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The Ultimate Ranking of the Most Comfortable Undies You Can Buy

At this point, athleisure and loungewear have become the norm. In lieu of hard pants (aka jeans… #TBT) and blouses, people are turning to only the softest, coziest pieces of clothing for everyday garb. But your quarantine wardrobe might be missing some activewear underwear.

Most people are very familiar with the leggings, sports bras, light-as-air tops, and hoodies that make up athleisure staples. If you didn’t know, though, here’s a fun fact: The same brands that make your fave workout wear also likely make underwear, too. And, as you’d imagine, these aren’t your regular undies—these are as soft and comfortable (and sometimes sweat-wicking!) as the rest of your activewear.

The cloud-like material is what makes ath-undies (new term, you heard it here first) worth turning to. Unlike regular underwear, athleisure underwear doesn’t leave that dreaded outline that shows everyone behind you the shape of your intimates. These babies are as seamless as underwear can get, which means that they also move along with your body for ultimate comfort. To get your hands on a pair (or three), keep scrolling for our power ranking of the best activewear underwear that you can buy.

1. Girlfriend Collective Brief, $14

Well+Good News Writer Kara Jillian Brown swears by this pair of briefs for being comfortable enough to wear when she’s working from home. “Working from home means I’m living in leggings, but there’s nothing cozy about sitting around in a thong,” she says. “I love that I can throw on my Girlfriend Collective undies when I need something seamless and comfy.” Another perk of these? The material is made out of 80-percent of recycled plastic, so they’re also good for the environment.

Shop now: Girlfriend Collective Brief, $14

2. Alo Airbrush Invisible Cheeky, $18

New to the ath-undies scene are Alo intimates, which come in both a cheeky brief and seamless thong shape. Like the brand’s dreamy leggings, the underwear are also light-as-air, breathable, and made to hug your body for the perfect fit. They’re so light that you won’t even feel ’em on you, which is the best thing to hear about underwear TBH.

Shop now: Alo Airbrush Invisible Cheeky, $18

3. Lively The All-Day Thong, $10

You know how you can just tell when you’re wearing a thong? Somehow, this pair by Lively doesn’t give you that dreaded flossing sensation. It’s so light, it almost feels like you’re going commando, but provides just enough lining and coverage for everyday wear.

Shop now: Lively The All-Day Thong, $10

4. Good American Low Impact Bikini, $19

Good American made waves with its perfectly snug leggings and jeans (seriously: their jeans are so cozy), and the same applies to the brand’s active intimates. You can choose between a bikini cut and a thong, both of which have a soft compression fabric that stretches with your body and leaves no underwear outline at all.

Shop now: Good American Low Impact Bikini, $19

5. Lululemon Soft Seamless Hipster, 18

One of the most annoying things about traditional pairs of underwear is that they tend to ride right up whenever you move (the squat wedgie is real). Lululemon makes active-friendly panties that won’t ever do this. They’re smooth, thin, and made from a sweat-wicking fabric that’ll do you good whether you’re WFH or streaming a workout class.

Shop now: Lululemon Soft Seamless Hipster, 18

6. Les Girls Les Boys Supersoft Thong, $20

Les Girls Les Boys is a brand launched by the founder of Agent Provocateur, so you know it’s good. This super-soft thong has a flattering high-waisted cut with ribbed trim and is one of few thong options that you’d actually want to wear every single day.

Shop now: Les Girls Les Boys Supersoft Thong, $20

7. Sweaty Betty Sculpt Bikini Briefs, $18

Athleisure aficionados love Sweaty Betty for its eye-grabbing prints and snug fabrics that you never want to take off. Its ath-undies do the brand justice: They’re breathable, feather-light, and have a cotton lining, all of which make ’em ideal for those days when you never leave the couch (or even for your workouts).

Shop now: Sweaty Betty Sculpt Bikini Briefs, $18

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These Mats Give You Back Pain Relief and an Acupressure Massage at the Same Time

2020 will hands down go down as the year of creaky joints and tense muscles, thanks to the newfound WFH life. One method for treating aches and pains is to get an acupuncture treatment, where certain hotspots of your body are pricked with needles to release tension. Because of quarantine orders, getting an appointment with an acupuncturist may not happen for a while; however, there are benefits to laying on an acupressure mat, which gives you similar stress-melting relief at home.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupressure is a method, where pressure points throughout your body are triggered to promote a more open flow of energy. This can be done by a practitioner, who would use their hands, or via an acupressure mat, which is a sort of thin mat or pillow covered in spikes. “Acupressure mats are designed to produce similar results as acupressure from a practitioner, and the plastic spike discs on the mat are used to promote relaxation and healing by clearing meridian blockages in the body,” says Juhi Singh, integrative health specialist and founder of the Juhi-Ash Center in New York City.

The idea is that you lie down with your back on the acupressure mat, and the little spikes press against your muscles and stimulate circulation. “Some find that five to ten minutes of use in the morning promotes a wake-up tingle to their day, and some may find that a half-hour use before bedtime promotes pre-sleep bliss,” says Singh. Personally, I’ve found the most relief in my lower back, which has been extra-tight from hunching over a computer all day. I use the acupressure pillow (which often comes with the mat) in my desk chair as lumbar support, so it’s working double duty as a posture helper and a tension melter.

When you’re starting out with your own mat, Singh suggests starting slow. “Please do not just drop your bare derrière onto it and flop back,” she says. Begin by lying down onto the mat while wearing light clothing before you let the spikes touch your bare skin. “Ease in with a soft roll, and, once positioned, do not wiggle—that can cause a sharp piercing of the skin,” she says. The most important thing to do? Breathe. “Consciously relax your body and mind.” Keep scrolling to shop for your own acupressure mat so that you can start reaping these dreamy benefits.

1. WTHN Acupressure Mat Set, $65

Created by wellness center WTHN, this acupressure mat set gives you a soft, gray mat and matching pillow that fits right behind your neck (or back) for muscle tension relief.

Shop now: WTHN Acupressure Mat Set, $65

2. Yogi Bare Acupressure Mat, $31

With 210 pressure points, this roll-up mat works to manipulate your body’s pressure points, and it’s all made with eco-friendly materials. The brand also makes a mat and pillow set if you’re looking for the whole shebang.

Shop now: Yogi Bare Acupressure Mat, $31

3. Ajna Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set, $50

Unwind on this 100 percent cotton set, which gives you a nice, chunky pillow for a more cozy neck tension-relief sesh.

Shop now: Ajna Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set, $50

4. DoSensePro Extra-Long Acupressure Mat and Pillow Massage Set, $35

To cover more surface area, snag this lengthy acupressure mat, which also comes with a pillow, carrying bag, and a hot/cold gel pack to enhance your sessions.

Shop now: DoSensePro Extra-Long Acupressure Mat and Pillow Massage Set, $35

5. Nayoya Acupressure Mat and Neck Pillow Set, $30

This is a best-seller on Amazon and comes with a lifetime money-back guarantee, so you really can’t lose if you want to try it out.

Shop now: Nayoya Acupressure Mat and Neck Pillow Set, $30

6. Lixada Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set, $26

You might not care about the color scheme of your acupressure tools, but if you do, this brand has fun color combos. And it comes with the added bonus of two spiky massage balls so that you can truly hit every nook and cranny of your body.

Shop now: Lixada Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set, $26

If you’re curious about acupuncture, the next step up from acupressure, watch the video below:

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