Why We Shouldn’t Wear the Same Pajamas for 2 Days in a Row

The average man changes his pajamas every 13 nights. Women typically wait for 17 nights to throw their pajamas in the laundry. Most women have multiple pairs of pajamas and tend to forget how long they’ve been out for. While crawling into bed in a well-worn set of pajamas might seem harmless, it can have some alarming consequences.

We at Bright Side were curious to find out how the habit of going to bed in your old pajamas could affect you.

1. You’re sleeping in an unhealthy environment.

Pajamas lie against your skin. If you wear the same piece of fabric over and over again, bacteria and dead skin cells can start to collect in your clothing. Even if you regularly wash your bedding, it won’t stay fresh for very long because it’s coming into direct contact with unwashed nightwear. Wearing the same pajamas night after night may cause infections that can be hard to treat.

2. You could transfer the microbes onto other clothing.

When you put your pajamas in the washing machine, the bacteria on it can be passed to all the other linens in the wash. If you’ve worn your nightwear for 2 weeks in a row, washing won’t be able to get rid of most of the microbes and they’ll be transferred onto other clothes that come into contact with the skin.

3. It affects your quality of sleep.

Much like how freshly cleaned bed sheets can give you a sense of relaxation, sleeping in clean nightwear makes you feel refreshed. Crawling into bed wearing sweaty pajamas may keep you up at night if you’re feeling itchy.

4. It can worsen your allergies.

If you’re allergic to dust or have other respiratory disorders, sleeping in old pajamas may cause serious damage. Dust mites eat dead skin flakes, so they’re attracted to your mattress and nightwear, causing breathing problems. If you’re allergic to dust, it’s better to change your pajamas out at least every other night.

5. It may give you acne.

When you don’t change your nightwear, bacteria and dead skin cells build up in the fabric. At night, it gets pressed up against your pores, blocking them and causing breakouts. When you sweat in your sleep, your pajamas absorb sweat, causing pimples.

6. It smells bad.

Your nightwear absorbs sweat, creating a perfect microclimate for bacteria. They thrive in moist, dark places, creating bad odors and disturbing your sleep.

7. It may weaken your immune system.

When you wear the same pajamas night after night, your immune system is constantly fighting against microbes, respiratory complications, and allergies. All of those factors can weaken your body’s defenses, making it harder to protect you from viruses.

How often do you change your pajamas? What was the longest time you wore your nightwear before washing it?