Possible benefits of not wearing a bra
Many myths surround wearing bras, such as, 'it prevents the breast from sagging'. Women wear bras to hold the breasts in place; however, not wearing a bra often may benefit female health and wellbeing.
What did your mum tell you about not wearing a bra? She probably told you it would make your breasts sag, it would make your breast lose its shape, or it would make you look less appealing. But have you ever imagined not having to wear a bra every time?
Women will agree with me that nothing beats that feeling of getting home after a busy day at work, unbuttoning their shirt and going straight for the bra to yank it off their chest.
There is a pleasure and relief that comes with taking off that strappy piece of clothing that has been clinging to your body all day long. But besides that feeling of relief, there is more that the body can benefit from when you skip wearing bras every moment.
If you have saggy breasts, you should know it is not your fault. Several factors such as pregnancy, hormonal changes, rapid weight gain or weight loss and aging can cause the skin around the breast to loose elasticity. You may want to try some natural methods for improving saggy breast or opt for breast augmentation surgeries.
Below are 5 good reasons you must not always be on a bra.
1.Increases blood flow
Wearing a bra can cause a discomforting and constricting sensation. This feeling may be worsened by wearing bras that are too tight.
Wearing a bra “can impede blood flow to the muscles in the back and chest wall, and this reduction in blood flow can lead to aching back muscles”, Lucky Sekhon, MD, OB-GYN based in NYC, told Well+Good.
However, when you take off your bra, it helps improve blood circulation through the formerly constricted area. This is one possible benefit of not wearing a bra. Women who have bigger cup sizes are more likely to experience a drastic improvement in circulation when they toss aside their bras.
2.Prevents acid reflux
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a digestive system disorder that causes the stomach’s acid-containing contents to persistently flow back into the oesophagus (the tube that connects the mouth and the oesophagus).
The flow back of stomach acid into the oesophagus is called acid reflux. Acid reflux can cause irritation of the oesophagal lining; thus, causing a burning sensation in the throat and chest.
But what most women don’t know is that taking off their bra can relieve acid reflux. One of the causes of acid reflux is wearing tight clothing. Tight clothes can increase intra-abdominal pressure such that acid gets pushed from the stomach to the lower end of the oesophagus.
So, one benefit of not wearing a tight bra (or doing away with a bra entirely) is that it can help prevent acid reflux and relieve acid reflux symptoms.
3.More sleep
Who sleeps in a bra? Some people do, but sleeping in a bra can be very uncomfortable. First, you will feel the straps pinching at your shoulders, the hooks cutting into your back and the underwire digging into your ribs.
Wearing a bra while sleeping may disturb your sleep cycle, affect your circadian rhythms and cause discomfort; thus, reducing the quality of sleep.
Therefore, one way to ensure you enjoy your sleep is by going braless! If you are thinking of one benefit of not wearing a bra, this is it. You can even go entirely naked, as sleeping naked has health benefits, including improving sleep quality.
Note that poor sleep quality can cause both mental and physical health problems.
4.Improves skin
Photo by Atikh Bana
Not wearing a bra always can also benefit your skin. Going braless can prevent skin irritation and acne mechanica.
When a woman wears a bra regularly, the bra tends to trap dirt, moisture, and sweat on the breast's skin. This can cause the pores on the breast skin to clog.
Sweat can get trapped underneath the breasts in women with larger busts, further causing skin irritation. This can lead to a type of acne called acne mechanica. Acne Mechanica is a type of acne that results from friction or applying pressure to the skin.
Also, wearing a tight bra can cause inflammation of the hair follicles. Fungus or bacteria on the skin's surface can easily penetrate the hair follicles, leading to an infection.
5.Works under-breast muscles
Not wearing a bra may be one way to work the muscles and ligaments that support your breasts. It can help tone the breast. When you wear bras often, the muscles and ligaments can become lazy over time.
At first, women with fuller breasts may feel a strain on their back when they are not wearing bras, but with time, they build up strength in their back and chest muscles for breast support.
Targeted breast exercises can help strengthen the ligaments and build muscle strength faster. The body has the ability to support itself; you should allow it.
Going braless does not cause breast sagging
Photo by We-Vibe Toys on Unsplash
The popular belief that not wearing bras can cause breasts to sag is false. On the contrary, when you stop wearing a bra often, your breasts might retain their shape and stay perkier.
While wearing bras can improve posture and prevent some spinal problems, there is no concrete evidence that it causes saggy breasts.
If sleeping in a bra is comfortable for you, there is nothing wrong with that. However, an article on John Hopkins Medicine pointed out that “Sleeping in a bra will not make a girl’s breast perkier or prevent them from getting saggy”.
In fact, a study found that wearing a bra increased breast sagging in women aged 18-35. According to the study, on average, the nipples of women who didn’t wear bras were lifted about seven millimetres in one year in relation to the shoulders.
A woman’s breast may droop depending on different factors such as ageing, larger breast size, gaining weight rapidly and then losing it (or vice versa), collagen deficiency, oestrogen deficiency, multiple pregnancies and menopause.