You’ve probably seen those viral videos where women are told to stop wearing underwear to bed – and as it turns out, there’s real science behind the advice.
Letting your body ‘breathe’ at night isn’t just about comfort; it’s about maintaining healthy pH balance and preventing irritation or excess discharge.
Hailey Puckett, a women’s health nurse practitioner and content creator from Tennessee, is breaking down exactly why your bedtime habits could be affecting your intimate health. In an Instagram video shared on August 1, the women’s health practitioner explains why avoiding underwear at night is an important step for maintaining intimate health and hygiene.
What happens when you wear underwear to bed?
Hailey advises women to skip underwear at bedtime, as it can trap moisture and disrupt the vaginal pH balance, potentially leading to increased discharge. She explains, “There’s a lot of reasons I say this, but the main one is because at night whenever you’re asleep, this kind of gives your vaginal area a reset. If you’re continuing to hold moisture up near the vagina and the vulva, it can literally throw off the pH. If you continue to throw off the pH, you continue to have more discharge because your body’s trying to get back on track. So then people think, ‘Oh, I’m having discharge, so I need to wear underwear.’ No. Backtrack. No underwear.”
What to wear instead?
If you feel uncomfortable sleeping commando, Hailey recommends wearing loose clothes to bed – for instance, you can wear boxer briefs – which allows plenty of room for air flow. She particularly cautions against wearing something “that is cinched on the sides that would represent something similar to underwear.” She highlights that if you struggle with excess discharge or vaginal health issues, this simple habit can work wonders.