Wellness

Here's Why Going Commando When You Sleep Is Actually Really Good For You

by Leigh Weingus

For all the ladies and gentlemen out there who are ashamed to admit to the world they sleep bottomless, I have some really excellent news for you.

You've been doing it right all along.

Sure, your lace underwear looks sexy and there's no doubt your leopard-print spandex panties are hot, but it's time to save the fashion statements for daytime because going commando all night long is the way to do it.

Now, I know you're thinking about gross bodily fluids or you'll get a UTI, yeast infection or some other strange disease if you let it all hang out for a full eight hours.

But sleeping commando is just about the best thing you can do for the health of your lady and man parts.

If you still don't believe me, here's some science to back it up.

Your vagina needs some serious breathing room.

I'm going to use some not-so-great words to describe your vagina, so let's get this out of the way now: Your vagina is hairy. It's dark. It's moist.

I know. Gross.

Now that we've dealt with that, here's the thing: An environment like that is basically the perfect breeding ground for infections. Achieving a good pH level (or acidity level) down there can be a tricky business, which is why yeast infections are so common.

But going commando when you sleep is actually a great way to make that happen. When you cover your vagina with a fabric that can't absorb moisture, even more moisture builds up, which leads to infection.

As "V is for Vagina" author Alyssa Dweck, MD, tells Shape Magazine,

If [the area] is constantly covered — especially by a fabric that's not moisture-wicking or absorbent — moisture collects. That's a perfect breeding ground for bacteria or yeast.

In other words, if you really don't want to go commando, at least opt for cotton undies.

Guys, listen up!

Think this doesn't apply to you, fellas? Wrong.

Actually, sleeping in your underwear isn't all that great for sperm production.

According to Men's Health, your testicles need to breathe -- and when they can't, sperm count suffers.

The perfect temperature for testicles is between 95 and 96 degrees, which is a little cooler than your regular body temperature.

So if you're stuffing it all into your tight underwear and passing out, you'd better believe the situation down there is way too warm.

Going commando will help you sleep better in general.

Sleep is crazy important for your health, and there are a lot of reasons we miss out on it.

We're stressed out, we're on our computers late into the night or we're drinking alcohol too close to bedtime.

And sometimes, we're just too hot. Research suggests we should be sleeping in a 65-degree room, but that isn't always easy to achieve during the super hot summer months.

So here's an idea: Take off your clothes, including your underwear. Trust me, you'll feel cool (in more ways than one) and free.

So long, underwear!