They don’t call it “beauty sleep” for nothing. Sleep restores the body and mind — hair included. Yet, your well-meaning hygiene efforts, such as showering before bed, might be doing more harm than good to your hair health. You may have heard that going to sleep with a “wet head” can lead to bed head in the morning and, worse, hair loss and breakage. Is it bad to sleep with wet hair, though? The short answer is that experts don’t recommend it.
“In general, sleeping with wet hair is not a good idea,” said Clyde Haygood, a celebrity hairstylist and PURA D’OR Partner.
Yet, other experts stress that the risks of sleeping with wet hair can be overhyped online. It may sound like splitting hairs, but the nuance is important. Here’s what you need to know about sleeping with wet hair, along with the hair pros’ suggestions for alternative approaches.
Is it bad to sleep with wet hair?
Wet hair can become a next-day — and long-term — nightmare. “Hair is most fragile when it’s wet, so tossing and turning against your pillowcase can rough up the cuticle and lead to frizz or split ends,” Brandon Cohen, a celebrity hair stylist in Westlake Village, Calif. “This is usually worse on longer hair…. Plus, you’ll likely wake up with bedhead the next day.”
To be clear, experts also don’t suggest hitting the panic button if you drift off to sleep with soaking hair here and there.
“I don’t like to respond with ‘on/off’ responses like good or bad because there’s always more to the story,” said Jess Poynter, a certified clinical trichologist and founder of Scalp Haven Hair Studio.”Will sleeping with wet hair cause it to fall out? In one instance, no.”
Still, Poynter suggests trying to go to sleep with dry hair more often, in part because of the risk of breakage. However, “wet head” can cause some other issues.
“The scalp still being damp while going to sleep lends itself to be more likely to create a warm, moist environment, perfect for bacterial or fungal overgrowth,” Poynter says.
Poynter says this overgrowth can change your skin’s microbiome and contribute to conditions, including:
- Dandruff
- Seborrheic dermatitis
- Scalp acne
- Infections
“It’s not uncommon for these conditions to then lend themselves to be the breeding ground for hair thinning and shedding, largely because of the unbalanced scalp microbiome,” Poynter said.
That does not sound like sweet dreams.
Is it OK to sleep with wet hair in a towel?
Sleeping with a towel around wet hair isn’t as bad as hitting the hay with sopping locks and no cover. Still, it’s not experts’ first choice. “Sleeping with wet hair in a towel is somewhat of a better option, though still not ideal,” Haygood said.
On the plus side, Haygood said the towel can help lower friction and breakage. Plus, the towel can absorb some excess water — but not all of it.
“The wet environment can lead to growth of bacteria and fungus,” Haygood said.
If you do choose to wrap your wet hair in a towel at night, Haygood suggests using a microfiber towel.
“It absorbs more water than cotton and leaves less of a damp environment for bacteria, yeast, and fungus to grow,” Haygood said.
5 ways to avoid sleeping with wet hair
Experts don’t recommend sleeping with wet hair, so what’s a guy to do? They offered five top-notch suggestions that are a lock for better hair health.
- Opt for morning showers. Here us out, night shower fans. “I know it’s not ideal,” Poynter said. However, falling asleep with wet hair can cause breakage and bacteria, and showering in the morning is a logical way to avoid these issues.
- Shower an hour before bed. If you cannot bear to ditch your night shower habit, Poynter suggested timing yours for an hour before bed. By taking this step, you’re less likely to fall asleep with soaking wet hair.
- Use a microfiber towel. Haygood suggested removing as much water as possible from a microfiber towel. Cohen agrees, suggesting guys use the towel for 10 minutes for maximum H2O elimination before letting locks air dry.
- Use a diffuser. Poynter explained that diffusers will at least dry the scalp. “If your hair is longer, blow-dry the midshaft and ends until it feels cool and dry to the touch,” Poytner said.
- Sleep on silk. It’s luxe for your face and hair. “A silk or ‘slippy’ pillowcase [makes it so that the] hair doesn’t ‘scuff’ along the fabric and create micro-breakage up and down the hair shaft,” Poytner said. Just make sure to wash it regularly. “This will reduce the risk of transferring any bacterial or fungal growth from your pillowcase to your hair and scalp,” Haygood said.
Takeaway
Hair stylists and hair loss experts don’t recommend sleeping on wet hair. Your hair is fragile when it’s wet, so it breaks off more easily. The dampness also serves as a breeding ground for fungus and bacteria, increasing your risk of developing dandruff, scalp acne, and other unwanted conditions. Logically, you can avoid these issues by showering in the morning. If that’s logistically not possible, try to shower at least an hour before bed. A microfiber towel and a blow dryer or diffuser can also help you avoid “wet head.” A clean, silk pillowcase can reduce the friction that causes breakage, making your time in dreamland sweeter for your hair.
