Many a woman has wished for a smaller waistline after bearing children or simply working at a sedentary job and suffering the natural changes in metabolism that occur with age. It was a sad day when I realized I could no longer eat a chili dog for lunch and a chili burger for dinner on the same day without some serious repercussions (in both the immediate and the lasting sense).
While slimming down can be a difficult and frustrating process, a lot of ladies find it easier to keep motivation high with the help of a waist training regimen. Not only will you see immediate results when you tighten your corset laces, but you can continue to size down as you drop pounds. You don’t even have to lose weight, if your goal is simply to secure a slimmer waist with semi-permanent results.
Of course, wearing a corset during daylight hours could put a crimp in your style, especially if you like bodycon clothing or you have a fairly active job or lifestyle. What if you could skip it in favor of winnowing your waist at night? Can you sleep in a waist trainer? Here’s what you should know.
Yes, But Should You?
Can you sleep in a waist trainer? The answer is yes. You could also sleep in a three-piece suit or a ballgown, but you might not want to. There are reasons why we wear soft, lightweight pajamas to bed instead of our daytime clothing.
Let’s talk a bit about the science of sleep. As you probably know, our sleep occurs in stages, but in order for our brains to cycle properly, our bodies have to regulate in specific ways. One way our bodies signal to our brains that rest is imminent is by cooling down. Then, when it’s time to wake, our bodies start to warm.
Wearing thick, heavy, or restrictive clothing to bed can cause your body to remain warm, making it harder to fall asleep, or wake you in the middle of the night, disrupting your sleep cycle. While there are certainly lighter, more breathable corsets (with mesh panels, for example), you should be aware that waist training at night could disturb your sleep.
Comfort Considerations
If we’re being brutally honest here, sleeping in a corset isn’t exactly comfortable. I know what you’re thinking – you’re not going to move much in your sleep, so what’s the problem? The potential problem is that even when you hold perfectly still, your corset is designed for compression, with rigid steel boning and stiff textiles meant to create (and maintain) an hourglass shape.
If you sleep like Wednesday Addams, wearing a corset to bed may be NBD. If you like to sleep on your side or your stomach, or you roll around at night, you’re going to find wearing a corset very uncomfortable, and you’re likely to suffer chafing and painful pokes in the ribs every time you shift or roll over.
Preserving Your Garment
Anyone who waist trains understands the cost of a good corset, and you naturally want to protect your investment. Sleeping in your corsets is not the way to do it. When you wear a corset during the day, you’re quick to react and correct your posture when you make a wrong move, like trying to bend at the waist. At night, you might inadvertently harm your garment (and yourself) as you move about in your sleep.
Why Though?
Can you don a fur coat on a hot summer day? Could you wear formal attire and a tiara to the office? Sure, but why would you? Can you sleep in a waist trainer? Yes, but why? The truth is, it’s just not necessary, and it’s likely to be a lot more trouble than it’s worth.
With 8-10 hours of wear a day, you’ll gain all the benefits of waist training, and look fabulous in every ensemble, providing a lot of incentive to lace up during daylight hours. Considering everything that could go wrong when you wear a corset to bed, you’re better off skipping it in favor of the benefits of a good night’s rest.
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My name is Rachel, I am the owner of Glamorous Corset, a small business founded by me in 2010. Back In 2005, I was in a car accident that left me with a herniated disk. Much to my surprise I learned steel boned corsets were beneficial to several medical injuries including mine. I was always intrigued with corsetry, their history and their beautiful aesthetic. I love sharing knowledge about corsets, educating my wonderful readers and breaking the negative stigma related to corsetry. In combination with my years of research and personal experience I hope my articles are useful and can help anyone who has struggled with some of the same things I have. More about me…