After you get married, you may find yourself wondering if you have to wear your wedding ring all the time or if you’re even allowed to take it off at all. The short answer is that you can choose to wear a ring or not wear a ring whenever you would like however there are certain times when you should absolutely NOT wear your ring. Here are some examples:

1. Showering (and hand washing):
While it may seem tedious to remove your ring every time you wash your hands, its important. First and foremost, soap makes your fingers slippery and the last thing you want to do is lose your ring down the drain. Also, soap and conditioner can build up in the detailing of your ring and make jewels less shiny. Your best bet is to leave it on the counter.

2. Exercise:
When you exercise, your fingers swell and you ring can cut off circulation to your finger which can actually damage your digits, worse, if your ring happened to get stuck it could lead to serious injury. Also, the metal in your ring is likely softer than the metal gym equipment is made from, meaning your ring could actually lose its shape.

Wedding Ring Off

3. Pregnancy:
During pregnancy, your body goes through massive changes. Your fingers will likely swell and the danger of keeping your rings on is that they might get stuck and that can lead to injury or ruining your ring.

4. Sleeping:
Especially if you have a stone that sits a bit higher than the band of your ring you should consider taking your ring off while you sleep. The last thing you want is to wake up with a big scratch on your face!

5. Swimming:
There are countless stories about people losing their wedding rings while swimming – either in a pool or at the beach and that can be devastating. It is near impossible to find a ring that has been lost in waves or a pool.

BONUS: Travel
When you travel, especially to heavy tourist areas, you open yourself up as a target to less desirable people – especially if you have a particularly sparkly ring. A suggestion would be to have a less sentimental ring that you can travel with to avoid losing it or having it stolen.


Really, it is up to you whether or not you wear your wedding ring, but if you choose to, there are some times when it is in your best interest to take it off and leave it in a safe space, both to avoid losing your ring and avoid injuring yourself.