I find the whole proper support thing to be very modern and maybe a bit Victorian. High breasts and perky cleavage are a pretty modern invention, first brought about by the corset, and then by those torpedo bras. The images you are likely to see of hunter-gatherer women in National Geographic are what normal breasts look like. We've just found ways to hike 'em up because dudes have been known to have a bit of a bias towards being into young women who haven't had children. Women noticed this, and rigged up booby support accordingly, so we can look like we have the breasts of a teenager well into middle age (which you really can't blame women for wanting because until very recently a woman's attractiveness to the opposite sex pretty much determined whether a woman could count on being treated well and being supported financially).

Due to both chemical environmental estrogens and some interesting growth hormones in our dairy supply women are in general much more well endowed than in decades and centuries past though, so if you grew up with lots of support for the tendons in your breasts, suddenly going braless could be pretty painful, so by all means support those girls if you are in pain.

Personally, I go for absolutely minimal sleep bra support during the day even with DD's and don't have any pain with normal everyday activities, but I put on a tight sports bra if there is going to be a lot of jumping or jogging because that can get painful.

I have to wear 2 sports bras to workout comfortably. And by comfortably I mean I'd rather be compressed in the ribs than have my boobs all over.

I'm 36D and never wear a bra to bed (VERY uncomfortable to wear one while trying to sleep!).

I never wear a bra while just sitting around the house.

The only time I wear one is when I go out, or people are over visiting, mostly because I assume it would be distracting for my nipples to be sticking out, or seeing the natural bounciness of my breasts while walking, lol...

I don't exercise much (yet) but I will wear a sports bra or two whenever I decide to start working out.

I'm a 34E and in my fifties, so "high breasts" is something I vaguely remember from my early teenage days. I don't wear a bra in bed or when I just sit around at home by myself (and my cats who don't seem to care), and I don't wear one if I do some weight exercises at home (not jumping or running). I ALWAYS wear one in public or when I'm in and out of the house. I wear supercomfy bras from decentexposures.com, a group of women in Seattle who sew bras and maturnity clothes. I will never look back to any other brand. You can customize your bra with what material, what kind of rib band and whether you want single or double lining, front opening or no opening (like a sports bra), and other things. They are supercomfy (if a bra can be comfortable at all) and the double lining provides more support (like a sports bra), the single lining is like a leisure bra, still enough support if just walking about outdoors. I don't run (unless I have to...) but I can't even look at other heavy chested women running because I can actually feel the pain just watching. I would love to get a breast reduction if it didn't involve surgery and anesthesia and doctors, hospitals, and such. I would get it down to a A or B so I don't have to spend money on bras anymore but use it to buy more paleo food:) I'm not in discomfort or shame or anything, just generally really tired of it and as I get older I more and more want my 12yo flat chest back.

I myself am a 12H and I would never be able to do a workout unless I wanted to leave the gym with 2 black eyes lol

I wear 1 sometimes 2 bras (if cardio) during exercise, breasts move up to 21cm (8.26inches), up and down, in and out and side to side I don't want to damage any of my skin around the breast while I'm loosing weight as they tend to look horrible when I'm at my smallest

I'm a 32 DD. Most days I can't wait to get home and rip the bra off (although I've just started wearing Chantelle as my day to day and it's kind of awesome). For working out I tried many different brands and types and found the Moving Comfort is pretty amazing. Super comfortable, tight without feeling like my ribs are being crushed and awesome support. My girls don't move, even when running, doing box jumps (which used to always embarrass me), etc. They also clasp in the back (not all of them, just the ones I prefer) which I never thought about with a sports bra, but I love! Especially on those days when I'm feeling a bit more puffy or swollen.

http://www.movingcomfort.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-MovingComfort-Site/default/Default-Start?os=adwords&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=adwords&gclid=CLaXir6N-68CFQtThwodSA3CRA

I just reread this and it sounds like I work for the company. Definitely don't, just like to recommend solid products that have really improved my day to day life.

You need to wear a bra to exercise (not to bed, of course). I have the same problem and I don't know any other options rather than I wear a regular under wire bra from Macy's... but I really need something else for support.

So I am thinking about getting Enell Sports bra - Oprah said it is good.

Under wire bras are good for walking, but when you are running, they just cannot keep it in place... so... come back and post it if you find something that works for you.

Pectoral exercises will help your boobs look more perky. I don't think they'll do much for pain. You probably are stuck with some form of support mechanism.

You could try losing (more) weight. Maybe it will subtract from the front, but some women are destined to be big chested.

You could also try desensitizing them. I don't mean anything extreme. But if I baby my girls, they act like babies.

Paleo or not, if it's painful not to, wear one. I know many large breasted women who even wear a light bra (you know those "shelf bras" that may be enough for smaller women) to sleep. For every day wear, I've found the moulded cup underwires work very well (and look best too!). Honestly, for years I would look at those sorts of bras and think, I don't need any more padding (they aren't padded really) then one day I tried one on and that's pretty much what I wear. Mine are very comfortable, and for whatever reason, the underwires in these have never moved, poked out of the seams and hurt me. For sports, Champion seems to be my best bet.