“There are all of these rumors out there that if you sleep in your bra, your breasts won't sag as much,” says Dr. Ma. “That really is a myth.
Considering all this, the right sleeping position to prevent sagging could be your breast facing upward. In this position, your breast will not experience much downward pull due to gravity. If you want to sleep on your sides, support your boobs with the pillow on both sides while sleeping.
Myth: Wearing A Bra While Sleeping Prevents Breast Growth
A properly fitted bra will not be uncomfortable or restrict your blood flow, and provide support to your breasts from below. Wearing a bra while lying down will not compress your breasts.
There's no evidence that points to any negative health effects from sleeping in a bra. In fact, sleeping in a bra may be beneficial for women with larger breasts who might experience discomfort from breast movement throughout the night. That being said, choosing to wear a bra at night comes down to preference.
A supportive bra could actually weaken your breast tissue.
A 15-year-long study that concluded in 2013 suggests that forgoing a bra can actually decrease any sagging. According to the study, the support of a bra can weaken the tissue surrounding the breasts, causing them to droop.
By wearing a bra to bed, which is wrapped firmly around the ribcage, your ribs can't fully and freely expand. Sleeping in a bra can make your breathing more labored and shallow, lowering your usual intake of oxygen. On the other hand, sleeping without a bra better allows you to breathe (and rest) easy.
Better circulation
As we all know, wearing a bra for hours on end can feel constricting. "It 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," says Dr. Sekhon.
Some people believe that breast massage increases breast size, firmness, or skin elasticity. But there is a lack of scientific evidence behind these claims.
While certain pectoral exercises and lifestyle choices can help build muscle underneath the breasts and prevent further drooping, they cannot reverse breast tissue laxity. Maintaining your weight and a healthy diet can provide some improvement, but compromised breast tissue can only be fixed with breast lift surgery.
Natural decline of estrogen
This reduced amount of estrogen causes the skin and connective tissue of the breast to become less hydrated, making it less elastic. With less elasticity, the breasts lose firmness and fullness and can develop a stretched and looser appearance.
Alternative Bra Options
There are certainly non-bra options that give your breasts coverage and shape, such as camisoles, bandeau/strapless, bodysuits, bralettes and of course, braless.
Breast massage therapy can ease the breasts' sensitivity and provide better blood circulation to the breast. Gentle massage can also increase milk supply. Massage can help warm up and loosen the tissues around the breasts' milk ducts and help the milk flow.
The loss of skin elasticity due to aging is the most common cause of saggy breasts. Another factor is smoking, which accelerates aging and thus contributes to sagging breasts, sometimes even earlier in life. Multiple pregnancies are another cause, though breastfeeding is not.
Regularly wearing a bra to bed can produce pigmentation or skin irritation in the area where the bra's elastic band or wire is in contact with the soft skin. The skin may feel scratchy and sore as the underwire can dig into the tender skin. It may also become discoloured or develop marks and spots.
The word braless was first used circa 1965. Other terms for going braless include breast freedom, top freedom, and bra freedom.
"If you don't wear a bra, your breasts will sag," says Dr. Ross. "If there's a lack of proper, long-term support, breast tissue will stretch and become saggy, regardless of breast size." Still, both experts agree that multiple factors play into if and when sagging (technical term: "ptosis") occurs, bra-wearing aside.
In general, breast development begins between the ages of 8 and 13. A girl's breasts are typically fully developed by age 17 or 18, however in some cases they can continue to grow into her early twenties.
The earliest physical change of puberty for girls is usually breast development, which most often begins around 10 or 11 years. But it's perfectly normal for breast development to start anytime between the ages of 7 and 13.
Breasts can get smaller over time. As estrogen levels decrease, your breast tissue changes. The tissue in your breasts gets dehydrated and isn't as elastic as it used to be. This can lead to a loss of volume, and your breasts may shrink as much as a cup size.
Can Sagging Breasts Be Firm Again? Sagging breast tissue cannot regain its youthful firmness without plastic surgery. Unfortunately, measures such as exercising your chest muscles, eating healthy, and applying topical creams are not enough to correct pronounced sagging and drooping.
Strengthening the pectoral muscles underneath the breasts can help your breasts appear lifted and perky. What's more, chest exercises such as pushups and dumbbell presses also strengthen your core and back, which can improve your posture. Simply standing or sitting up straighter can help the breasts look perkier.