Can You Sleep in Jeans?
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There’s no doubt that jeans are one of the most popular items of clothing. They offer a comfortable, yet casual style, and are great for any occasion. Sometimes, jeans are even worn overnight, whether it’s for convenience, late nights, or staying at a friends. But since they’re not typically known as pajamas, it begs the question…
Can you sleep in jeans? It’s okay to sleep in jeans, as long as you are comfortable and they don’t affect your sleep. They might be too hot at night, which could irritate the skin and make you sweat. If you toss and turn while sleeping, the friction may wear them out quicker.
Sleep Cues
As night approaches, the body begins to prepare for sleep. The more sleep signals you give yourself, the easier it is to drift off. These cues may include listening to quiet music, turning off electronics, or dressing into comfortable clothes. When you leave your jeans on, the mind associates them with daytime, such as going to work or to a friends. In other words, they keep you awake and alert, rather than prepare the body for sleep. As a result, these night time signals are thrown off.
Sometimes your body is just so tired that it’s easy to collapse in your jeans and fall asleep. In this case, jeans are fine to wear, as long as you’re comfortable and sleep doesn’t get affected. Some may even wear their jeans to bed if it means getting to work on time in the morning. The important thing is to make sure that your are comfortable throughout the entire night without any disturbances. Staying relaxed and comfortable during the night should be a priority for getting a proper rest, so psychologically, jeans might not be a good idea. Alternatively, if you already have a difficult time getting to sleep, find an alternative such as pajamas, sweat pants, or your underwear.
Uncomfortable Sleep
Jeans are made of denim, a cotton fabric that is used for lots of clothing including shirts and overalls. They’re considered casual wear, great for work, going out, or just lounging around. But when it’s time for bed, they may not be the best choice. Jeans can restrict movement during sleep, and may also be very hot to wear.
Wearing jeans during sleep can also make you wake up more often. Some jeans are very stiff and don’t allow the body to fully stretch or comfortably bend the legs. Also, the material on some brands can be rigid or uncomfortable, and have buttons that dig into your hip as you roll over. You may get the urge to sprawl out during the night but are simply unable to. Without this freedom of movement, its tougher to maintain a deep sleep, or even get to sleep to begin with. Loose clothing, on the other hand, provides the freedom to lay out and stretch the body, making it easier to stay rested throughout the entire night.
Very Hot
It can get very hot during the night. If you’re under the covers or it’s the middle of the summer, jeans can be a heavy piece of clothing that heats up the body and cause sweating. Since the legs are trapped in them, its also more difficult for them to breathe. This can lead to irritation and frequent wake ups. In order to be comfortable and also hygienic, loose clothing should be worn during sleep.
Sometimes you have to get up early, such as 4AM, for work and don’t want to have to think much when you get up. A solution may be just to wear your work clothes to bed, including jeans. Although this may seem efficient, it places your mind in an active state, thinking that it’s work time, when in fact, it’s ten or eleven at night. As a result, your stress levels may increase due to not being comfortable enough during the night. As mentioned before, if this works for you, then it should be fine.
Skin Issues
Tossing and turning in jeans causes them to rub up against the skin, which for some, may cause irritation. The friction from jeans, especially when they’re tight, can lead to inflammation and redness. In the morning, you may notice tiny pimples on your legs. This is from a particular bacteria that gets into hair follicles and spreads as repeated contact is made. The pimples are usually harmless and go away on their own, but if they always appear after wearing jeans during the night, there may be a more serious skin issue at play. If you have an skin sensitivity to your jeans, such as an allergy or irritation, it may be caused by contact dermatitis.
Contact dermatitis is when the skin usually becomes red, dry, and itchy because of direct contact with something, such as your jeans. It may be caused by allergies or irritants including, poison ivy, detergents, or chemicals in products. It may also be from your jeans, and wearing them for long periods of time, may bring about this rash.
If you have eczema, denim is usually okay to wear; however, during the night, they can be too hot and cause the legs to sweat. Sweat, in turn, can flare up the eczema. It also prevents the legs from breathing which causes them to itch throughout the night. Bacteria can also form in sweaty areas, causing irritation, chafing, and even infection.
Finding the underlying reason for why your skin may be affected is critical for healing it. It takes patients and a lot of testing. When going to sleep, try out different clothing if you discover a rash on your legs. Go for something light and breathable.
Wear Out Jeans
Jeans can wear out quicker if they’re worn through the night. The constant rolling around and rubbing against the sheets slowly removes the color and shows signs of wear over time. After a night of sleeping in them, they will probably need to be washed since they may smell or have sweat on them. Having to wash your jeans can often shorten their life since the material fibres slowly break down. By using them only for daytime activities, you will prolong their life and not have to wash them as much. Jeans eventually fade over time, so wearing them in bed may cause them to bleed, or loose their color quicker. If they’re your nice jeans, you may want to think twice about wearing them to bed. Sleeping in them can cause them to wrinkle or bunch up when you move around. Straightening them out can be a pain.
May Slow Down Blood Circulation
If the jeans are very tight around the waist, they may slightly decrease blood circulation. This can lead to abdominal discomfort and digestive problems. During sleep, the body shifts into different positions which may further tighten the jeans around the waist and thigh area. Some have reported a feeling of numbness in the thigh. Also known as meralgia paresthetica, a condition when the thigh becomes numb due to high nerve compression. When the thigh goes numb, it can go to sleep. So basically, both you and your leg can be asleep. When you get up in the morning, you may not have feeling in your foot. This isn’t serious if it’s not a regular occurrence; however, if it’s ongoing, you may want to consider other clothing for bed or seek out medical attention.
Varicose Veins
If you have varicose veins, tight jeans can make them stick out even more. Varicose veins are swollen veins and are usually dark purple in color. They can arise from a number of reasons including, pregnancy, blood clots, injuries, aging, and heredity. If you notice varicose veins, tight clothing can make them appear more visible and should be avoided for long periods such as sleep. If pain arises from them, seek out advice from a doctor who can better determine whether further treatment is necessary.
Blood circulation is critical for the nervous and digestive systems to properly function. Tight clothing worn for long periods of time can potentially lead to blood clots and strokes if not tended to quickly. Proper clothing can help avoid circulation problems and help maintain a regular flow during sleep. Compression stockings, for instance, help administer this flow throughout the legs and prevent them from becoming swollen and leading to further issues.
