The Case For Taking Your Engagement Ring Off Before Bed

Once your partner bends down on one knee and gives you your engagement ring, you may want to wear the special piece of jewelry all the time. In fact, the excitement of your upcoming wedding coupled with your love for your partner may cause you to keep it on for every single hour of the day. However, while this may be a sweet sentiment, it can have some negative side effects.

According to 12Fifteen, there are a number of times in the day when you should remove your ring, including when showering, swimming, washing your hands, polishing the ring, applying lotion or exfoliants, working out, cleaning your home, or partaking in certain hobbies, such as gardening. This is because these tasks can cause damage, as well as make the piece extra dirty, or create scenarios where it's easy for you to lose your precious jewelry. Another time of day you should always remove your wedding ring is before you go to sleep at night.

Unless you're an active sleeper, most don't risk losing their engagement ring while sleeping at night, but they do risk damaging it. While the stone(s) shouldn't get damaged, the fragile prongs easily could. According to Albert's Diamond Jewelers, it's common for the prongs that typically hold the diamond or another stone to get caught on blankets or bedding, which could loosen them and eventually make it easier for the stone to fall out. Further, even if they don't get caught on anything, the prongs can still get bent or misshapen while sleeping.

The experts at Estate Diamond Jewelry also point out that some may want to remove their ring because the metal irritates their skin or could scratch them during the night. This is fairly common, as the stones or prongs can be sharp. Keep in mind, things like dust, small pieces of debris, and hair can also easily get caught in the ring.

At the same time, some people sleep with their engagement ring on because they're either scared of losing it or find it too inconvenient to always be taking it off. If this is the case for you, frequently bring it to your local jeweler for a regular cleaning and checkup, as this will ensure that the prongs stay tight around the stone. Those who have an engagement ring without a stone could also easily keep it on throughout the night.

If you're worried about losing it, there are plenty of ways to keep your ring safe while sleeping. Most people who take it off when they sleep keep it on their nightstand, but it could easily get knocked off and lost, so use something that will keep your jewelry contained. For instance, you could purchase a ceramic dish, which is a small and typically round container. In fact, Etsy has a number of them that can be monogrammed. In addition, you could always go with a unique holder specially made to hold rings, such as one from Amazon that looks like a succulent. On the other hand, if your partner proposed with the ring inside a box, you could use that, or purchase an engraved one on Etsy.