How to sleep with long hair?
How can I sleep with my long locs and protect them from damage?
So, you’ve found yourself typing “how to sleep with long hair” into the search box with this big frown on your face. Sleeping with long hair can be a little bit of a torment, really. After you’ve tossed and turned and eventually settled on a less discomfiting sleeping position, you’ll wake up to the hair full of tangles and knots. Did I mention that your mane often gets painfully trapped by your spouse’s arms or torso, thus making sleeping awkward and uncomfortable?
You’re not alone in this, believe me, it’s a universal Rapunzel problem (grin). Okay, now take a deep breath…. We’ll be letting you in on how to wear long hair to bed depending on your hair type, together with bedtime routines, protective hairdos, and other useful tips on how to sleep with long hair.
The Best Way to Wear Hair to Bed to Prevent Breakage
Your long hair is most prone to tangling and breakage when you leave it flowing unprotected all over the mattress. Follow the tips below to keep your hair from tangling at night, minimize hair breakage, and maintain a healthy and luscious mane.
1. Wear a Silk Bonnet: The best way to sleep with long hair is to keep it covered with a silk or satin bonnet/scarf. The bonnet protects your hair from frizz and tangles caused by friction of your hair against the beddings. A silky-smooth bonnet is gentle on the hair follicles, it helps you sleep comfortably with long hair and serves as protection for your hair.
2. Sleep on Silk Pillows: Although cotton pillowcases are most commonly used in most homes, they are never in the best interest of your hair. The friction between your hair and the cotton material could lead to split ends, frizz, and breakage. A silk or satin pillowcase is softer and smoother, and it won’t rough up your hair strands. Cotton is also very absorbent and can make the strands more brittle.
3. Apply Hair Oil Before Bedtime: Applying oil to your hair will help to seal moisture in your hair strands and keep your hair properly hydrated. Your hair is most likely to break and have split ends when it lacks moisture. To care for long hair, use quality hair oils to protect the hair follicles from frizz and provide a protective slip that minimizes tangling and breakage.
4. Routine Hair Care: Nighttime gives you an opportunity to give your long hair some TLC that will help it stay healthy and luxuriant. The best tips on what to do with long hair while sleeping include refreshing your hair with a dry shampoo to have it fresh and clean by the morning, deep-conditioning your hair, and braiding or twisting it for gorgeous overnight beach waves in the morning. You could play a grandma and set up your hair in curlers – the fabulous morning glory of bouncy curls that will greet you at dawn is worth it all.
Spray on roots before bed, massage in, enjoy the peaceful scent while you sleep, and wake up with revitalized hair, ready to style! The nighttime dry shampoo absorbs oils and impurities, conditions the scalp, and even has a calming scent. All while you sleep! I’ve got super oily hair, yes, still, and this is an awesome addition to my routine! My hair is so fresh and soft in the morning. @jessimariel33
5. Wear a Protective Bedtime Hairstyle: There are several protective hairstyles for sleeping you can easily whip up to keep hair from tangling at night and prevent split ends. We will discuss these bedtime hairstyles below.
Sleeping with Long Hair of Different Types and Textures
Let’s take a look at the best ways to sleep with long hair of different types.
– How to Sleep with Long Curly Hair
If you have long curly hair, you should reconsider your sleeping position in order to preserve and maintain your curl definition. Sleeping on your back and dropping the entire weight of your head on your hair will squash down your tender curls and cause your tresses to form knots and get all matted up. The best way to sleep with long curly hair is to lie on your stomach or your side.
Also, try piling your curly hair up to keep the weight of your head off it. You can arrange your curls in a protective nighttime hairstyle suitable for curly hair such as pineapple, flower curls etc. Secure your hair with bobby pins or a silk scarf to keep the strands from flying all over the place.
…my curl definition lasts for a good few days, gradually getting a little less defined as the days go by. I’ve also noticed that my hair doesn’t get as dry or knotty! The steps include: – Putting my hair in a pineapple. – Sleeping on a silk pillowcase. – Wearing a bonnet (sometimes). – Keeping my hair moisturised. @hanzcurls
– How to Sleep with Long Straight Hair
A low ponytail tied with a scrunchie will keep your hair from tangling and make you sleep comfortably with long hair. Braids are also great if you aren’t concerned about the wavy effect they will add to your straight hair.
If you wish to maintain bone-straight hair through the night or don’t just have time to start straightening up your hair in the morning, you may need to avoid using elastic hairbands to tie your hair into a pony or wrapping it into a bun. Hairbands and buns are likely to mess with the perfect linear outline of your hair strands. Instead, brush your hair to one side and then wound it round and round your head like a halo. Secure the halo in place with bobby pins. Cover your hair with a silk bonnet or silk scarf, and you’re all set to catch some peaceful zzzzz’s. This is how to wear long hair to bed and still have it as straight as ever in the morning.
Another suggestion on what to do with long hair while sleeping is to apply a little bit of good lightweight hair oil to your hair. This becomes particularly necessary if your hair dries out easily. Dry hair forms tangles and breaks easily.
– How to Sleep with Long Wavy Hair
To care for long hair and protect your waves when sleeping, use a scrunchie to pack it into a loose bun on the top of your head. You can equally pack your hair into a high ponytail and braid the pony all the way down. This is like killing two birds with one stone, your hair stays protected and the waves come out better. Also, apply some quality mousse or gel with great hold after washing your hair to hold in your waves and keep them from falling flat.
Covering your hair with a silk scarf and sleeping on a silk or satin pillowcase are very important practices for sleeping on wavy hair.
– How to Sleep with Long Fine Hair
If you’ve got fine or thin hair, you should never make the costly mistake of sleeping with your hair exposed and unprotected. The best tip on how to wear long hair to bed if your hair is thin is to twist it into a loose top bun and secure it in place with hair clips. Your hair will not only stay protected and out of your space when you sleep, but will also get more volume when you undo the bun.
Just as stated earlier, the best way to wear hair to bed to prevent breakage while sleeping is to make sure it isn’t rubbing against a rough surface. This is twice as important for those with fine hair. Get a great quality silk scarf/bonnet and silk pillowcases for snooze time. Yes, your hair needs all that pampering.
– How to Sleep with Very Long Hair
Tedious as it may seem, brushing out your hair before bedtime is one of the best ways to care for long hair and to keep hair from tangling at night. Combing out your extra-long hair at night helps to detangle the knots that might have built up during the day.
We can’t help but admit that creating braids or twists on very long hair can be quite tiring. You can try braiding your hair loosely or fold it into a loose bun at the top of your head, and then cover it up with a silk scarf or bonnet.
How to Sleep with Long Hair Extensions
Extensions may get knotted even more than your natural hair. So, brush your hair extensions thoroughly at the end of the day to get rid of tangles and prevent matting. Use the brush that is recommended for your hair extensions! Secure your hair into a bun, a low or medium ponytail, or a turned-under pony, and cover with a bonnet or scarf. Braids are also very popular among extensions-lovers. Don’t pull your hair too tight in order not to damage the weft of the hair extension. And the best idea is to ask your hair extensions master to give you all the necessary recommendations for your type of extensions.
How to care for extensions at bedtime: 1. When going to bed OR staying in bed do one of the following (to avoid waking up with messy hair!): – Low ponytail. – Low gentle braid. – Pigtail braids. 2. Sleep with your hair completely dried, avoid sleeping with wet hair! As much as lazy hair is comfortable, it is recommended to brush your hair daily, too! @amandaconleyhairco
How to Sleep with Long Hair in Summer
Wear suitable bedtime hairstyles that keep hair off your neck to be able to escape the discomfort of sleeping with long hair during hot and humid summer nights. Which ones, check out below.
Should You Sleep with Your Hair Up or Down?
It is best to fold or braid your long hair for bedtime. This way your hair strands stay protected and you get to sleep comfortably with your long hair. Leaving hair loose is not good for sleeping, but very high updos are in most cases uncomfortable too. Choose something in-between.
Protective Hairstyles for Sleeping
There are many protective hairstyles that make sleeping with long hair less of a pain. Find the night time hairstyles suitable for your hair type, and enjoy your night rest with no stress. Here are some hairstyles for bed that are easy to create:
1. Pineapple Hairstyle for Long Hair. This is recommended especially for those with long curly or wavy hair. Wrap your hair into a loose bun at the top of your head, and use a few large clips to tuck the ends into place. You can also use a scrunchie to hold your hair, and then use clips to hold the spilling tresses off your face.
2. Twisted Rope Braids. Part hair into two sections, twist or plait each section into loose braids. Twist the two sections together and secure with a scrunchie or non-elastic hairband. Here is a simple tutorial. Below we see one more hairstyle with rope braids that is OK for everyday and for bedtime.
3. High Ponytail. Pack your hair up, tie with a scrunchie and fold the pony around a scrunchie or your head.
4. Pigtails. Brush your hair thoroughly, and braid it into one or two loose pigtails.
5. Simple High Bun. Put your hair up into a high bun. Don’t just snag your hair tight with elastic hair bands to avoid breakage.
6. Sock Bun. Although sleeping with long hair wet may lead to split ends and is not advisable, sometimes you don’t have time to blow-dry or air-dry it. A sock bun is a great way of getting curly hair without heat. Roll your damp hair into a sock bun and get lovely curls when you undo the bun.
Sleeping with long hair can be quite comfortable when you follow the rules. We want to believe you’ve finally found here good solutions and learnt how to sleep comfortably with your long hair. Remember the main rules on how not to sleep with long hair: don’t sleep with your wet hair to prevent hair damage, and don’t leave it loose, as it is a recipe for hair tangling and breakage. Voila!
Featured Image: prostooleh – freepik.com
