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There's only one thing on your mind the second you get home after a long day: sleep. When you just can't wait to crawl into comfortable clothes, or lack thereof, you probably don't give much thought to what you're wearing. However, there's one clothing item you definitely shouldn't wear when snoozing-- your underwear. You didn't see that one coming, did you?
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It Causes Bacteria To Build & Spread
Nancy Herta, M.D., an ob-gyn at Michigan State University, reveals to Glamour why you shouldn't wear your panties to bed. "You really should not wear your underwear to bed if you're prone to vaginal issues," Nancy says. Your underwear can seriously trap in moisture and cause lingering bad bacteria to build up down there.
Alyssa Dweck, M.D., co-author of V is for Vagina, agrees with Nancy's sleeping tip. Alyssa tells Shape that she often shares this same advice with her patients.
"I often tell my patients to sleep without underwear, and some of them look at me like I have three heads," Alyssa says in an interivew with Shape. "They’re concerned about vaginal discharge—that you’re supposed to have a barrier. Wearing no underwear might seem kind of gross to them," she adds.
The National Sleep Foundation has plenty of tips on the kind of fabrics you should wear when you want to catch some z's. Its website recommends turning to fabrics such as cotton, silk, and flannel for the comfiest options.
You can always get into a silky slip or an oversized cotton t-shirt before going to bed if you choose to go commando and don't want to bare it all.
We've got you covered for all of the bedtime tips you need to get a good night's sleep. Check out The One Reason You Shouldn't Sleep With Your iPhone (Say It Ain't So!) and Try These Simple Stretches Before Bed For A Better Night's Sleep #WellnessWednesday for more sleeping tips and tricks.
