How to Sleep With Long Hair – Win the “Tangled Battle”
Since the first cavewoman woke to hair lumps after diving for that clamshell, sleeping with wet hair became a problem.
A real one.
Sure, the clamshell made a good spoon, but was it worth the breakage?
Cavewomen jokes aside, we girls here at Sleep Studies know the problem all too well.
You go to bed, and every night, you are “attacked” by your own hair.
Or you have a peaceful night, but in the morning your hair looks flat and lifeless, your locks are squashed and you desperately want to call your hairdresser, but there’s no time.
Here’s the good news – we also know a lot about sleep.
Here’s how to win the tangled battle.
Best way to sleep with long hair – 7 tips
Her majesty- the bun
The bun is the easiest and quickest method to keep my hair tamed at night, and it doesn’t change the shape much.
It also looks really cute when I wake up (Brigitte Bardot style).
Of course, some people find it uncomfortable, and it can be, especially if you have a long hair.
A good solution is to praise the bun high.
Also, bedtime hairstyles are probably the only fashion-approved opportunity to use scrunchies instead of elastic bands since they are much less damaging to hair.
Braid it all the way
If your hair is very long and not layered, this could work great for you. It takes more time to make, and some time to practice if you are not familiar with it, but it gets easier and faster after the first couple of times.
Do it on dry hair, leave some of it upbraided, and make it loose to avoid adding stress and splitting the ends.
This is also a great way to get a waved hairdo, and if you have locks, it might tame them.
Some of my friends do have a problem sleeping with braids on, because it can make hair frizzy, but that depends of quality and type of your hair.
Try braiding for one night and see if it works for you. Also, consider using anti-frizz hair products, especially if you have a history of frizz problems.
Scrunch it low
If your hair is medium length, you could probably benefit the most from this quick solution. Just tie your hair into a low ponytail, it will keep it from your face and it will be less tangled in the morning.
It doesn’t really do much in comparison to the “magic of the braid” and your hair might loose its volume, especially in the roots, due to all of the hair weight just falling down flat.
In all the scenarios above, it’s best to use scrunchies, or elastic bands with no metal parts on it (very important), because they can damage the hair.
Keep it high or bring some pineapple
A great option if you want volume especially at your roots. High ponytail keeps your locks from being squashed, your hair is out of your way and, as mentioned, volume won’t be something you should worry about.
The downside is that it can put pressure on your roots so they might ache.
The pineapple hairdo is a great alternative, especially if you’re dealing with curly or frizzy hair.
You need a clip with a big grip to loosely grasp the hair at the top of your head. This way you’ll avoid the stress that binding inflicts on your hair and you’ll have a nice hairstyle the next day.
Stick with loose hair
If you don’t have a problem tossing around much in your sleep, this could actually work out nice for you.
If you manage to sleep with your hair falling from the side of your bed, you will keep you locks intact.
You won’t have to tie up anything, it’s very comfortable, but you hair is surely going to get tangled, at least a bit. This might help if you have oily scalp, because it let’s your hair breathe.
Cover it
This is maybe the best option for layered hair that refuses to stay in ponytails. It’s best if you use satin cap or a big scarf.
If you go for the cap, fold the edge of the cap all the way so you don’t have an imprint of the elastic band on your forehead. It might be a problem finding one that won’t slip off your head during the night.
If you go for the scarf, there are a lot of YouTube tutorials teaching you ways to tie it. It looks very fashionable actually, so you might want to bring that look outside of your bedroom.
The nightcap, however, will make you look silly, for sure, but if it’s comfortable who cares, right?
Nights in white (or any) satin
Speaking of satin, no matter how long your hair is, satin or silk pillowcases are the best to sleep on.
They are the least damaging materials for your hair and, let’s be honest, satin does give a touch of luxury to your bedroom, and a little luxury never hurt nobody.
Think about investing in one.
You can see our recommendations for silk pillowcases that are great for hair here.
Back to you
Maybe you’ll choose to stick with one style that you are most comfortable with, or you’ll decide to change between the styles and that way you’ll end up with different hairdos each morning.
Personally, I’m all about diversity.
Whatever works the best for you is the way to go, but try some of these and have fun with it. Finally, please share any thoughts about what you found to be the best way to sleep with long hair – we can all use it.
On behalf of The Sleep Studies Team,
Katya Dadzis
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Thank you so much! This was very helpful – high and up is the best way for me 🙂
Glad it helped, Tielle 🙂 I’m assuming you’re a peaceful sleeper for the high and up to work.
I sleep with my hair loose on silk or if I have it in a ponytail or puff I loosen the hair tie and add a silk scarf for extra protection. Satin polyester pillowcases are just as good as silk as far as retaining moisture but some complain of them causing sweats or being hot while sleeping. If this is an issue, silk is the better option as it naturally regulates temperature not to mention the additional skin care benefits such as its anti-aging properties and benefits to those who suffer from breakouts. If anyone is in need of a high quality silk pillowcase without paying for the celebrity endorsements, feel free to visit us. Also find tips on how to choose a great silk pillowcase and tie a hair scarf for minimal or no slip while sleeping.
lovephoebeluna
Thanks for the useful insights, Jennifer.