Wake Up With Better Hair By Avoiding These 6 Overnight Hair Mistakes

June 06, 2024

You've likely heard a thousand times (from everyone from the family doctor to Matt Lauer) that prioritizing sleep every night is absolutely necessary for your happiness and health. What they don’t often tell you is that prioritizing your hair’s needs can result in waking up to better hair overnight. Simply put, there are ways to wake up with great hair, all by avoiding a few common hair mistakes before bed.

The mistakes we make with our hair when we sleep are pretty common and are often overlooked when we hit the sheets to snooze. For example, if showering before bed is part of your daily routine, then you may be surprised to find out that sleeping with wet hair can have you waking up with unwanted damage and breakage. The result? Stressed out, frizzy strands can take shape before you even reach for your berry oatmeal.

Or— if you thought brushing your hair before bed was only something they do in old re-runs of The Brady Brunch, think again. You’ll wake up with much healthier hair when you learn the benefits of using an anti-static sandalwood comb to distribute your hair’s natural oils. Keep reading to learn how to wake up with your healthiest hair ever.

1. You Sleep With Wet Hair — Instead, Dry Hair Completely From the Inside-Out

xtava Verona Advanced Heat Far Infrared Professional Hair Dryer, $49, Amazon

Wet hair is way more fragile than dry hair, and sleeping on your freshly shampooed strands can cause them to rub, tangle, and break while you're catching Z's. To avoid this when you shower before bed, this lightweight blow dryer uses its detachable concentration nozzles and diffuser to heat hair from the inside out — majorly cutting down your drying time. One user raves about this blow dryer for being so quiet, so it's perfect if you're roomies are trying to watch Game Of Thrones in the living room.

...And Use An Absorbent MicroFiber Brush For An Even Faster Drying Time

Chiyoda Magic Quick Drying Comb, $9, Amazon

Between blasts of heat with your hair dryer, comb through your strands with this absorbent hair brush that is made with microfiber bristles to remove 39 percent of water from your strands for faster drying results. Plus, this brush has a lightweight design, so you won't feel like you just had an intense arm workout when you're done with this part of your hair routine.

...Or Too Tired To Wash And Blow Dry? Treat Hair To Organic Dry Shampoo Instead

Captain Blankenship - Organic Mermaid Dry Shampoo, $29, Amazon

You somehow crammed work, errands, and a yoga session in today, so ending your night with washing and blow drying sounds like the last thing you'd be down to do (#relatable). Instead, spray this 100 percent natural and organic dry shampoo on your roots before you head to your room to set your morning alarm. The arrowroot powder, kaolin clay, and baking soda will absorb excess dirt and oils in your hair, cleansing it just like a traditional shampoo. You'll go to bed with hair that feels and smells fresh with a formula that incorporates rose geranium and palmarosa — two delicious smelling essential oils.

2. You Lay On A Damaging Material, So Switch To A Silk Or Satin Pillow

Tim & Tina 100% Pure Mulberry Luxury Silk Satin Pillowcase, $19, Amazon

An editor at Marie Claire put silk pillowcases to the test — and found that they gave her "less kinks and fly-aways," in addition to keeping nighttime sweating at bay. If you constantly wake up with the classic definition of messy bed head, these 100 percent soft mulberry silk pillowcases will run smoothly against your hair, helping it to stay strong and healthy while you toss or turn in your sleep. Users give these pillows top ratings for being beautiful, soft, and durable.

3. Not Treating Hair Overnight? Begin Applying PM Lavender Moisturizing Masks

Hello Hair Hydrating Mask, $26, Amazon

While you sleep, you have the chance to give your hair a moisturizing treatment that will make it stronger and healthier when you wake up. This hydrating hair mask is infused with lavender and rosemary oils (known for their hair-stimulating benefits), and it has a calming scent that will help you relax as you snooze (one user even says it smells "like a vacation"). This pack gives you three to four treatments that will soften and smooth your dry, dull, or damaged hair.

...Or Treat Newly Dyed Hair To Color-Safe Mask With Rejuvenating Avocado Oil

Rejuvenating Hair Mask for Color Treated Hair, $14, Amazon

You're in love with your new color, but you're not feelin' the extra damage it did to your hair. Applying this intense repairing hair mask won't fade your new shade while it conditions your damaged hair with its ultra-deep moisturizing formula that includes argan oil, macadamia oil, and hydrolyzed wheat protein — all used to make hair soft, smooth, and strong. This mask also helps to strengthen your hair's elasticity, which will prevent damage that can be caused to your strands while you sleep. Bonus: This mask promises dramatic shine and improved manageability after use.

4. You Let Oils Sit On Roots Before Bed — Instead, Use Sandalwood to Distribute Natural Oils

Rbenxia Handmade Sandalwood Comb Wide Tooth, $9, Amazon

Combing through your hair with a wide-tooth sandalwood comb prevents you from waking up in the morning with tangled, static-prone hair — especially in the colder and dryer months of the year. This brush is amazing because of its calming sandalwood aroma, which makes a wonderful addition to your before-bed routine. If you thought brushing your hair before bed was a thing of the past, you'll be converted to a nighttime brusher in no time when you see the benefits of distributing your hair's natural oils throughout your strands. It will keep hair healthy, shiny, and it will help your hair grow way faster. Bye, last year's bob.

5. Don't Ignore Tangles — Soothing Aloe Vera Mist Gently Eliminates Knots

Swim & Sport Cucumber Aloe Vera Detangling Spray, $11, Amazon

As you work a comb through your hair, mist a gentle detangling spray that ensures you're not ripping out hair before it's too late. This spray has a cucumber and aloe vera formula that adds moisture and soothes the scalp, plus it contains babassu seed oil, which is a natural shine-inducer. Users rave about this mist, saying it's strong enough to hold up against the worst knots caused by sun damage and chlorine.

6. You Secure Hair With Elastic Bands: Use Machine Washable, No Crease Ties

No Crease Snap Off Hair Ties (3), $11, Amazon

If you pull your hair up before bed, it's your best bet to avoid regular hair ties that have elastic. Instead, these no-crease hair ties are the perfect addition to your beauty sleep routine — you eliminate tangles by snapping them on and off, they are elastic-free (so they won't create creases overnight), and they're machine washable and dryer safe, so you can rid them of dirt and oils whenever you need to.

Bustle may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was created independently from Bustle's editorial and sales departments.

Images: Amazon (9); Pixabay (1)

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