Let’s be honest: we’ve all gone to bed with jewelry, countless times. Sometimes it just happens, and you don’t even think about the need to remove the jewelry, often because the jewelry piece is so comfortable and feels like it is part of you.
But is wearing jewelry to bed safe/okay? What about your wedding or engagement ring that fits like a glove?
We are all guilty of sleeping in our earrings, necklaces, and rings, but what are the implications of these lifestyle habits on your skin, if any?
Can you wear rings or jewelry to bed?
Well, according to a leading dermatologist working with New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital, Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology, Marina Peredo, M.D., F.A.A.D, wearing jewelry continuously really isn’t a big deal. Think about it – you are human, and your senses are often on overdrive, which means that if the jewelry you wear caused any form of skin reaction, you’d stop wearing it in a hot second.
So, the only reason why you’d be comfortable going to bed with your jewelry has to be the comfort it brings and its non-reactiveness, no? Yes, going to bed with your ring, necklace, or earring is not a big deal, as long as you keep it clean, and the material for the jewelry doesn’t cause any irritation. To answer your question – yes, you can wear rings to bed.
Note, however, that the main reason why it’s not recommended to wear jewelry to bed has to do with the fact that wearing that ring all day and night, causes potential damage to the jewelry.
Your health might not suffer, but after some time, that expensive ring might look old and drab way too soon after its purchase. For the most part, sleeping in and showering in your jewelry will affect the appearance and, in other cases, the structural integrity of the ring.
Is it bad to sleep with a ring?
No, it isn’t. And the only time you should avoid wearing jewelry to bed is when the jewelry causes allergies, in which case, prolonged exposure would exacerbate the symptoms of the reaction, and you will start itching, and the irritated skin will appear flaky, dry, and even scaly. In worst-case scenarios, you may have to struggle with blisters/ rashes.
To know whether the ring is something you can comfortably wear whenever, even in bed, reassess its ingredients. If it’s made of added silver or gold, it often means that the ring has nickel, a metal that causes most of the worst skin reactions.
You also need to think about tarnishing. One of the reasons why it would be an excellent idea for you to invest in tarnish-free rings is that if a ring tarnishes and turns black or green, you will see the green or black tarnish on your skin. And no one wants that.
Perspiration is the other issue you need to take into consideration when it comes to wearing and sleeping with your jewelry. Perspiration results in a reaction between your skin and the jewelry, and it would also interact with medications. So if you perspire a lot, especially at night, and are afraid that there would be some irritation. As a result, sleeping with your ring, earrings, or necklace might not be the best idea.
How to avoid adverse skin reactions or tarnishing of the ring?
But why go through all this trouble yet you can tell upfront whether the ring you are wearing will cause irritation or not? All you need is a patch test which will tell you whether you react adversely to copper, nickel, or any other metal.
The other thing you need to do is to avoid costume and fashion jewelry. Unless your wedding or engagement ring is made with the highest quality materials and is, as a result, non-allergenic and non-reactive, you should think about removing them before you hop into the shower. Oftentimes, costume, and fashion jewelry are plated, and they tend to tarnish, which means skin discoloration, especially in contact with water and soap in the shower or even sweat.
For your engagement ring can wear it all the time and even sleep in it, as long as you keep the ring clean. Regular cleaning is important because the buildup of oils, dirt, and bacteria would affect your skin, as well as the ring.
Is it bad to sleep with your wedding ring?
Again, it isn’t a bad thing to sleep with your wedding ring on, but there are cases where the best thing for you to do is not to sleep with the ring. And this applies mostly to women.
We are talking about the fact that most of the wedding bands for women come in variable shapes, sizes, and styles. If your ring is simple with no embellishments, you can sleep with it. However, if the ring appears big and is embellished with stones or if cut in different shapes, then you really shouldn’t think about sleeping with it on. The associated risk is too high – ring getting caught in your hair is not our idea of rest; neither is it for you.
Is it bad to sleep with your engagement ring on?
If your engagement ring comes with one of the biggest stones imaginable, you should not sleep with it on. Also, your engagement is probably one of the finest pieces of jewelry you will own, and it pays to take good care of it – take it off before bed. One of the biggest issues has to do with the ring getting caught in your hair or sheets and the fact that this would loosen the ring’s setting.
You should also check the MOH of the stone on your ring to make sure that the ring is not the most fragile piece of jewelry. In some cases, putting the weight of your body on the ring might make the ring lose its shape.
And if the ring feels tight/ too snug when you wear it, removing it might be a good idea because your fingers might swell at night.
Also, an engagement ring with a big stone would damage your sheets or poke/ scratch your partner.
Tips and advice to protect your rings when you sleep
- Keep it clean and remove it before you jump into the shower.
- Remove the ring if it’s embellished with gemstones and to avoid wearing out of the prongs.
- Check the setting and the prongs regularly.
Conclusion
Whether you sleep in your ring or not is a personal choice, some people are more attached to their rings than others.
However, there are many cases where it’s advisable for you to remove the ring before bed – when you are allergic to the metal, if it has gemstones set on prongs, and if you want an intimate experience with your partner, and are worried that the ring will scratch your partner.
Also, remove it if it’s uncomfortable because of swelling. But if the ring doesn’t get in the way and is comfortable, you shouldn’t bother removing it. Keep it clean, though.
For more ring related posts, read this section for more.
See you guys in the next post!
Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.