We all have grown up hearing from our parents (especially moms) that sleeping with wet hairs would lead us to catch a cold or tangles.
We had been refrained from washing our head at night. It is still a common myth. To negate this debatable issue, we have reached out to numerous hairstylists and experts to get their opinion.
We have some good news, folks!
Going by popular opinion by experts, we learned that sleeping with wet hair does not have to spell damage for your strands. The only thing they cautioned about is how different hair types can go to bed with damp hair.
Hence it is possible to doze off with wet tresses and wake up actually looking pretty darn good Rapunzel-like hairs. We got drawn up a roadmap to achieve the same.
So relax and take our advice on how to sleep on damp strands without ending up mourning it. 🙂
Keep scrolling down to check out the best preparedness tricks with wet hair.
Things to know about sleeping with wet hair:
Never sleep with totally wet hair.
This should be the first of the listed things to remember if you are sleeping with wet strands, then you might land up with creases in your hairs. Again the damage can be in the form of breakage too. So either blast it with a hairdryer to dry out 60-70% of your hair, or wait to dry till it’s a little damp naturally.
Again don’t get disappointed. If you’re okay with waking up to wet hairs and air drying them in the morning, then you should invest in a satin pillowcase first.
That will allow your hair to glide around freely when you sleep, without breakage, less frizz, or creases and damage to the hair cuticle. The usual cotton bedding options are incredibly rough and can cause knotting on your hair and breakage.
Always opt for a Deep Conditioning Hair Mask.
People often experience frizzy hairs in the mornings if they had slept with wet strands. To solve this frizz formation, one can use a deep conditioning mask before one hit the bed. It is recommended to use a light hydrating hair mask.
Tip- avoid using the conditioner in the evenings so that the hair mask functions perfectly on your hairs. Also, avoid using a heavy mask as that can otherwise make you wake up with greasy hair.
Style your Hair Up or Go for Braids
Use your Finger-comb to put your hair up. We recommend a loosely twisted bun hairstyle at the crown and tie with a broad, smooth scrunchie that won’t leave marks or dents. Hairstylists believe that you will get a beautiful, shiny, natural-looking, sexy be ahead look in the morning by doing so.
If you like the beach waves on your hairs, then go for braids on wet tresses. Experiment with two to four braids or plants first to see what works for you. But definitely, you wake up in the a.m. With that glam look!
Tip -Don’t bother if you are Imperfect in making a braid or perfect curl. When you’re styling before bed, it will work wonders for you.
Let’s now discuss how to sleep with wet hair if you:
- If you Have straight locks–
Experts say to use hair serum on damp hairs. Starting from mid-length till the ends to avoid experience tangles in the morning. The good thing about straight locks is that you can opt for any hairstyle.
If you want curls in the morning, then the twisted bun on top or French braids would do the trick. Nevertheless, if you’re going to leave your hair straight, then finger brush them up in one single direction and let them dry naturally.
- If you have curls-
Curly hair people should first blow-dry their strands and use a curl cream before sleep. The curl cream helps in retaining the curl texture of your hair and avoid any frizz. You can also opt for a single or multiple braids style to maintain the curly consistency.
Remember to tie the braid on top of your head to avoid getting any unwanted kinks. This hairdo will give add more volume to your manes. Just remember to open the braids with your fingers or a wide-toothed wooden comb when you wake up.
Common FAQs –
Does Sleeping with Wet Hair Make You Sick?
The popular myth we would like to bust is the connection between wet hair and common colds.
Colds occur due to viruses, most commonly a rhinovirus, and not because of wet hair. But in the event, if your pillowcase has fungal growth, it may, however, cause a fungal infection.
Ensure to change your beddings once every week.
But it is always advisable to dry out your hair before you sleep
How bad is it to sleep with wet hair?
If you sleep with wet hair without taking necessary precautions, you will experience unruly-looking dry and knotty hairs when you wake up.
This will consume more of your time in the morning to make things better.
Wet hairs cause breakage as it is in a fragile state. Dampness causes weakening of the internal structure and strengthening friction which leads to breakage while brushing.
Now, while combing your hair might break, because of he fragile state.
How to deal with frizz?
If you are suffering from frizz on your hairs, then-
- Use a leave-in conditioner.
- Opt for silk fabrics made accessories for your hair, like a silk scarf, hairband, pillow cover, or scrunchie.
- Twist your hair in a top knot.
- Wrap them in a bun.
- Avoid brushing your hair. Use fingers.
Which products to use while going to sleep with wet hair?
We recommend using high-quality hair masks with ingredients such as keratin, especially for bleached and chemical treated hairs. This can absorb into the hair efficiently and can treat hair overnight.
You should apply a thin layer if you are less in time. In case one can spare 20-30 mins before sleep, then a thicker application is allowed for deeper penetration of the product.
You should wrap your hairs in a hair turban after applying the mask and go to sleep. The home-based idea is to use coconut oil on wet hairs as it protects hair from breakage.
Wrapping up
Many hair experts suggest trying to use a microfiber towel to dry excessive water if you insist on sleeping on wet hair. Sleeping in totally wet hairs can lead to the development of conditions like dandruff and dermatitis.
If possible, try to sleep with dry hairs. The above-listed measures should be adopted and followed if there is no other option left for you. The risk of sleeping with wet hairs are though minimum, but one should be careful—the less water in the hair, the better.