The 9 best sleep bras to support your bust and help you get a restful night
March is World Sleep Month
March is World Sleep Month, and as we all know, getting a great night's sleep is essential for maintaining good health. Anything that can improve the quality of my sleep is worth investigating, and wearing a soft, comfortable bra to bed will give support throughout the night and can alleviate the discomfort of breast pain. The best sleep bras are ideal for women who require additional support and like to feel contained while they sleep, without obstructing movement.
Can you sleep in a bra? It's a question you might be asking yourself if you're experiencing breast pain at night or simply want to feel lightly supported while you sleep. While the need for purchasing the best bras to support your bust in the daytime is obvious, you may not have considered the benefits of best bras to wear at night.
Best sleep bras as chosen by our fashion team
1. Best Front Fastening Sleep Bra
If you have limited mobility and experience shoulder or arm pain, you may find a front-fastening bra beneficial and easier to get into. This bra is secured at the front with four hooks and eyes and also benefits from being made from 95% cotton, making it a natural, breathable design that's ideal to wear in bed. The wire-free construction means you can machine wash on a delicate cycle.
Offering medium support, this bra can also be worn during the day, and its smooth, extra-deep sides make it an option if you are looking for the best bras for back fat. The white version is currently 15% off in the Amazon Spring sale, which is a great excuse to try it out.
2. Best sleep bra for all body types
Offering light support without wires, this crop top feels like a second skin and benefits from M&S Flexifit™ technology, with 360-degree stretch for the ultimate flexibility. Available in sizes 8-22, this style is incredibly stretchy, making it ideal for all sizes and one of the most comfortable bras to wear.
It has a gel underband that doesn't dig into the skin but ensures the bra stays in place throughout the night. This bra has removable padding, which gives you the option to take it out for sleeping but wear it with the padding as a daytime bra.
3. Best luxury sleep bra
Priced at £68, this is the most expensive option on our list, but trust us when we say it's worth it. Matilda Stanley reviewed this bra for woman&home and she found it to be one of the most comfortable bras she's tried.
An American brand that only recently launched in the UK at John Lewis, Evelyn & Bobbie was founded by Bree McKeen, who struggled to find bras for her 34G bust. She came up with a clever patented bra design that lifts, holds and shapes without the need for underwire or lots of padding. The Defy bra is our favourite, and it's so comfy you can even wear it in bed.
4. Best sleep bra for large busts
This soft and comfortable non-wired bra is made from a jersey fabric that's supportive while being stretchy to allow for movement. Available in back sizes 28-40 and cup sizes DD - L, it's the best option for women looking for best bras for large busts.
It fastens at the back with regular bra hooks, making it as easy to put on as your daytime bra with light padding over the clasp to prevent discomfort, which is essential if you like to sleep on your back. With a soft under band and inner mesh cups that are designed to give light support to the breasts, it has adjustable padded straps to get the perfect fit on the shoulders, too.
5. Best Value for Money Sleep Bra
This pack of three bras enables you to have one on, one ready to go and one in the wash! At £8 per bra, this is a great deal if you are on a limited budget. Made from 95% cotton jersey fabric, this bra is ideal if you are looking for minimal support at night.
Chantelle Garrood, a lingerie expert and trained bra fitter, says, "I believe that a sleep bra should be soft (so no wires) and should ideally be made of a natural and breathable fabric to help keep you cool. We're not looking for structural engineering here; it's more about comfort and a bit of security." The high percentage of natural fibres will keep you cooler, ideal if you suffer from night sweats, making this a suitable bra for mature women.
6. Best sustainable sleep bra
Stripe & Stare is a female-founded British brand that is certified B corporation, making it one of the most planet-friendly lingerie brands. This sustainable design is made from 95% Tencel™, a fibre created in a closed-loop process from bio-degradable wood pulp, and every order equals another tree planted.
This bra is part of their collaboration with The Lady Garden Foundation, with 20% of the RRP donated to the charity, to help support awareness, education and research of the five gynaecological cancers. The brand also designs stylish sleepwear to coordinate your look.
7. Best sleep bra for every skin tone
Made from a buttery-soft fabric that's highly breathable with great moisture-wicking properties, this bra is soft and comfortable to wear. The shelf-bralette style construction provides very light support. The Fits Everybody range is SKIMS best-selling collection that is designed to mould to your body and never loses shape, plus it's available in 8 classic shades so you can find the perfect match for your skin tone.
SKIMS produces some of the most flattering bras, including the Back Smoothing Full Coverage Bra, which is great if you want more support.
8. Best seam-free sleep bra
Made from an incredibly lightweight fabric, this bra lives up to its invisible name. Emma Woodrow, Pour Moi's Lingerie Buyer, says, " A beautiful bralette shape, this super soft, supportive and smooth style will be virtually undetectable while you sleep. Our customers love that it works for all sizes; it’s comfortable and supportive. One said, “Wow it's so comfortable I don't like going without a bra so have to wear one in bed as well. I bought a sort of lounge-about bra from another company which wasn't very comfortable, but this one is fantastic and my boobs stay where they should. This bra offers gentle support, reduces discomfort and helps to maintain a more restful sleep."
9. Best post-surgery sleep bra
Developed by Cancer Research UK, alongside breast cancer patients, this bra has been specifically designed for women who have undergone breast surgery. A tubular seamless design, this bra can be worn for both daytime support and at night, with wide, fully adjustable straps and front hook and eye fastenings to ensure a comfortable fit. A lined pocket, with removable pads, also provides space to add a prosthesis, if required. 100% of net profits fund future breast cancer research projects.
FAQs
What is a sleep bra?
A sleep bra is one that has been designed specifically for sleeping in. Additionally, any bra that offers minimal support, without underwires or bulky trimmings, is considered suitable for wearing as a sleep bra, even if it isn't specifically labelled as such. These styles do not provide the level of support that you would expect from your regular bra.
The best sleep bras do not use underwiring to provide uplift; instead, they support the breasts using light compression, which comes from the level of stretch and construction of the fabric used.
Unlike your regular bra, which is designed for uplift under clothes, a sleep bra is worn to stop discomfort during the night. Bras for the day are likely to be tighter around the band for support and shape, whereas a sleep bra will be closer to a bralette, in terms of fit and more like something you might own already, simply for lounging in. This is because anything too tight or with an underwire will not only dig in but could affect circulation.
What are the benefits of a sleep bra?
While there is no evidence that sleeping in a bra will keep your breasts perky and no proven medical benefits to wearing one, women often choose to do so to aid a more comfortable night's sleep. Chantelle says, "As a bra fitter, I don't believe that a sleep bra is 100% necessary as bras are designed to help fight the effects of gravity and movement on your boobs, and when you are lying down, this isn't as much of an issue. That being said, there is definitely a time and a place for a sleep bra."
These are the most common reasons that women decide to wear a sleep bra:
- Alleviate back pain: if you find that your breasts hurt your back, then you'll have already invested in some of the best bras for the daytime. For some women, particularly those with larger busts, a bad back from the result of a heavy bust can also impact their sleep. If that sounds like an issue you're experiencing, try a sleep bra to improve the position and support your breasts at bedtime. Any continued issues should be discussed with your doctor.
- Help with sensitivity: for those with particularly sensitive breasts or nipples, a smooth sleep bra can help to diminish some of these symptoms, particularly if you find the way that you sleep or your pyjamas are irritating you. If sensitivity is an issue, however, consult a medical professional as well.
- Support: Mainly an issue for those with a larger bust, or if you toss and turn a lot in your sleep. The ligaments in the breast can strain during the night if your bust isn't supported. A sleep bra will help to position and hold your bust as you enjoy a good night's sleep.
- Aid breastfeeding: Mothers who are lactating will benefit from wearing a sleep bra to alleviate the weight of the breasts and to help keep breast pads in place.
- Post-operative: A sleep bra can ease discomfort when recovering from mastectomy, lumpectomy, lymph node removal or breast reconstruction.
What should you look for when choosing a sleep bra?
Not all bras that are good for sleeping in are marked specifically as 'sleep bras'. Bras that work for this activity hold certain characteristics or are constructed in a particular way to ensure they are comfortable and non-restrictive, offering the right support for a restful night. Knowing what to look for will help widen your options. Emma says, "When choosing a sleep bra, it's important to consider several key factors to ensure maximum comfort and suitability for overnight wear". Here are the important elements to look out for:
- Wire-free: A non-wired design is crucial for a sleep bra to prevent any poking or digging into the skin, which will be uncomfortable while lying down.
- Seam-free: Bulky seams will cause discomfort and irritate the skin. Look out for a seam-free construction, or a style with minimal flat seams that won't dig in or leave marks.
- Stretch: Look out for styles made with added stretch fibres to ensure you feel comfortably contained without feeling restricted. The level of stretch will determine the amount of support given.
- Free from padding, or removable padding: Padding will add extra bulk to the bra, making it uncomfortable, and can also make you feel warmer, too, which is a disadvantage if you suffer from overheating or night sweats.
- Breathable: Look for natural, breathable fabrics, or high-tech fabrics that list breathable as a quality, that will keep you cool, are gentle on the skin and help to prevent irritation.
- Sweat-wicking: Opt for fabrics with moisture-wicking properties that will help to keep you dry and cool during the night.
Who is a sleep bra for?
Anyone can invest in a sleep bra, but those with a larger bust will find a sleep bra most useful. If you have bigger boobs and they are uncomfortable, sore or simply getting in your way when you toss and turn, you may find that sleeping in a bra helps to alleviate these problems. Breastfeeding mothers find it practical to sleep in a bra, and similarly, women recovering from breast surgery will wear one to restrict movement while healing.
What is the best sleep bra for me?
Deciding which sleep bra is the most suitable will depend on your personal choice and what benefits you are looking to achieve by wearing one. Our best sleep bras contain all the necessary elements that make them ideal for every type of person and circumstance.
Our experts:
Emma Woodrow is the lingerie buyer for Brighton based lingerie brand, Pour Moi. Having worked for Pour Moi for nearly 4 years, Emma is responsible for keeping the product range exciting, meeting customer's needs, whilst balancing trends, and commerciality. Working closely with garment technologists, Emma has a wealth of knowledge across different lingerie styles
and what makes them a good fit.
Chantelle is a lingerie expert and trained bra fitter who has worked in the lingerie industry for over 10 years. She shares her bra fitting tips, lingerie reviews and body positive posts on her Instagram account @thebraexpert
