If you’re one of those people who hates waking up early and going through the motions of washing and conditioning your hair in the morning, then we’ve got some bad news.
Your current habit of washing your hair at night is causing irreparable damage to your gorgeous locks. While it’s not the actual time that is being called into question, it’s the fact that going to sleep with damp hair causes breakage and weakness.
Sally-Ann Travers, consultant trichologist at The Cotswold Trichology Centre & Theradome explained the issue, saying, “The main issue with going to bed with wet hair is that the cuticle (outer layer) of the hair is more raised when wet — which is why some women find their hair is impossibly knotty when wet but not so when dry. Sleeping with wet hair could cause it to tangle more, particularly if you move a lot in your sleep and come morning, it could be difficult to comb through.”
The horror doesn’t end there. Travers also says that sleeping with damp hair may cause fungus to grow on your scalp. “Fungus likes moist warm conditions to grow and consistently sleeping with wet hair could contribute to an overgrowth in fungus or scalp ‘yeast’, potentially leading to scalp problems or dandruff. Spores could also develop in your pillow due to the same damp warm conditions, which could contribute to breathing issues, rhinitis and allergies,” says Travers.
All is not lost though; you can avoid the damage and the scary fungus by drying your hair before you go to sleep. Travers suggests tying your hair in a loose braid after drying to prevent tangling and to get mermaid-y waves in the morning. Win, win.
