How do you sleep at night? Fully dressed, or in the simplest of clothing? According to the scientific community, this topic is actually quite important. We all know we should remove our makeup at night to allow the skin to breath, so why not let the rest of the skin on our bodies breathe as well?
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The impact of sleeping in your underwear
According to Dr Alyssa Dweck, who spoke to HuffPost, if your downstairs 'area is constantly covered', especially by a material that isn’t very absorbent, in the long run there is a lack of air, plus humidity can create an ideal 'breeding ground for bacteria'. She adds:
I often tell my patients to sleep without underwear
This bacteria can then start to irritate you and cause fungal severe skin infections. Underwear can also allow germs from the intestine, traveling via the anus or bladder, to reach the private parts and then cause a urinary tract infection.
Is it the same for men?
Although this problem mainly affects women, men are far from exempt. According to Dr. Steixner who tells Men's Health, sleeping in your underwear can cause damage to your sperm production.
He adds:
Your scrotum needs to be just the right temperature in order to optimize sperm production,
Moreover, Brian Steixner, M.D. an American urologist explained to Men's Health that:
Your drawers keep heat and moisture in -- and bacteria thrive in warm, moist environments. More bacteria makes for a higher likelihood that any chafed or irritated skin down there becomes infected.
However, if you really don’t like sleeping naked, there is an alternative. Dr Dweck suggests sleeping without underwear on, but in pyjamas made from a material with a high concentration of cotton. This can help to avoid fabric rubbing against the genital region and causing skin irritation.
Read more:
⋙ Throw out your old underwear now, it can have dangerous consequences for your health
⋙ Sexual health: Here is everything you need to know on prostatic orgasm, the famous P-spot for men
⋙ Think before you sext: Study shows it could harm your mental health, here's how
Sources:
HuffPost: Experts Explain Why It's Better Not To Sleep In Your Underwear
Men's Health: 5 Scientific Reasons to Sleep Butt Naked
