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.
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. Because moisture favours fungal infection, “It helps diabetic patients who have frequent fungal infections in their groin and genitalia; keeping them cooler and drier is better.
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. Vaginal infections have multiple causes, and simply removing underwear is not a treatment or guaranteed preventive measure,” she said. 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 While stressing that sleeping without underwear will not boost fertility or improve sperm quality in men. 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. But remember that recurrent fungal infections should get medical attention,” he said.
“There is some clinical evidence to suggest that sleeping without underwear helps in maintaining good genital hygiene in women. “However, I would not tell a patient that sleeping without underwear will prevent vaginal infections. It may be more comfortable for some men, especially in warmer environments.