How to keep hair from breaking

[Betty Brown]

What is the best way to wear your long hair when sleeping? My hair is gray, very fine and thin and breaks easily. I would like to know the best way to keep it from breaking while asleep and also during the day.

Thanks!

[leayellena]

updos. I think you and SarahLabyrinth are in the same situation. her hair is also grey/greying. I keep mine moisturised every 2-3 days and always in an updo or another outisde. at home and while sleeping my hair is in a braid

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I keep my hair moisturised with oils and moisturising conditioners. I also keep my hair bunned in a protective style with a hair stick or hair fork during the day to protect it from damage, and for sleeping I put it into a silk sleeping cap from Adorabellababy on Etsy :) Also very careful detangling with a wide tooth comb, never a brush, never, and no brushing wet hair. No heat tools ever, and a hair dryer only on cool or warm.

Hope this helps! :)

[Margarita]

Moisturize and loose updos =D

[lapushka]

I would go for a silk/satin/microfiber pillow case. Which ever you have on hand, or can get the easiest. And or a sleeping bonnet.

I would not do a tight updo while sleeping. No tight braids, no tight ponytails (for sure not) and or buns.

It all needs to be very loose, because as you move you will pull on the hair if it is contained in some way.


How long and thick is your hair? What are we talking here, chin length, APL, or waist/hip?
What updos can you do?

[MusicalSpoons]

Protective styles using hair-friendly accessories - given your description of your hair, I would avoid hair elastics for certain.

For sleeping, I highly recommend a silk or satin sleep cap. Mine is satin, because I didn't know if it would have any benefit or even stay on, but decent silk is usually even better for your hair, if you're happy to pay a bit more. I put my hair into an unsecured bun under my sleep cap.

If you can give us some idea of your usual hair routine, we'll be in a better position to advise you :)

[Wendyp]

I think I finally stopped my hair from breaking. I have a lot of damage to grow out. I sleep in a braid, on satin, I oil morning and night, I shampoo with diluted non sulfate scalp only. I heavy oil b4 shampoo, and have a water softener and is acv. I no longer use commercial hair color. I wear my hair up every single day, unless on a date with hubby. Those things all together is why I’m Not getting splits or breakage.

[cjk]

Have you considered thickening the hairs? Lamination coats each strand, making it thicker and differentially targets the weaker spots.

It won't repair existing damage but it helps keep it from spreading, while strengthening the hair itself.

Thin or thick, your hair shouldn't be snapping off willy-nilly. At the very least it's probably dry and needs moisture.

[MoonRabbit]

I keep my hair moisturised with oils and moisturising conditioners. I also keep my hair bunned in a protective style with a hair stick or hair fork during the day to protect it from damage, and for sleeping I put it into a silk sleeping cap from Adorabellababy on Etsy :) Also very careful detangling with a wide tooth comb, never a brush, never, and no brushing wet hair. No heat tools ever, and a hair dryer only on cool or warm.

Hope this helps! :)

I don't have fine nor grey hair but I have noticed that I get less breakage when I detangle wet hair vs dry hair. Maybe it's because I have freshly washed it, and it has cones on it but I have the perfect amount of slip after a shower that my fingers and a comb just glides right though. If I wait till it dries, I have knots and I get a few snaps while being gentle as possible.

I may be the minority on this..

[ravenskey]

I sleep with my hair oiled and loosely plaited.

I oil my hair twice daily and detangle with a wide toothed comb.

I CWC once a week and never use heat on my hair.

[Glitch]

... It all needs to be very loose, because as you move you will pull on the hair if it is contained in some way.

Definitely agree! Whatever is the most comfortable and loose should help a lot. Personally, I am not modest enough to sleep in a good position on my back lol, and my hair will be tugged at a lot as I toss and turn. Maybe a super loose braid or satin bonnet will be solution :) Sleeping with it loose over a satin pillowcase though, for me, is what prevents my hair from damaging friction and from being yanked out from any sleep style. If I was less of a restless sleeper, I'm sure some of the looser styles could have helped me.

[spidermom]

I do a top of head looped ponytail with a scrunchie at the moment.

[Dark40]

I always sleep with my hair in updos or 2 braids. I have a lot of gray hairs too, and it's fine/thick.

[Deborah]

I am 65. I sleep with one braid down the back, which I flip up over the pillow to sleep. I have no split ends and no breakage I can see.

[lapushka]

Definitely agree! Whatever is the most comfortable and loose should help a lot. Personally, I am not modest enough to sleep in a good position on my back lol, and my hair will be tugged at a lot as I toss and turn. Maybe a super loose braid or satin bonnet will be solution :) Sleeping with it loose over a satin pillowcase though, for me, is what prevents my hair from damaging friction and from being yanked out from any sleep style. If I was less of a restless sleeper, I'm sure some of the looser styles could have helped me.

I sleep with mine loose as well. Still. Except when I need to go to the toilet at night (I have a random tiny claw clip on my bathroom counter for that reason LOL, so I can pin up the ends quickly). Sometimes I'll leave the clip in, other times not. It depends.

I am not a restless sleeper, though. I sleep like military style, on my left side, and I barely move. LOL!

[Glitch]

I sleep with mine loose as well. Still. Except when I need to go to the toilet at night (I have a random tiny claw clip on my bathroom counter for that reason LOL, so I can pin up the ends quickly). Sometimes I'll leave the clip in, other times not. It depends.

I am not a restless sleeper, though. I sleep like military style, on my left side, and I barely move. LOL!

Wow, really?! I thought I was "the strange one" here who does that lol! And yeah I do that as well :) Very interesting -it's relieving to know there truly isn't a right or wrong way to care for hair, that it all depends on many factors. Thank you for sharing :flower:

[Waterlilly21]

Definitely agree! Whatever is the most comfortable and loose should help a lot. Personally, I am not modest enough to sleep in a good position on my back lol, and my hair will be tugged at a lot as I toss and turn. Maybe a super loose braid or satin bonnet will be solution :) Sleeping with it loose over a satin pillowcase though, for me, is what prevents my hair from damaging friction and from being yanked out from any sleep style. If I was less of a restless sleeper, I'm sure some of the looser styles could have helped me.

This is exactly what I do. I actually want to buy another satin pillow case so I can change them out and have to wash less often.

[Glitch]

This is exactly what I do. I actually want to buy another satin pillow case so I can change them out and have to wash less often.

I was thinking of the same thing earlier! I think it's a great idea :D My poor satin pillowcase has taken quite the beating over time, lol.

[elfynity]

I went to the fabric shop and made my own satin pillowcase - it is really easy to do if you have a half decent sewing machine. I noticed that it does have a very slippery surface, which means that your hair is not getting static while you move around in your sleep. I personally do not sleep with my hair in a bun or anything like that. My hair is BSL now, perhaps I will when my hair is longer and doesn't all lie on the pillowcase? I am also going grey, just a few hairs at the moment. I am interested that you mentioned that - do you think that your grey hairs are more fragile than your coloured ones?
I am wondering what everyone has to say about sleeping in your hair with a bun - does that not pull your hair in a direction when you are sleeping and potentially pull hairs out? My buns usually pull on a stray hair here and there and I am a bit nervous to take the chance.

[nycelle]

I use a sleep cap. Just pile all my hair under it. Satin and silk pillowcases are too slippery for me.. my head slides right off..lol

[Luna Starsetta]

I sleep in a silk cap, however I do a loose sidebraid with no hairtie to secure cause of my hair texture and curl patters my hair seems to hate buns cause my ends look funky if I sleep In a bun. Hope this helps I am a 2C/3A it works well with my hair type and i think I'm medium thickness tho I haven't measured. My hair seems to hold the braid cause of my thickness.