Queen Size Magazine Aug 2017 | Page 7

ARE YOU LETTING YOUR VAGINA AIR OUT | QSM Do you sleep with panties or without? Hopefully I will win some brownie points with the significant others out there for this one. Maybe I can save some relationships or perhaps even help make some babies (just name your firstborn after me and we are even). I had a friend tell me once that she refuses to sleep without underwear because if someone break into her house she doesn’t want to allow them easy access. Ummm ok. I guess. Other than making your significant other happy at night, there are health reasons why you should. So allow me this opportunity to talk you out of your panties when you go to bed. For me personally, I wear underwear all day long and the first thing I can’t wait to do when I get home is take them off. Not because they are uncomfortable, but because I want to free my body parts; especially in the summer. The last thing I want to do is shower and then put underwear back on. Needless to say, I am one of those women that sleep commando. Dr. Alyssa Dweck is the co-author of V is for Vagina. In her book she talks about her reasons why she recommends sleeping with no panties at night. “When a woman’s private parts are covered up all day by confining clothing and no breathable fabrics, including sweaty workout clothes or sanitary pads, it can cause vaginal irritation and moisture to collect in this area, providing a perfect breeding ground for yeast or bacterial infections.” Allowing your vagina to get some air helps to keep it dry and clean. Now of course there are some exceptions here, like if it’s that time of the month, you may not want to use this time to exercise your right to go commando. Or if you already have a vaginal infection and need to use medications. For the women, like my friend who is afraid or uncomfortable, pull out those granny panties or throw on a pair of loose fitting cotton boxers. And just as an FYI, think breathable materials; silk and lace underwear are horrible choices because they are not breathable materials. I know what you are thinking; lace, wholes, air gets through. No, it doesn’t work that way. Now, sleeping without panties doesn’t necessarily mean sleeping naked (although most of the time I do). The objective here is to let your vagina breathe and avoid becoming a breeding ground for bacteria to grow. WWW.QUEENSIZEMAGAZINE.COM| AUGUST 2017 ISSUE 7