A bad hair day starts well before you wake up in the morning. Bedhead is the result of hair damage while you sleep.

It’s important to learn how to wear your hair to bed to avoid potential breakage. Check out these tips on ways to wear your hair while you sleep.

How to Wear Your Hair to Bed with Curly Hair

Curly hair is one of the most challenging hair textures to tame at night. If you let long curly hair flow free, you can wake up with a mess of tangles and frizz in the morning.

Hair plopping is a curly hair trend that allows you to lock in moisture overnight or before bed. You’ll need a microfiber towel or soft t-shirt to wrap your hair correctly.

The process includes adding a moisturizer to damp hair, then wrapping it with a soft towel to seal in moisture. When you wake up in the morning, you’ll have majestic curls to last throughout the day.

The trick to this method is finding the right wrap for your hair. If the towel is too dry, you’ll risk breaking off your ends. Read more about products available for hair plopping on Turbie Twist.

An alternative to wrapping damp hair is simply putting your curls in a top-knot. Use a satin scrunchie to keep tangles at bay while you sleep at night.

A satin or silk pillowcase is a must for reducing friction while you sleep. When you wake in the morning, release your ponytail and shake out your curls for natural volume and shine.

How to Wear Your Hair to Bed with Straight Hair

Always brush your hair before bed. While the myth of 100 strokes isn’t necessary to keep your mane intact, you will need to get rid of tangles that formed throughout the day.

Brushing is a must for straight hair because it helps distribute oils from root to tip. This seals moisture in your hair strands to help the hair avoid drying out while you sleep.

After you’ve given your hair a gentle brushing, choose a protective style to wear while you sleep. A loose braid is the easiest option for long hair as it prevents your hair from going wild while you toss and turn throughout the night.

Avoid a top-knot when going to bed if you have straight hair. Unlike with curly hair, updos can put unneeded strain on your hair strands leading to breakage.

The overnight braid is one of the easiest ways to protect your ends while giving you a heat-free hairstyle in the morning. If you don’t like the look of waves, opt to sleep in a loose bun instead.

Silk pillowcases are a must especially if you’re hair is prone to split ends.

Always make sure your hair is completely dry before you slip into bed. Hair follicles damage easiest when wet which means putting your tresses at risk when you toss and turn at night.

If you’re planning an overnight hair treatment, sleep in a satin scarf or bonnet to prevent too much friction between your damp hair and the pillowcase. Overnight treatments are best when applied only once, at most twice, per month.

They help restore moisture to the hair shaft leaving your hair healthy and full of volume the next morning.

How to Wear Your Hair to Bed with Kinky Hair

Women with textured hair are not strangers to sleep caps and satin bonnets. Still, kinky hair requires a different approach than curly or straight hair when it comes to preparing for a sleep bonnet.

Unlike straight hair, kinky hair won’t benefit from being brushed before bed because it disturbs the texture of the hair. It’s much better to apply moisture directly to coily hair to ensure the hair gets the hydration it needs.

Create a hair cocktail by mixing your favorite leave-in conditioner products and applying them to your hair from root to tip. Double-strand twist your hair to create a ‘twist-out’ look in the morning or wrap your hair in a bun.

Twisting the hair is one of the best options for wet hair because it won’t mean waking up to an unruly or matted mane. Kinky hair ranges in texture from cotton-like to spiral patterns.

With more spiral hair, wearing the hair in a top knot is a great idea if your hair is longer than your shoulders. But if with short hair or cotton-like textures, you’ll want to divide the hair into multiple sections before putting it in knots.

The outcome is the same as it is for longer hair but without the stretch or strain on your hair. Bantu knots are a great option for short hair especially if you’re looking for a heat-free style to wear the next day.

Satin pillowcases are a must for kinky hair which dries out much faster than other hair textures. Kinky hair strands are fine and subject to more breakage as a result.

Maintain elasticity in your hair while you sleep with natural hair by sleeping in both a silk bonnet or headscarf and a pillowcase to match. This protects your hair from the bonnet or scarf slipping off during the night.

Avoiding Bed Head

Having a good sleep routine for your hair can cut down on hours of prep time in the morning. Once you nail your routine, you’ll feel more empowered and confident throughout the day.

Learning how to wear your hair to bed is an important step in self-care that makes all the difference in the overall health of your hair. For more information and lifestyle tips, check out our blog for updates.