Bengaluru: To sleep in or sleep out? As the debate over ditching underwear at night gains traction and enquiries around it grow at hospitals, doctors in Bengaluru say there is no medical rule that requires people to choose either option.While going without underwear can improve airflow and reduce heat, sweating and friction around the groin, they caution against treating it as a health hack, as there is no strong evidence that it prevents infections or improves fertility.“There is some clinical evidence to suggest that sleeping without underwear helps in maintaining good genital hygiene in women. This includes good circulation of air and reduction in moisture around the vulval area, which can lead to infection due to a wet and warm environment,” said Dr Deepika Alva, consultant obstetrician & gynaecologist, Motherhood Hospitals, HRBR unit.Dr Priya SP Patil, consultant obstetrician & gynaecologist and infertility specialist, Altius Hospital, Rajajinagar, said sleeping without underwear is also recommended to women with conditions such as vulvodynia, a chronic condition that causes pain, burning or discomfort in the vulva without an identifiable underlying cause. “However, I would not tell a patient that sleeping without underwear will prevent vaginal infections. Vaginal infections have multiple causes, and simply removing underwear is not a treatment or guaranteed preventive measure,” she said.While stressing that sleeping without underwear will not boost fertility or improve sperm quality in men, Dr Prashanth Ganesh, lead and senior consultant – urology, robotic and renal transplant surgery, Sparsh Hospital, Yeshwanthpur, said, “Not wearing tight underwear would decrease the pressure on the groin area when sleeping. It may be more comfortable for some men, especially in warmer environments.”Dr Gokulakrishnan PJ, lead consultant & HOD, department of urology, Aster Whitefield Hospitals, said the practice could be especially useful for obese men, who have increased skin folds in the groin region. “It helps diabetic patients who have frequent fungal infections in their groin and genitalia; keeping them cooler and drier is better because moisture favours fungal infection. But remember that recurrent fungal infections should get medical attention,” he said.“It protects the penis from any injuries or excessive friction which might occur when it becomes erect during sleep, as it provides a physical barrier to prevent accidental excoriation,” he added.For both men and women, doctors said that given Bengaluru’s fluctuating weather patterns, it may make sense to sleep without underwear on hot, humid or rainy days, while the practice may not offer any particular benefit on colder days.“A more realistic approach would be to wear loose and comfortable cotton underwear and avoid the use of very tight synthetic materials, especially at night. It is also important to remove any clothes, which are either sweaty or wet before going to bed. They could further make use of loose cotton night clothes and practise external hygiene without using perfumed intimate cleansers that might cause irritation,” Dr Alva said.
