One of the challenges that comes with regular waist training is finding the time to stick to the commitment of 8–10 hours a day. While some people have the opportunity to wear their corset or cincher during the day hours, for others it can be difficult (for example, during the summertime when you’re wearing certain cuts or fabrics that don’t really work with most waist trainers).

If this the case for you, you may have another option.

Serious waist trainers know that one way to get in more hours is through sleeping with a waist trainer on. Maybe you're wondering, can you sleep in a waist trainer? The answer is yes, and there are several reasons you might want to try it:

• You are serious about waist training and want have a waist trainer on as much as possible. While we don’t recommend an around-the-clock waist training schedule, overnight can be a convenient opportunity to get in more hours.

• You can’t wear your corset as much as you’d like during the day. This could be for a variety of reasons such as your line of work, your required style of attire or even your preferences. Again, the night hours provide a convenient time to get in the recommend 8–10 hours of waist training per day.

• You have already reached your goals with waist training and would like to maintain your waistline without having to wear it during daytime hours.

Whatever your reason, waist training while you’re sleeping at night is definitely doable. However, if you’d like to try it, consider that your experience can vary quite a bit depending on how you sleep and what kind of shapewear you decide to wear.

Here are some different tips about what to expect sleeping with a waist trainer and how to get the best results.

Different Sleepers, Different Experiences

 How do you sleep? Do you roll around a lot or do you lie still most of the night? Are you a heavy sleeper or do you wake up at the slightest noise or disturbance? Do you have a firm mattress or soft mattress? Do you have a fluffy pillow, flat pillow or now pillow? Do you sleep on your back, side or tummy?

All of these questions can affect your experience sleeping in a corset. You may not know what your particular challenges might be until you try it, but here are how these different factors can affect nighttime waist training.

Soft Versus Firm Sleeping Surface

The type of mattress and pillows you have can greatly affect the way you sleep. While the choice of mattress hardness is largely a matter of personal preference, know that when your torso is corseted, it is going to be stiff and straight. You may need to adjust the amount of cushioning you have accordingly so that you are more comfortable. Consider the various sleeping positions and how they might be affected when wearing a waist trainer…

Back Sleepers

If you normally sleep on your back, when wearing a waist trainer you may find that your pelvis and hips can sag down, particularly if your mattress isn’t very supportive or dips in the middle. The key to making your sleep experience more comfortable is to support the curve in your lumbar area, in the lower back. Use small pillows or rolled up towels beneath the small of your back as well as under your knees. This will take the pressure off your back and help distribute your body’s weight more evenly.

Side Sleepers

This position can be somewhat awkward when you’re wearing a corset because you’ll find yourself trying to keep your balance due to the rigidity of your torso. You may need to engage your core muscles to maintain that balance, which can grow uncomfortable and may prevent you from getting enough sleep. You may also find that there is a big gap between the corset and the mattress. Depending on how firm your waist trainer is, your hips can shift in a way that is not very comfortable for a solid night’s sleep.

The solution again is to provide some cushion in order to relieve pressure caused by the rigid curves in your torso. As for back sleepers, a small pillow or towel roll can do the trick. Place it between your waist and the mattress to keep your spine straight with your hips properly aligned. You might also be more comfortable if you place a pillow behind your back to prevent rolling over. And, as anyone who has ever been pregnant could tell you, you can relieve additional pressure on your hips and back by placing a towel or pillow between your knees. You might even enjoy a full body pillow, which you can use in a couple of positions to support your hips and back.

Tummy Sleepers

If you tend to sleep on your tummy with your head turned to the side, there are a couple of considerations that can make your overnight experience in a corset more comfortable. First, you’re very likely be more comfortable in a latex cincher as opposed to a steel-boned corset with busks that clasp in the front. Second, you may experience more pressure on your neck since the corset prevents your spine from curving as much as it would otherwise. To prevent this discomfort, you will probably prefer sleeping without a pillow. If you need a softer surface to lay your head on, try a pillow-top mattress.

Other Potential Issues

Since a waist trainer provides a somewhat unique sleep experience, it isn’t uncommon if you experience the following:

Acid Reflux

It makes sense that, because your midsection is more restricted and you’re lying down, stomach acid might make its way into your esophagus. There are a couple of ways to prevent this. First, don’t eat any food before going to bed; in particular, steer clear of acidic and sugary foods. You should finish your last meal or snack of the day at least two to three hours before you lie down for the night. Second, try elevating your torso so that you can use gravity in your favor in keeping the stomach acid down. You can use extra pillows or a wedge, on top or even below the mattress. 

Nighttime Bloat

Have you ever noticed that your abdomen feels a little bit fuller at nighttime? That’s because when your body is resting, your nervous system is getting to work in what’s often referred to as “rest and ruminate” mode. Blood flow is directed away from your extremities and towards your core and your internal organs so that you can fully digest your food and do daily maintenance on those organs.

To remedy the discomfort caused by this slight swelling, you’ll want to either loosen your corset or wear one that is already a little bit loose. If you have a latex waist trainer that has room to loosen, simply hook it up on the looser row. If you have a lace-up corset, simply don’t pull the laces as tight. In general, if you have an older waist trainer that you don’t use as much anymore, this might make the perfect nighttime solution.

Wear and Tear

Some nighttime corset wearers find that their waist trainer wears out faster. This might happen for several reasons. First, there could be additional friction from rolling around. Second, your corset could come into contact with more oils from the body, which have accumulated on the sheets and can wear down the color of the outer fabric (which may or may not be a problem depending on how you like to wear it). Third, corsets are designed to hold the body in a neutral standing position rather than a reclining one. Lying down in a corset could put uneven stress on different panels of the corset.

This isn’t a huge concern if you dedicate one of your waist trainers exclusively for sleeping in. It’s another reason why you might want to save your old, looser fitting corset or cincher for nighttime use.

The Best Waist Trainers for Nighttime Wear

 In general, waist trainers are not always designed for sleeping in, so you might have to just find the style that works for your distinct sleeping patterns and environment. But here are a few things to keep in mind when trying to figure out what will work best for your situation.

• Older, larger, worn garments are probably going to be more comfortable, for multiple reasons mentioned above.
• If you don’t have an old waist trainer to use, you might prefer a no-closure option.
• There are benefits and drawbacks to using a steel-boned corset. On one hand, depending on how you sleep, you might find it more rigid, or that the busks in front are uncomfortable. On the other hand, it’s easier to adjust the tightness to exactly where you want it to be.

Have you ever tried sleeping with a waist trainer, or would you try it now that you know it’s possible? Let us know what you think!