23 Feb Will Sleeping In A Sports Bra At Night Prevent Your Breasts From Sagging?
Not So Perky
Most women remember the days of perky breasts. Slipping into a favorite cocktail dress braless can feel amazing, but over time, breasts can begin to sag. Sagging breasts, known medically as breast ptosis, make some women lose confidence, and many have tried different techniques to fix the problem. One common approach passed on from mother to child is wearing a sports bra at night. The rationale is that the breasts are held in place, reducing the chance of sagging, but is this true?
What’s behind my sagging breasts?
Sagging breasts happen to almost all women, regardless of breast size. The biggest reason is age. Over time, the tissue and ligaments that support the breast lose elasticity. Women with larger breasts tend to have more fat tissue, which can cause even more drooping. Of course, gravity does not help either. Other reasons include:
- Age
- Genetics
- Menopause
- Smoking
- Intense exercise without proper support
Finally, if a woman’s weight fluctuates, for example, during pregnancy, the skin would not tighten again. That loss of elasticity causes sagging.
Will wearing a sports bra to bed help?
To wear a bra or to not wear a bra? That is the question posed by millions of women at night for decades. Some women swear by a sports bra before hitting the sack. However, there is no concrete evidence that this will work. There is no harm in having some added support and comfort. However, bras cannot help with the sagging on the sides that happens from laying down. A sports bra can’t slow the genetic, lifestyle, and physiological changes during life. However, some steps can help.
Is there anything you can do?
A comfortable, breathable sports bra simply makes sleep easier. Adding some lifestyle changes can delay dropping and give women some added confidence. Stopping smoking, adopting a healthy diet, posture, and maintaining a healthy weight can help. Upper body training can improve the pectoral muscles, which can help hold the breasts better. While exercising, make sure to wear the sports bra to prevent ligament damage.
Consider a breast lift
Sometimes, these lifestyle changes aren’t enough. Age and stretching of these ligaments can’t be reversed. A mastopexy or breast lift can remove excess skin and lift the breasts, giving women a perkier appearance. A cosmetic surgeon makes incisions around the areola or the breast crease. From there, the surgeon removes skin and repositions the tissue and muscles.
Add a breast augmentation
In some cases, a breast lift can be combined with breast augmentation. The surgeon can insert silicone or saline implants in front or behind the chest wall. Adding a breast augmentation will provide larger breasts while giving a much-needed lift. These procedures do have a recovery time of about 6 weeks. A breast lift and augmentation do not mean women should no longer wear bras. Instead, the procedures help women achieve the lifted look for longer.
A sports bra isn’t enough
For most women, sagging breasts are inevitable with age. Drooping breasts are a cosmetic issue, not a health issue. To keep those breasts upright, wearing a bra at night is a common suggestion. However, this cannot improve or slow down sagging. Women may see more success with lifestyle changes, a breast lift, or augmentation.