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Have you ever thought it is a wise idea to sleep without underwear on your bed at night? If your answer is "no" then it is time you should start thinking about it since wearing undies at night may affect fertility in men and cause infection in women.

Though sleeping nude, even without underwear in summer sounds weird, it turns out that letting your genitals breathe could do a lot for your health and well-being. We sweat a lot in summer and the undergarments make it worse, particularly if they don't absorb the sweat.

Sweat happens to be a perfect breeding ground for microbes. Bacteria and yeast grow well in sweat and the temperature in summer is most suited for the growth of these organisms. This will result in irritation and skin infection and women that experience hot flushes during menopause suffer a great deal of this problem.

"I tell my patients to sleep without underwear. If the area is constantly covered, especially by fabric that's not moisture wicking or absorbent, then moisture collects, creating the perfect breeding ground for bacteria or yeast," said American gynecologist Dr Alyssa Dweck, reported Mirror.

Dr Shirley McQuade, Medical Director of Dublin's Well Woman Centre explained that men going to bed with briefs or boxers is equally a bad idea. She added that scrotum is present outside men's body on a purpose.

Scrotum cannot tolerate the temperature of human body and an increase in temperature would largely affect the production of sperm. Decrease in the sperm count is directly linked to fertility in men.

That being the case, wearing undies to bed impact fertility in men as well as cause sweat related discomforts. Men are also advised not to wear lycra and tight fitting undergarments during gym and other physical activities.

"Wearing underwear to bed can cause problems for women in that the temperature is increased and the circulation is low which can allow for bacteria and yeast to thrive causing problems," noted McQuade, while discussing how underwear at night affect women's health, according to Independent. 

"It isn't just underwear either. Wearing tight lycra while working out can also be a cause of recurring infections in women and I would always advise them to wear loose clothing while at the gym and cotton underwear," she said.