Is Sleeping With Wet Hair Bad for You?

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Author Name: Beth Rush
Date: Friday July 17, 2020

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What’s better than a little extra beauty sleep to start the day? A quick shower before you hit the hay can save you time before heading out to work or school. Sleeping with wet hair might feel like the only option if you don’t have time to properly care for it after a shower. Before you go to bed with freshly washed hair, it’s essential to address some truths and myths.

After all, some mothers and grandmothers swear that this practice can make you catch a cold. Is that true? Here’s a look at how sleeping with wet hair could impact your health.

You Shouldn’t Believe Old Wives’ Tales

Many people believe that when you feel chilly, you’ll become sick. This old wives’ tale has passed through generations, but it’s not exactly accurate. In reality, you’ll rarely catch an illness because you’re physically cold. You can expect to stay completely healthy throughout the winter unless you catch a virus. 

If your immune cells are cold, you could contract an infection more quickly than you would otherwise. Still, it’s not like wet hair directly correlates with illness. You won’t wake up sneezing if you decide to take a shower at night. That said, you could put yourself at risk for issues that more directly impact your hair.

Here are two main concerns that you’ll encounter when you take night showers consistently.

You Could Experience Hair Damage

You may notice that your hair seems brittle if you continue to sleep with it wet. That’s because water can ruin your hair follicles’ protective layers. Once this material erodes, further water will likely penetrate your hair follicles to the point that they’ll break. This process also causes your hair to lose its natural sheen.

You’ve probably caused further damage to your hair if you like to style it wet before you hit the hay. A tight updo doesn’t allow enough room for your hair strands to breathe. Of course, it’s important to point out that you can cause damage to your hair whether you color, blowdry, brush or curl it. There’s almost no way to avoid breakage.

You May Become Susceptible to Scalp Conditions

You could create an environment for fungal infections if you don’t sleep with dry hair. While our scalps create fungus naturally, an overgrowth could increase issues like seborrheic dermatitis if you’re not careful. A damp pillowcase helps aid this process, as it creates an environment for extra fungus to grow.

If you want to maintain a healthy scalp, it’s best to sleep with dry hair as often as possible. You’ll inadvertently create more bacteria otherwise. You should also rotate and wash your pillowcases so that you can always sleep with a clean one.

How to Shower Before Bed Properly

You can take a few steps to protect your hair if you have no other choice but to shower before bed. 

You should apply a conditioner while you shower – for example, a leave-in product would keep your hair moisturized all night. Let your hair dry for a few minutes before you comb it. Leave your hair down and use a silk pillowcase so that you can avoid tangles.

These tips can help prevent any damage that may occur overnight.

Sleeping With Wet Hair Isn’t the Worst Option

While sleeping with hair shouldn’t be your first choice, it’s easy to avoid any breakage with a few simple tricks. Many people sleep with wet hair every night, so it’s up to you and your hair, whether this habit causes more harm than good.

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