Yawn!

[pastina]

What do you guys find is the most comfortable way to wear your long hair at night? Braids? Buns? Do you use clips or hair ties? Something else? Let me hear your sleep secrets!

I typically put my hair up in a bun secured with claw clips. I happen to be a side-sleeper, so it works for me... Couldn't imagine how painful sleeping on my back would be, though! There's got to be a better way!

(My moon is a nice, new alternative, since it is flat! Is it silly to sleep in, though!? )

[queenovnight]

I use to braid my hair, but I was having issues with elastics and ribbons would fall out. Now I flop all of my hair on top and make an awful looking bun. Yep, directly on the top of my head. I secure it with a hairstick.

[starfire]

Loose, draped over my pillow. Not sure how much damage it's causing my hair, but it is by far the most comfortable way for me to sleep.

[Larki]

I sleep in every position imaginable, so the most comfortable styles for me are either loose, up over the pillow, or pinless Amish braids held in place with a super wide, soft fabric headband I have. When it's not too hot, I leave it down, but if it's too hot for that to be comfortable, I do the braids to get my hair off my neck.

[Elven_Escapist]

If I wash my hair it'll still be wet when I go to bed, so I just flop it over the top of my pillow. If I don't wash my hair, I braid it and flop the braid over the top of my pillow. :)

[Phexlyn]

I used to braid my hair (single English braid) at night, but recently I've been experimenting with a top of the head braided bun. It's super comfy (I toss and turn at night), doesn't get in the way and protects the ends.

The only problem I've encountered so far is that my hair gets poofy in weird spots, mainly at the top/sides, but the top in the middle ist flat. So when I do a bun the next morning, my hair looks like Wolverine's from the front. :lol: That's probably just my hairtype and/or the way I'm braiding. If I do a Dutch braid, the Wolverine bits are smaller than when I do a French. English braid is unpredictable. Any suggestions on how to tame those bits are appreciated.

[Creagan]

I do a single English braid, flop the braid over my left shoulder, and then hold it in my hand as I sleep. (I think I do that because if I don't, and roll over, the braid wraps itself around my neck. Not fun.)

[SunainaMhrani]

I'm most comfortable in a single braid...I hate getting my hair stuck under me when I lay down lol :p

[sarahthegemini]

I've been doing a peacock twist hybrid (instead of having the tail sticking out the top, I fold it back down - I guess it's a peacock french twist thing?) secured with a claw clip. It seems to be the safest method, as I get no breakage anad it's quick and easy.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I wear mine loose but confined in a sleeping cap. It works wonders for eliminating tangles! It also gives my follicles a break from being in an updo all day.

[Zebra Fish]

Put over my pillow ans then braid, so its a simple braid going from on top of my head (I start making it while laying and then continue by moving it in front of my face). A little bit of (coconut) oil on the ends and put over the pillow. It is mostly there in the morning and still pretty nice upon not to undo itself (really weird for my hair but for now it works :p).

[lapushka]

Loose, folded underneath my head. Most comfy way to sleep. I don't move much, have to say that!

[swords & roses]

Loose. Between my rolling all over the place half the night, & curling up with my head on DH's chest the other half, loose is the best for me. Everything else is too uncomfortable, and looks horrible when I take it down in the morning. And besides, DH doesn't mind my hair all over the place, since he sleeps with his MBL hair loose, too. ;) Which reminds me, it's time I get off the computer & go wake the sleeping giant!

[julee]

Loose usually, on a silk pillowcase. Sometimes a bun on top of my head with a ketylo or Ead stick, except I move a lot and the stick usually ends up on the floor :confused: :)

[Sarden]

I've actually been trying something new lately and it works really well. I've been braiding my hair in a single braid over my shoulder, then wrapping the braid in a length of satin, shiny side in, then securing it with elastic, OVER the satin. I move around a lot in my sleep and was worrying about the mechanical damage, even in a braid as my hair is ultra fine and fragile. This may I don't need to worry about it though as it's covered so I can toss, turn, move around ontop of it all I like. I might take a picture to post at some point.

[restless]

I make an upside down french braid starting at the nape and hang it over the edge of the pillow. It aint pretty but it works; it keeps the hair protected and out of my face, it gives my roots some volume the following day and on top of it all I get some nice braidwaves instead of my natural all-over-the-place-wurls. Due to my hairtype it wont unravel that easily, so I dont secure it with anything.

[JustPam]

Usually just a single english braid, but I sometimes do french, fishtail, or pigtails. Have stopped doing buns because they just don't hold without pins, and I can't sleep with pins in, have tried a hairnet but that fell out too, I'm very fidgety.

[Skruttiz]

When I don´t want small waves from a english braid I use a segmentet low ponytail with approx 10 cm between the elastics. Works pretty well and gives just slight waves.

[rags]

Either a single English braid or in a sleep cap usually. Occasionally I'll sleep with it loose, but i toss and turn so much and my hair is so fine and tangly, that is just begging for trouble. Plus it likes to strangle me in the night!

[velorutionista]

I alternate between a single braid down my back (dutch or english depending on how I want the waves to look next morning) and a nautilus plopped on the top of my head (secured with a spin pin since my slippery hair likes to escape). I rarely sleep with it loose b/c if I do, my cat tries to make a nest in it and that pulls--ouch!

[butterfly_dream]

Loose, flopped over the pillow (on a silk pillowcase). For me it’s a most comfortable way to sleep.
I first tried to sleep in english braid, side braid, top knot ... no way … :(

[Eastbound&Down]

Well, because my hair is still so short I leave it down or pull it in to a ponytail as high as I can get it with the bottom layer not falling out (I can't wait untill that isn't a problem anymore). But I'm kind of a busy sleeper, so the ponytail falls a bit by the morning.

[Madora]

For years I went the twin braid route. Then I read about the braided bun on top of your head here. Decided to try it, and the difference was like day and night. With the braids, it took about 6 minutes to detangle. With the bun, all of 2 minutes. What a revelation! My bun is held in place by 10 3 inch crimped hairpins:


http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w225/07Erzbet/32414Singlebraidbuntop.jpg (http://s177.photobucket.com/user/07Erzbet/media/32414Singlebraidbuntop.jpg.html)

[Sarden]

For years I went the twin braid route. Then I read about the braided bun on top of your head here. Decided to try it, and the difference was like day and night. With the braids, it took about 6 minutes to detangle. With the bun, all of 2 minutes. What a revelation! My bun is held in place by 10 3 inch crimped hairpins:


http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w225/07Erzbet/32414Singlebraidbuntop.jpg (http://s177.photobucket.com/user/07Erzbet/media/32414Singlebraidbuntop.jpg.html)

How long does that style take you to do each night Madora?

[Anje]

I'm usually a huge sleep bonnet advocate, but the band has been giving me a headache for the last couple weeks. So I'm giving my head a break and wearing a braid. So far, it hasn't tried to strangle me yet, and my cat (Freya Monster!) hasn't woken me trying to shred the tassel......

[Marbid]

I am a sleep cap girl.. I cant sleep without my hat. My hair is loose and all relaxed from a day of bunning so its supper comfy. And i have an assortment of cap colors to fit my pjs... I feel cute in my sleep cap... :>

Lhc custom...... If not for lhc..... I would not know the cuteness of sleep caps.... Plus my husband likes them because he does not get awoken by fuzzy hairs trying to get inside his nose.

[rags]

I am a sleep cap girl.. I cant sleep without my hat. My hair is loose and all relaxed from a day of bunning so its supper comfy. And i have an assortment of cap colors to fit my pjs... I feel cute in my sleep cap... :>

Lhc custom...... If not for lhc..... I would not know the cuteness of sleep caps.... Plus my husband likes them because he does not get awoken by fuzzy hairs trying to get inside his nose.

This made me literally laugh out loud! DH also complains of my hair attacking him in his sleep if it's loose, and tickling him (it's very fine). Or else I wake up and he's lying on it and I'm pinned. No fun! He used to be adamantly against sleep caps but he loves them for me now! :p (I think it was the braid strangling him in his sleep that did it. )

[Johannah]

I wear it down right now, because a braid makes my hair dry in some way and gives my hair tangles. I ordered a satin sleep cap so I hope this might be a solution!

[Phexlyn]

He used to be adamantly against sleep caps but he loves them for me now! :p (I think it was the braid strangling him in his sleep that did it. )
Sometimes your hair just wins the argument ;)

Madora, how do you get the front to look so nice and smooth in one curve? Mine is always wobbly-bobbly and a bit lopsided, which makes it a pain the next morning. My hair keeps the waves from my nighttime-do quite well and this looks especially silly around the hairling.

Sarden, I do something similar and it only takes a couple of minutes. It's just like a braided bun, after all.

[Phexlyn]

so sorry about the double post! slow internet + LHC lag = messy posting

[Gertrude]

I do my sectional BBB brushing before I go to sleep and then make a very loose English braid , wrapped with a very feeble bit of elasticated fabric. My hair is only MBL. In bed I pull the braid over my right shoulder, turn left and that's it.

I do move but stay on my left side at all in the night, and although I sometimes lose the bit of elastic most of my hair is still partly braided in the morning. I felt a bit silly braiding at only BSL but the one night I was too tired and just went to sleep was followed by morning painful detangling.

One curious thing, not to send the thread off kilter, is that I take my hair out of the two English braids of my sectioned braided bun. If I slept in that type of braid it pulls and I wake up with pain in my scalp. No braid waves from the twin braids. Five minutes, gone. In the morning the loose braid no braid waves at all. Even if I braid my hair wet the waves last less than an hour. So does a roller set. Must be natural for my fine slippery hair. And yes, it's natural, no cones or whatever, it just slithers. So maybe it's not just hanging there..........

[Clarkie]

Twice a week on wash days I "plop" my hair and then just sleep that way. The other nights I do a LWB high up on top of my head and secure it with my 3 prong oak Jeterfork....my sleeping fork.

[lunalocks]

About 3 years ago (just past waist) I started wearing a side braid to bed. But at some point I stopped wearing braids altogether due to fragile ends (that were a result of wearing braids and pony tails for years while doing aerobic dance. yes, soft scrunchies can damage hair!). So then I used spin pins to secure a bun on the top of my head. The seashell bun was my fav due to the beautiful bun waves in the morning. at some point I switched to using a fork. But DH was always afraid of getting poked in the face. So now I am back to spin pins. I sleep on my side so it is not realy a problem, but i find my scalp is a little tender in the morning. I am waiting for my first ever satin sleep cap to arrive. Just a little concerned at how hot it may make me. And that it won't be too tight.

Marbid, I am curious where you get all your cute caps that match your pjs.

[Zesty]

I've gone through all kinds of sleep solutions. I sleep on my back AND both sides, AND I move a lot, so it's been a bit of a challenge. (Do some people seriously stay on one side and not move all night? I find that nigh inconceivable.) Currently, at not-quite-APL, it's not that big of a deal to just use one of those soft cotton headbands they sell at the drugstore and make a ponytail right on the top of my head. When I found the LHC at not-quite-waist, I got silk pillowcases and started braiding my hair normally, in two braids, but then I slept all over the braids. Then I made a braid right on top of my head and wrapped it into a bun held with a stretched-out scrunchie. That was okay, but a lot of work. Then I got a silk sleep cap and used it along with my silk pillowcases, and that I think was the most successful option. I just had to make sure the lump of hair was positioned above my head on the pillow and I could get down to the serious business of tossing and turning. Then the elastic on the cap wore out, and I just slept with my hair loose and flopped over the pillow, hanging down between my bed and the wall. (Which worked well in the dorms where the headboards had open slats and my bed was 3+ feet off the ground so my hair didn't drag the floor. I couldn't do that anymore because there's no space between the bed and the wall now that I've moved in with the fiancé.)

So yeah. Currently saving up to get another nice silk sleep cap so that I can go back to that again. I feel like even with the silk pillowcase, the little hairs around my hairline are probably getting broken with how much I drag/rub my head around on the pillow. It's like my sleeping self is TRYING to damage my hair.

[Aeris]

I used to do a loose bun secured with a satin scrunchie, but that hasn't worked for me in a while. Now I just do a loose side braid, sometimes one on each side.

[jupiterinleo]

I've gone through all kinds of sleep solutions. I sleep on my back AND both sides, AND I move a lot, so it's been a bit of a challenge. (Do some people seriously stay on one side and not move all night? I find that nigh inconceivable.) Currently, at not-quite-APL, it's not that big of a deal to just use one of those soft cotton headbands they sell at the drugstore and make a ponytail right on the top of my head. When I found the LHC at not-quite-waist, I got silk pillowcases and started braiding my hair normally, in two braids, but then I slept all over the braids. Then I made a braid right on top of my head and wrapped it into a bun held with a stretched-out scrunchie. That was okay, but a lot of work. Then I got a silk sleep cap and used it along with my silk pillowcases, and that I think was the most successful option. I just had to make sure the lump of hair was positioned above my head on the pillow and I could get down to the serious business of tossing and turning. Then the elastic on the cap wore out, and I just slept with my hair loose and flopped over the pillow, hanging down between my bed and the wall. (Which worked well in the dorms where the headboards had open slats and my bed was 3+ feet off the ground so my hair didn't drag the floor. I couldn't do that anymore because there's no space between the bed and the wall now that I've moved in with the fiancé.)

So yeah. Currently saving up to get another nice silk sleep cap so that I can go back to that again. I feel like even with the silk pillowcase, the little hairs around my hairline are probably getting broken with how much I drag/rub my head around on the pillow. It's like my sleeping self is TRYING to damage my hair.

I'm having similar problems! I'm currently back at just past waist, and I'm noticing that sleeping with loose hair flopped over the pillow has been damaging my hair. :( I have a lot of short ~APL hairs behind my head, around the length of where I would make a loose over-the-head braid/loose hair to sleep in. I have nice silk pillowcases, too. I hate having fine hair. I think I'm gonna invest in silk sleep caps, soon. I have a satin one but my head gets so sweaty inside of it. Silk it is, I guess.

[cathair]

A side braid not tied off is working okay for me at the moment. If I tie it off I get horrible splits and I find it doesn't come unbraided anyway, even if I wear it all day after that. Braids seem to be less tangley for me and somehow they feel like less hassle than putting on a sleep cap at the moment, so I don't slack off and 'forget' to do it.

Was using sleep caps, but it was too hot over the summer. Plus one of my caps I kept getting hair tied into the fastening and the had elastic so tight it was giving me a headache.

I like your braided bun Madora :) where abouts on your head do you start the braid when you do that?

[Madora]

Thanks for your interest in my braided bun, Sarden, Phexlyn and cathair.

It takes about 6 minutes to braid (because of length) but if I'm tired, I just cheat and only braid about 2 feet (loosely) then divide the tassle in two sections, twist each section around the other to the end, then tucked the twisted tassle under the braid coil.

As to placement and how the front is smooth, well that takes a bit of experimenting! Sometimes it will just fall into place..sometimes it is maddeningly un cooperative.

Here is how it is done:
My bed bun braided updo is just a simple single braid. But I do it in an unconventional way: bending down at a very steep angle, that is:

1) Bring all hair in front, like a curtain/detangle gently
2) Head should be down -- steeply
3) Divide hair in 3 sections, begin to braid slightly loosely (either Dutch or English style. 4 strands if you're really dexterous/adventurous)
4) Braid down to end/fasten with elastic...or leave loose
(I don't fasten with anything and only braid until I have about 2 inches of tassel left
5) Take the braid. Hold it flat against your head with your hand. Use the other hand to pin it with crimped hairpins in the 4 directions. Tuck in tassel
6) Bingo: one handy dandy single braided bun!

I use 10 3 inch crimped hairpins.

Added bonus for this style: really, really quick detangling in the morning (assuming that you detangled properly the night before).

[Zesty]

I'm having similar problems! I'm currently back at just past waist, and I'm noticing that sleeping with loose hair flopped over the pillow has been damaging my hair. :( I have a lot of short ~APL hairs behind my head, around the length of where I would make a loose over-the-head braid/loose hair to sleep in. I have nice silk pillowcases, too. I hate having fine hair. I think I'm gonna invest in silk sleep caps, soon. I have a satin one but my head gets so sweaty inside of it. Silk it is, I guess.
I recommend the real silk sleep cap + silk pillowcase route. It solved a lot of problems for me around hip/tailbone, because I was also getting damage from rough sleeping.

[Nordlilja]

I have braided my hair in a single english braid (no hairtie) every night for more than twenty years. And you are welcome to guess if that statement made me feel old or not!;)

[cathair]

Thanks very much Madora, that's really helpful :flower: Trying it has also given me a whole new appreciation of how big your bun is :D

I've given it a go. The first time I ended up with too much loose hair covering my forehead, next few times it was far too puffy on the right side of my head. Still very much working on my braiding skills. Looks pretty even this time :) Maybe a bit loose all over, but that might be a good thing? Looking forward to see how it lasts over night :)

[jacqueline101]

Low pony tail held by a scrunchi the ends folded up on top of my head with a sleeping cap over my pony tail.

[littlemonster]

I mix between pineapple and braid, mostly - either french or english. Which depends if I'm wearing it curly. Still tend to like it loose, and wear it that way if my headaches are too bad for a loose english braid. But the tangling is less of an issue when it's restrained.

[Phexlyn]

Thank you, Madora, for the detailed explanation. I'll do my best to get it more even and try braiding at an even steeper angle.

You're right about needing less time to detangle in the morning, I'm really faster this way! And my hair is easy to detangle from a braid to begin with. So if you don't want to sleep with a loose braid, I can definitely recommend this, and it's super comfy!

cathair, just try it out for a week or two and you'll quickly get the hang of it and find out if you like it. If it's just for sleeping, it doesn't matter if it's not perfect. ;)

[cathair]

I'll keep trying Phexlyn :) I had to take it out after about 3 hours last night. My scalp was getting quite painful. I think I'll have to work way up to it, my hair isn't used to being put up in that direction :)