The Hair Diaries

Something that really changed the game for me when I started my healthy hair journey was learning how to sleep with my hair. It saved me so much time that I would have spent refreshing and restyling my hair, and literally saved my hair from breakage and fall-out. Whether your hair is straight or curly, I think that everyone can benefit from these tips!

Tip 1: Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase

Regular pillowcases can be harsh on your hair, causing friction, hair snags and breakage. With a satin pillowcase, your hair glides over the pillow as you toss and turn, resulting in less hair breakage. Not only is sleeping on a satin pillow case good for your hair, but it’s good for your skin too! It prevents wrinkles and are better for acne prone skin. Not to mention how luxurious it feels to sleep on. I use this method in conjunction with a few others mentioned below.  Satin pillowcases may be a bit more pricey for a standard sized pillow case compared to the regular cotton kind, but this is very much a worthy investment.

If you are trying to choose between a silk or satin pillow case, I would recommend using a satin one. Not only is satin cheaper, but ethically it is better for the environment as silk is produced from the cocoons of silk worms.

You can find these pillowcases at Cotton On, Takealot and Superbalist

Bonus tip!

If you really cannot afford to invest in a satin pillowcase, or having a hard time finding one in stores (from personal experience years ago before online shopping was a thing), try using a satin scarf as a pillowcase instead. Just tie the scarf around your pillow like a cover and voila, a satin pillow case ready to be slept on. You could also try making your own as it requires very minimal sewing skills and satin is inexpensive and can be purchased from all fabric stores.

Tip 2: Using a satin bonnet

Satin bonnets can protect your hair from friction which can cause frizz and breakage. These caps maintain your curl shape without causing kinks and bumps and they keep your hair hydrated and smooth, allowing you to extend your wash schedule by a few days. And a bonus? If you apply products to your hair before bed, like coconut oil, the bonnet will ensure that you don’t ruin your new linen sheets.The downside, is that satin bonnets can unintentionally come off during the night, and can cause a headache if its sitting too tightly around your head.

Tip 3: Sleeping in a loose braid

This tip is especially for my ladies with longer, straighter tresses. I love sleeping with my hair loose, but the longer it got the more I realized that I was lying on my hair, which caused some hair stands to get pulled out. To prevent this unnecessary loss of hair, I would keep my hair in a loose braid. It also prevents less tangles and knots from occurring. Tight braids can be uncomfortable, and can cause hair to break when pulled tightly, and in my personal experience cause headaches.

Tip 4: Sleep with your hair in a pineapple

This one is for my curly ladies. If you don’t already know what a pineapple is, it’s when you gather your curls to the very top of your head and secure it with a hair tie. By keeping your hair in a pineapple, your hair is now at the top of your head instead of down towards your back. This means that you’re not lying on your curls while you sleep, which can flatten your curls, cause frizz, decrease volume and ruin your curl pattern. This hairstyle helps keep your curls looking fresh and helps minimize the amount of hair refreshing and restyling needed. For sleeping, I would recommend using a satin scrunchie, and not tying your hair too tightly, just tight enough for it not to shift too much. I found that by doing this, it doesn’t leave that dent in your hair from sleeping with a hair tie.

Tip 5: Brushing your hair before bed

I recommend this simple tip if your hair leans more towards the straight end of the hair spectrum. Brushing your hair the night before makes your hair so much easier to style the next morning. I find that by doing this, I have less knots, less tangles and my hair requires less touch ups from heat styling tools.

Do you have any tips on how to sleep with your hair? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!