support, resulting in their weakening and atrophy. Women who stop wearing bras experience a lift of their breasts and increased tone, reduced or eliminated menstrual breast pain, and overall improved breast health. Every woman should try a bra-free experiment for one month to feel the difference. An excellent Facebook group supporting women being bra-free is Free the Boobies, which I recommend you check out.
    Finally, keep in mind that most women who have discomfort with being without "support" have some psychological issues about their breasts, and feel vulnerable or over-exposed without a bra. Social conditioning to feel this way starts in childhood, and is the product of a culture that is breast obsessed and has a multi-billion dollar per year lingerie industry. At one time women felt the same way about wearing corsets, which also killed women.
    For more information, you can go to my website to read lots of informative articles at http://www.killerculture.com/articles-written-by-syd/breast-paincancer/

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    1. This is a very, very serious allegation. An extremely preliminary search reveals several sources that state there is no significant evidence to back your claims:
      http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/no_evidence
      http://www.breastcancer.org/questions/bras
      http://www.uamshealth.com/?id=12311&sid=1

      Given time, I am confident I can find further scientific studies that prove there is no scientific backing for what you claim. I'm sure you have already seen and ignored these scientists debunking your claims since publishing your book in the 90s, but I am including the links for women who are worried by your claims.

      Women who do not wear bras usually have very small breasts and are often at lower weights. Being overweight or obese does increase your breast cancer risk, so that is just one of many factors that will account for your misinterpretation of data. Correlation does not imply causation.

      It is truly incredible that you compare supportive bras to the corsets of the past, which actually relocated women's internal organs in some cases. I am also frankly incredulous that you feel qualified to state (as a man, no less) that women who prefer the feeling of support from a bra have 'psychological issues about their breasts'. Perhaps we merely enjoy a feeling of comfort, and perhaps *this* is what funds the lingerie industry, rather than the 'obsession' of others.

      Some of us will develop breast cancer in our lives. That is a fact. The most important factors for early detection are routine screenings, leading a healthy lifestyle and seeing physicians regularly. Breast cancer will not be prevented by abandoning bras upon the advice of a man from the internet.

      Also, Cooper's ligaments are not muscles and therefore do not 'atrophy' from lack of use. If you were correct about that, the cultures where women routinely go braless would be renowned for their sky-high breasts. Unless I am deeply mistaken, this does not seem to be the case.

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    2. Thanks so so much for refuting that. It felt a bit like scare tactics.

      I and many women can vouch, those of us with larger breasts simply get stretch marks from letting our breasts loose too long. It's just gravity on breasts that can weigh like 20 lbs.

      I have heard that thing about women with smaller breasts not wearing bras and them perking up. I wonder if that's just because they were wearing the wrong sized bra.

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    3. I would also add that the majority of women who go braless are living in societies with much shorter life expectancies. Is it not possible that women who go braless are not getting breast cancer because they're dying much younger than the median age of Western women who get breast cancer?

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    4. Wow, you really think women who want to wear bras have psychological issues? Really? Talk to me after you've sweat under your breasts or tried to button a blouse without wearing a bra.

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    5. So the toxic diet consumed by most people has nothing to do with high cancer rates? How about obesity?

      As far as those with small breasts saying they perk up without a bra, I agree they may have been wearing the wrong size. They may also just be saying that for any number of reasons. Look through some National Geographic magazines. You'll see women with small breasts down to their navels.

      I am what most would consider a health fanatic. I am a vegetarian and buy almost all organic foods, I eat whole foods and avoid processed foods, I exercise daily, practice yoga etc. I am tall and thin and wear a 32G bra. I'm never giving that up. Since I started wearing the right size (as opposed to a 36DD) my neck, shoulder and back pain have improved considerably. You can't put a price on that health benefit!

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    6. The trick is to wear a sleep bra that is not binding, with an underwire encasing the whole breast and a breathable fabric. And do massages once in a while. But to state that bras are bad and women have "issues"... well, take it from a healthy nearly-50 woman who LOVES her boobs, still has them up there and has worn a bra 24/7 all her life: this is baloney. I just don't want them dangling and dropping!

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  10. Bras I Hate already gave a very complete answer with which I agree completely, but I couldn’t help myself.
    Apart from the pseudo-science, which I can’t stand, this was the excerpt I found the most ridiculous: «Finally, keep in mind that most women who have discomfort with being without "support" have some psychological issues about their breasts, and feel vulnerable or over-exposed without a bra. » really? And this obviously comes from a guy. Mr just letting you know, I wear bras, and I assure you I am as comfortable as can be with my boobs, I even worked as nude model for years, how does that fit in with your silly theory about women’s psychology?

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  11. Even if you were right about both the cancer and the psychological issues, Syd, what difference would that make? With the experiences I've had I'm very lucky to be alive at all, and the high chance of the trauma caused by them shortening my life, even just through the physical illness resulting from it, is far more of a worry for me than breast cancer. Mental health problems kill an enormous number of people, so any little thing any of us with them can do to reduce their effect on us is worth considering; if it means a trade-off in some other way it is only the individual in question who can truly know if it's worth it. I'm talking about things that don't hurt other people here, obviously. I am allowed to be flippant about my "issues" because I'm the one who lives with them. You are not entitled to be so, however.

    Not that it is true about all women who wear bras having psychological issues with their breasts, clearly, but those of us who do shouldn't have to be told what's best for us by someone who has no idea what we deal with every day.

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  12. I have a Doreen 34K that I sleep in. Its quite comfortable and I really wouldn't want to have to do without a bra at night.

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  13. I'm in Category #2. I have sideboob with a big gap instead of cleavage and the pulling while turning over bugs me so I sleep in a cheapie low-impact sports bra to keep pulling to a minimum. I suffered until I was thirty, partly because sports bras for sizes over 30B were a huge flimsy joke and partly because I was warned not to sleep in bras by well-meaning older women.

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  15. I sleep in Freya plunge bikini tops (In a couple of band sizes too big for comfort) because the wires are so weak and flexible that they don't poke! I tried sleeping in a wireless bra and didn't like the feeling and absolutely can't stand being braless unless I'm bathing!

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  16. For sleeping, I suggest the Anita Rosa Faia 5490. I don't wear one every night, but there are some times it just feels "right". The Anita is really soft to feel and super-comfy both to sleep in and all day too. They are expensive, but they last for ages.

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    1. I checked it out on herroom.com and it looks ideal. Full cup, underwire separation, no binding, breathable. My favorite is the (much cheaper) Fruit of the Loom Extreme Comfort, but the Anita looks like an excellent alternative.
      From a long-time underwire sleep bra who has reaped the benefits. MA

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  17. Really interesting discussion. I am a no bra, well no constriction of any kind, sleeper. But a couple of days each month when PMS swelling makes me tender I opt for a Barely There microfiber crop top in XXL. I have to turn it inside out because seams & ridged elastic really irritate my sensitive skin. I also turn my sleep T's inside out. The gentle compression from the high stretch fabric is all I need. I don't care about serious support at night. What I care about is separation, since I'm a side sleeper. I often tuck my soft sleep T in a vertical line between my cleavage, or move the edge of my body pillow there. =) Not ideal but better than the ridiculous Kush product I tried. Soft foam roller you tuck between your boobs at night to support & separate. Great idea - In Theory. Reality: it's super firm & felt like a bike handlebar cover. Not comfy! I do think a flattened empty charming roll covered in soft padded cotton would be genius though & I may try this.

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  18. My Tutti Rouge Lottie just doesn't do nice things for me up top. Bottom support is perfect, I just don't fill the top enough, so it looks weird. Plus, despite the size up band recommendations, a 32 is too big. But, really very comfortable padding, nothing poking, the low gore fits perfectly to my sternum so no shifting at all despite the low gore. Plus, they are cute! No matter how rotten a day, a pink, polka dotted, lacy frilled sleep bra with OMG adorable heart strap adjusters fixes almost everything. A fudgesicle and a margarita fix everything else.

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  19. Good lord. I can barely stand to wear a bralette during the day. I cannot conceive of wearing any sort of top other than a cotton tee at night. Life is hard enough with subjecting my admittedly smallish boobs to torture 24/7.

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  20. I tried wearing a couple of my best fitting underwires to bed recently and found that they rode up during the night. They don't do this during the day. Did you have a problem with the bras riding up at all? Sports bras ride up too, but the bands on those are probably too loose on me.

    I'm definitely on the smaller side, but find the advice on the sites for women who are well endowed to be very useful, which finally got me into a comfortable 30C (Betsey Johnson). It fits pretty well, but I may still have some experimenting to do. I'd like to try on a 28D when I can get my hands on one without ordering online.

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  24. The NightLift Bra is not worth a penny let alone the basic model which will set you back $100 USD. It pinches and pulls in all of the wrong places leaving you with what looks like the octoboob. Their customer service is horrendous only returning partial funds due to outrageous shipping fees having been promised free shipping then paid return shipping. I paid $138.00 -$20.00 for return -$40.00 for the surprise initial shipping.

    If you do decide to go this route note that the sizing is far larger than other US sizes I'd downsize the band by two sizes though I honestly would not recommend it. It was quite difficult to fall asleep in and I honestly hoped I might even have the opportunity to treat it a little like lingerie judging by the photos on the website but the bra is hideous.

    For now I'll stick to my good old fashioned sports bra with a piece of cloth in the center. Thanks for your support and comments ladies. I look forward to hearing more reports in the future!

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  25. I am so happy to have found this article! I belong to Camp 2, always have, indeed a rare camp. And trust me, I have seen the results: over the years, I even greatly reversed the damage caused by my 1st pregnancy, when I had no access to a properly sized bra. At almost 50, I have nothing to envy a similar-sized 20-year old.

    I also wear a band size larger, for the reasons stated here. And I wear an underwire, also for the reasons stated here. Wireless just won't do the job.

    The bra I wear to sleep is the Fruit of the Loom Extreme Comfort (just $11!). It has it all: wire, round shape, breathable cotton. They don't make my size (32 band), but no problem since I want a larger band. I just had to sew the gore in, because I have close-set breasts at the top. I highly recommend this bra for sleeping (my niece is a convert). Another one is the Victoria's Secret unlined cotton (do get several sizes larger than your real size). Breathability and circulation are key.

    I will add 2 tricks to this advice of sleeping in a bra: use quality facial anti-aging moisturizer on your boobs (not body lotion)and every day, do one or two sets of squeezes (pretend you're squeezing a ball between your hands - look in the mirror while you're doing it!). That, in addition to exercise, healthy foods, good sleep and occasional massages (check out "Self Breast Massage" on youtube - that will take care of lymphatic issues).

    Thank you for publishing this. MA.

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  26. A word on nursing bras -
    I am 37 and am nursing my 7th baby.
    I always sleep in an underwire bra, since puberty, whether nursing or not. I am normally 32C pre-pregnancy, bottom-heavy.

    I have tried the nursing sleep bras, crossover style, but they cut across the top of my breast when closed, and across the side and bottom when opened for nighttime nursing.

    A properly fitting underwire nursing bra does not cut off, opened or closed. The snap-down cup opens fully.

    I am comfortable in Amazon's TANSKY nursing bra. Only about $15 in standard sizes. Well made and a pretty silhouette under clothes.

    In my experience, Motherhood Maternity bras did not hold up over time, did not hold me up, did not flatter under my clothes, felt ill-fitting at night, and were not pretty.
    That's just me.

    I don't have much experience with birth control, but I know nursing bras!😉

    Thanks for the article!
    RF

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