3 Reasons You Should Never Sleep with Wet Hair
We’ve all done it at some point in our lives. Gone to bed with wet hair, that is.
I know I’ve done it. I used to wash my hair at night, throw it in braids, and head to bed. No big deal, right?
WRONG!
What I didn’t know at the time was that going to sleep with wet hair can cause all sorts of problems for your hair and scalp. Did you know? If not, read on, friend! Let me tell you the 3 reasons you absolutely, positively do NOT want to go to sleep with wet hair.
1. Bacteria, fungus, and mold grow in water.
Somewhere or another we’ve heard this before, haven’t we?! Perhaps in our chat about things to look for in an ingredient list, and why we use preservatives in our hair products.
Anywho, ever go to sleep with wet hair and wake up with an itchy scalp? We hate to tell you this but… because bacteria, fungus, and mold grow in water. When you leave water on your head overnight, you are creating the perfect environment for them to flourish. 🤢 Victoria Glass of the Farr Institute states, "sleeping with wet hair may amplify the chances of having fungal infections on your scalp. This fungi, malassezia, may result to dermertitis and dandruff."
But what about your pillowcase? Glad you asked. Bacteria, mold, and fungus can also grow on your pillowcase, leading to internal issues, like asthma or infection.
2. Hygral Fatigue
What is hygral fatigue, you ask? Well, it’s when water expands your hair shaft and opens your cuticle for so long your hair becomes overhydrated. Opening your hair cuticle is great for cleaning purposes, but not good overnight.
Leaving your hair shaft expanded and cuticle open makes your hair weak, which will lead to damage and breakage. "A persons hair is actually at its weakest when it’s wet, which leads to a heightened risk of breakage and this combined with the average tossing and turning at night can lead to a lot of damage during the night," says Marie Burke of O'Flynn Medical, "This is a huge issue if your hair is tied up or in any style that increases tension."
3. Your hair will dry unpredictably.
Think about how your roots dry up while using clips for volume. This is the same concept. By going to sleep with wet hair, the hair strands will dry the way you lay. And no one wants their curls going in all different directions!
"Going to sleep with wet hair can be bad for you, but not in the way your grandmother warned you," says Enrizza Factor of My Vitiligo Team, "Ideally, you should be going to bed with completely dry hair to reduce your risk of fungal infections and hair breakage. Sleeping with wet hair could also result in more tangles and a funky mane to tend to in the morning. If you can’t avoid sleeping with wet hair, you can minimize potentially damaging friction with a few simple tweaks to your bath and bedtime routine."
So what to do to avoid going to sleep with wet hair? We have a few suggestions.
1. When drying off, use microfiber towels instead of regular cotton towels. Microfiber is not as rough and absorbs water more easily
2.Blow dry your hair with your hair dryer and diffuser attachment.
3. Try to wash and style your hair with enough time to let it dry completely. Remember, the more styling products you use, the longer it will take your hair to dry.
4. Wash your hair, but don’t style. Your hair will dry much faster and then you can style it in the morning!
Did you know these things about going to sleep with wet hair? Tell us in the comments.
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