Protecting Hair While Sleeping....

[krissyam]

I was wondering how everyone here protects their hair while sleeping. I've tried to put it in a protective style, but I wake up to breakage and bad frizz (I toss and turn a lot) and fear I may be breaking the hair at the crown (or rather, the part that's not confined in the style). When I leave it down, I wake up to a mass of tangles. When I wear a bandanna or a cap, I wake up capless (and with whatever oil treatment I used smeared all over my face, causing a week of breakouts). So far, I think the lesser of all evils is to leave it loose and use my silk pillowcase- but that deprives me of overnight treatments, since my skin is really sensitive and will erupt easily. :(

Any ideas or something I'm missing? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Pierre]

I use a Buff. One side goes on my hair, the other side under my chin.

[Janka]

I make a simple English braid. I also toss and turn a lot, but the braid holds quite well. Sometimes, I even wear the same braid during the day ;) I also found out that I would loose "normal" elastics. At Claire's, I found some snag-free tiny elastics (a 100 pcs pack!), they hold well, are so small that I don't notice them and yet they can be easily removed. And in the morning I have braid waves in my normally very straight hair ;)

[Johanna64]

I make a braid too and put some coconut-oil in the ends.

[Torrin Paige]

I sometimes braid ("Pocahontas" braids work best for me)...but usually I just flip it over the top of my bed. I pulled the bed out about 4 inches from the wall and gather all the hair up and toss it between the wall and the bed. I toss and turn a lot and this seems to keep it fairly damage and tangle free for me.

[Babyfine]

right now I use a satin pillowcase and sleep with it loose.
As it gets longer I may have to do something else, like a braid.
I don't like caps, either, and I don't want to do anything to cause breakage at the crown, as you mentioned. I still oil overnight(prior to shampoo_ and I don't seem to get it all over.
My hair is fairly dry, though, so it probably sucks up the treatment overnight. I just wash the pillowcase on oil/treatment nights.

[squiggyflop]

well when i sleep i use satin pillowcases and satin sheets and i put my hair into a high bun with a satin scrap over it.. i do the satin scrap for a couple of reasons.. it protects my hair from breakage.. and also when i put my hair in a regular bun i toss and turn so much that it comes undone without the satin to hold it together.. when i sleep without it i often wake up with mattes so bad they need to be cut out.. i first twist my hair into a bun then i place my satin piece over the bun and secure the bun and the satin together with a hairtie/scrunchy..

oh and my skin is super sensitive too

if im doing a treatment i do braids and wrap the braids in satin and use several hairties over the satin to hold it onto the braids.. even with my tossing and turning it doesnt come undone.. and i toss and turn alot.. so much that sometimes i wake up upside down on my bed or even on the floor..

[JamieLeigh]

I too have trouble with sleeping in any type of "style". It may be all in my head (no pun intended...well...maybe! ;)), but I am super-paranoid of breakage also, so I just sleep with it loose. I toss and turn like crazy, yet I have had no trouble from waking up with all my hair under me. It's plenty conditioned enough to avoid tangles, thanks to CO and my cone-y deep treatments & leave-ins. :D

[chrissy-b]

I usually do two braids or a bun on the top of my head. I just bought a satin sleep cap and I've been using that for the last three nights. I can't sleep with my hair loose, even with satin pillow cases my hair is tangled in the morning. I change positions frequently at night, sometimes I end up at the other end of my bed, and haven't had any problems with any of the styles or sleep caps yet.

Sorry, I'm totally no help.

[Themyst]

My hair breaks and frazzles like crazy if I put it in a braid. I'm always astounded when I read about everyone else who can sleep that way. And if I put my hair over the side or behind the bed, my cat would surely attack me.

I'm a restless sleeper and a satin pillowcase wouldn't be enough for me as I get my hair caught under my back, etc. anyway.

Elastic night caps always slip off my head or down over my eyes. They're useless. Then I ran across a thread here months ago with a web address of a different kind of night cap www.maverickwear.com (http://www.maverickwear.com) and I got the Classic Lucy. I has just a bit of elastic around the forehead area but ties in the back. It has always stayed on my head nicely and there is generous room to stuff all my loose hair in it.

[krissyam]

My hair breaks and frazzles like crazy if I put it in a braid. I'm always astounded when I read about everyone else who can sleep that way.

See, I'm the same way. I've been sleeping in a braid and I've actually noticed that there is a visible breakage line just above where the braided hair would begin. I think I'm too much of a crazy sleeper to do this (I punch, talk, and kick, and apparently ruin my own hair :)).

That Maverick sleeping cap looks interesting, may have to give it a try. I've been thinking about this a lot and I may just buy a regular silk bandanna, and loosely tuck all of my hair inside the back, then fold it down and tie it as tight as I comfortably can.

Thank you to everyone for all the advice- some really good ideas I'll have to try!

[MadPirateBippy]

I have a LOT less breakage when I sleep with a silk pillowcase. I know that tenderheaded has silk nightcaps you can wear, and I'm reeeeallllly tempted to get one. The best and cheapest ones I've seen are from Dharma Trading Company.

I braid my hair, I try to put it in a different place each night so no one section gets too much stress.

[DragonLady]

I was braiding mine every night for a while, but every morning I had more tangles and snarls. I've gone back to wearing it loose and just stretching it out behind my head and over my pillow. I did switch to satin pillowcases, and I believe that helped more than the "protective" braid.

[Feye]

Hi, I don't know if perhaps I sleep quietly and don't toss and turn much, but I just spread the hair out above and over my pillow and it usually stays there until the morning. It is then tangle free when I wake up.
I used to have a braid when sleeping but it always pulled my hair some.

[serenitygal]

I use a black satin pillowcase, so it isn't obvious if oil gets on it. (I also wash it in hot water every week.)
I put my hair into one French braid, as a French braid seems to contain and protect the ends better. I'll also spritz with plain water and put some aloe vera/oil mix on my hair prior to braiding, which keeps everything fairly smooth.

[scalawaggirl]

I have a LOT less breakage when I sleep with a silk pillowcase. I know that tenderheaded has silk nightcaps you can wear, and I'm reeeeallllly tempted to get one. The best and cheapest ones I've seen are from Dharma Trading Company.

I braid my hair, I try to put it in a different place each night so no one section gets too much stress.

Hi, there. Do you have a link to the nightcaps at Dharma Trading? They have so much, it's tough to track it down. :)

[joyfulmom4]

I've been wearing my hair in a loose braid at night for years. It keeps it from getting tangled or trapped. I never noticed any problem with breakage.

I recently tried bunning on the top of my head, but after a few weeks I noticed a lot of broken hairs along the nape of my neck. They appeared to be just the length to have broken off a bun at the top of my head. :(

Recently I purchased some wraps from Pretty Wraps. They are lovely silk and they do look nice. Much nicer than the typical bouffant sleep caps which I just could not bring myself to wear. http://prettywrap.com/index.php?osCsid=fcc7dbeaec2b84538d682b3fa8a57079 The pretty wraps are OK for me. I find that like many other headwear, I get headaches if they aren't just exactly so. And they can slip around and sometimes slide off. But they are pretty good most of the time. I would like them better, I think, if the pouch part in back was about 50% bigger. My braid has room, but the weight of it pulls the cap back. And my loose hair won't fit in the cap. I'd like to sleep in a cap with my hair loose, but contained by the cap. Can't find one for that though.

I find myself returning to my standard braid most nights.

[LittleOrca]

I have a satin cap I got from Sally's beauty. I comb my hair out then wrap it up like a French twist without securing it with pins and put the cap over it. When I wake up in the morning, my hair is tangle free and easy to manage.

[Juneii]

ehehe, sorry, I usually sleep with my hair loose although I do braid it from time to time to get braid waves. I tried sleeping with a bun but that only helped increase breakage for the hairs at the nape of my neck.

[Anlbe]

I used to comb my hair out before going to sleep and wake up with a birds nest. The biggest and best change was a sluff silk pillowcase (no satin for me causes static) also putting a little bit of jojoba oil where the tangles occurred helped. For sleeping hairdos I have a couple of options
1. two lose-ish braids not tied
2. bun right on top of head
3. wrapped in a silk scarf in a turban
but often I'm too lazy now now my tangles are under control to bother

[Keenkitty]

I have tried a bunch of different ways to protect my hair while sleeping. Wraps. Bonnets, Braids, buns, I even knit myself a silk and cotton hat and tucked my hair loosely bunned under it and slept with it coiled underneath.

Nothing really helped more than anything else. The braid seemed to do as little damage as the bun and hat covering did.

So that's my two cents

KJ

[Shanarana]

I would always braid my hair high up on my head, or use an octopus clip in a high bun. Lately I've been finding no problem with wearing my hair loose during the night. Sometimes I just like the break from having anything in my hair at all. :)

[Anne~]

Here is what I use it is a satin cap from Sally Beauty supply. I have several and never sleep without them!
http://www.sullyswebdesigns.com/pics/sleep%20cap.jpg
http://www.sullyswebdesigns.com/pics/sleep%20cap2.jpg
My hair just curls up like a snake in it.

[Susana]

I do a french braid, its pretty comfy, keeps it tangle free and as a bonus I get waves (yay!):)

[Teazel]

I've always slept with a single plait, unless my hair was waistlength or shorter.

Lately I've been bunning it on top of my head and that seems to work quite well, too.

Wouldn't be without a satin pillowcase.

[Melisande]

I have a PrettyWrap and put a silk shawl over my pillow in case the wrap slips off. Under the wrap, I bun my hair in two buns so it's not flattened completely when I get up.

My problem area is the temples.... the PrettyWrap protects them a bit better than the silk shawl alone.

[Supermodelsonya]

loose bun or high ponytail with a satin or silk scarf. Sometimes the scarf comes off...but my hair is not nearly as long.....

[Supermodelsonya]

Here is what I use it is a satin cap from Sally Beauty supply. I have several and never sleep without them!
http://www.sullyswebdesigns.com/pics/sleep%20cap.jpg
http://www.sullyswebdesigns.com/pics/sleep%20cap2.jpg
My hair just curls up like a snake in it.


I have a bunch of those too!:)

[Katla]

Silk pillowcase, satin sheets, and my hair in a plain braid with no hairtie or anything to hold it together. Then again, I don't move around that much on most nights, so that definitely helps a lot, too ;)

[helen2806]

I put my hair in a bun right on top of my head (like only about 3 inches back from my hairline), it looks completely ridiculous but always stays in well and stops tangles. I tried braiding for a while and it didn't work for me but this method does!

[LadyLongLocks]

Satin pillowcases are good but I find myself slipping off . I have been gathering all of my hair and putting it above my pillow or hanging it off the bed to one side. I always wear it down when I sleep.I wear it up 95% during the day.
I have tried braiding and that works ok but I still like to leave it down. I usually do alright the next morning, It's not messy believe it or not.

[Tweak=]]

hey im an extremely restless sleeper noone will sleep in a double bed with me becasue of this lol, but i found that if i sleep with my hair in high/meduim ponytail or bun i am much less restless and found my ends of my hair are protected and saved for slipts ;). i once knew someone who slept in a talcum powdered swimming cap to stop there hair from frizzing.

[cocolover]

I am currently sleeping on a silk pillowcase with my hair in a braid, but keep hearing different opinions about a braid being damaging or not. The silk pillowcase should take care of any damage at the temples, correct? What do you think about this idea, getting a long silk/satin strip, braiding it into the braid, then taking the leftover length back up and around the braid to kind of enclose it, securing it at the beginning of the braid with a silk scrunchie..... Would all be protected? Right now the braid works, but I'm thinking as it gets longer then it will be mostly off the silk pillowcase. I just cannot do sleep bonnets, I would get a headache.

[mikibits]

Oh, I'm so happy to find this thread--I've been wondering the same thing for years.

Like Teazel, I've been doing a single braid down the back every night; but also tying a large scarf around it with the knot on top. The corner of the scarf that hangs down in the back I wrap around the braid behind my neck, to protect it from my tossing and turning, because that seems to be where most of the breakage used to happen. I tie this with one of those hair ties kids use (the ones with the beads on the ends, so you don't have to pull your hair through them) to keep it wrapped up. This also seems to keep it from knotting up behind my head. I protect the loose ends with some oil before sleeping and arrange the whole thing over one shoulder and around my waist. Of course, it never stays there (I usually find it under my cat, who loves to sleep under the covers with me), but the braid seems to survive well enough to wear it out that way the next day.

After reading this thread, I'll have to try some of the awesome solutions here (except the buns, which always seemed to keep me awake), like the satin pillow cases. I had no idea that was helpful. ^_^ Thanks! One of these days I thought I would fashion some kind of sling for this situation, but that hasn't happened yet. =P

[celtic]

I toss and turn alot, so i have tried loose hair, 1 braid, 2 braids, low pony tail, bun on top of head. and have actually decided to stay with 1 braid usually, only sleep with my hair loose when it is wet, helps me get a bit of volume on my roots but tangles so much.

[Agnes Hannah]

One side english plait unfinished ends, in a silk sleep cap and a silk pillow case for extra protection. I have done this since joining LHC and it works for me.

[jazzhands]

One or two plaits + a silk bonnet. The bonnet usually falls off in my sleep but the plaits hold well! :D

[Krytta]

For me i sleep on a satin pillowcase, and french braid down my back, i alternate between a plait and braid.
Personally i haven't had any damage from this routine (not that i've noticed anyway). I don't put my hair tie (it's one of those ribbon hair ties?! i think lol) in the same place every night.
I've actually been wondering about a sleep cap/bonnet.... seems like many of you do this.

[elfynity]

This is an old thread, but a new problem for me. I recently moved back to sleeping on a satin pillowcase only, I sleep with my hair in a bun at the back of my head everynight, as my ends are very fragile and need to be protected, a braid just wont work for me, and I have noticed a lot of broken hair in the area from my neck to my bun. I'm only sleeping on the very smooth satin now, so I am hoping that will be enough. Just wondering if maybe it would be better for me to also wear a satin sleep cap, what the benefits are of wearing a sleep cap and if anyone has any advice on if this would help stop the breakage. My hair is very fine, and I spend half the night at least sleeping on my back.

[lapis_lazuli]

I love my sleep cap for the rare occasion I can't sleep in a bun (say when I'm drying my hair overnight). I have a long one and just throw my hair in loose or loosely braided. It really helps protect my hair if for no other reason than keeping it contained and minimizing tangles. I think it's definitely worth a try. You could also try changing the way you are bunning if that's the source of the damage. If you're using elastics, can you try a stick or pins?

[tuanyiji]

Before bed, I fingercomb through my hair to get rid of my daily shed (so I can take a picture), oil my scalp and ends with two drops, plait the hair loosely (I alternate the base of the braid from left, center, to right, as a three-day cycle so I won't cause tension near my nape in the long run), I use the pull-over method to end the braid so I never need an elastic tie. I then put on my long satin or silk bonnet, then I sleep on top of a silk pillowcase. I turn on my octopus head massager to soothe my scalp during the first half hour of my sleep while I turn on my LED beauty light to shine on my face.
I wash my bonnet and pillowcase (once a week) more often than my hair (once a month).
I haven't found any breakage or split ends for half a year now.

[LadyLongLocks]

Satin pillowcases are good but I find myself slipping off . I have been gathering all of my hair and putting it above my pillow or hanging it off the bed to one side. I always wear it down when I sleep.I wear it up 95% during the day.
I have tried braiding and that works ok but I still like to leave it down. I usually do alright the next morning, It's not messy believe it or not.

I am quoting myself here from a post I made in 2009, 14 years ago! It was actually number 31 in this thread.

It was funny to read this and how much has changed since I wrote this in 2009. I never wear my hair down to sleep now I don’t braid it I don’t use satin pillowcases!
I have started to wear my hair up since 2016! before that was a big no-no to wear my hair up at night since i wear it up most of the day.

Since I started caring for a sick family member in January 2016 and moved in with them for 3 months, I had to wear my hair up at night to be prepared to jump out of bed in a hurry. I got so used to it that I just continued and I’m still doing it but I still feel a little guilty about it.

My hair right now is ankle length 65””and it’s been as long as 14 inches past the floor at 87” so it was really too hard to wear it down at night.
I have tried a lot of things and this is one of the most frustrating things of having long hair is figuring out what to do with it at night.
I’ve tried satin sleep caps but they always slip off and now I have noticed that I have a ton of breakage on the sides of my head from it rubbing all night on pillows.
Now I wear a bandanna in a headband style to protect the sides and then I put another bandanna over the top of that cover the back of my bun and tie it in the back. It stays on fairly well. But I find that more than one bandanna is always necessary sometimes even three.
I have even made small sleep sticks 4.5" to put in my hair. I use smaller clips but sometimes I still sleep with whatever style I wore for the day! Hairpins are pretty comfortable to sleep in too. I also found a big help in wearing your hair up at night is sleeping with a very small pillow where you can hang your bun off the end of the pillow lol. This really helps keeping from anything sticking into your head!

So, 14 years later my routine of sleeping with my hair is totally changed! I Have at least three dozen bandannas and I only Wear them one time or maybe two times if my hair is fairly clean.
I wasn’t sure if I could quote myself here but it’s kind of interesting to see how things changed through the years. By the way my hair is ankle length at the moment and this is the longest I’m going to keep it.

I hope more people share their method of sleeping with long hair. in 14 years there are few replies. Maybe this simple got lost and pushed back!

:)

[GoatLady]

... it’s kind of interesting to see how things changed through the years. By the way my hair is ankle length at the moment and this is the longest I’m going to keep it.

Yes, it is interesting to read how your routine has changed. I suppose as my hair gets longer that might happen to me, as well. Right now, I am happy with my sleep routine. I put my hair into 2 Dutch braids (It's in a bun 95% of my waking hours). I use velvet scrunchies to secure the braid ends and then tuck my briads up inside my mulberry silk sleep cap. I have bangs so I chose a sleep cap with no elastic in the front. It manages to stay on my head really well while sleeping but I also use a silk pillowcase, just in case it ever falls off. I love how smooth my hair is in the morning. No frizz and I haven't noticed any breakage.

[elfynity]

Thank you lapis_lazuli, it is great to know that you can just throw wet hair into your sleep cap!

LadyLongLocks, I did actually see your post at the beginning of the thread. You really have the sleep thing down!

So, just to confirm again where I'm getting the damage, when my hair is up in a bun, the hair below my bun towards my neckline is broken and damaged. I am surprised no one else has this issue so far, I must sleep on my back and wiggle my head at night alot!

tuanyiji, I know most people seem to do a braid, but I cannot do a braid, my ends are too fragile. I love that you wash your bonnet and pillowcase more than your hair, it does make sense!

So, I think I'm going to try the idea of a bandana, a satin stretch one because I think a full cap will come off my head too and is far to much in the heat here. I think also I was sleeping on cotton up till recently, so perhaps even just changing to a satin pillowcase will make a big difference. My hair is thin enough that every single one counts, I don't want any to break.

[Fiorentina]

The question of how protecting hair while sleeping is a very good question, if you asking me.
My solution is wearing a silky bonnet and yes I know it sounds funny and it also maybe look silly. But what can you do??? It really is the very best thing to do for my.
On the other hand my husband never said something against it, so i keep going. -every evening-
I have a cupule of silky bonnets in different colors and pattern.
The current oldest one musst be from 2015 and I should replace that one. So I have to browse trough Etsy and see what is available at the time.

Regards
Fiorentina

[Natalina]

This is a good thread to come back go when I might need to start protecting my hair during sleep (hopefully never but it's always good to come prepared).

Anyways I used to braid or bun my hair before sleep, but it stresses my scalp out and since I'm a VERY light sleeper, I realized I'm much better off letting my hair loose and threw it over my bed. It's long enough now to not sneak behind my back as much so I don't accidentally pull it in my sleep. Also braids and buns make my nape hair more tangled?? Idk why, I can go days without detangling sleeping with my hair loose but in a bun or braids I'd have to detangle when I wake up. Maybe it's not tight enough? But if they're tight then they're painful ugh.

No way I'm wearing bonets to sleep, I can barely tolerate ANYTHING on my head (besides a hair clip) during the day for more than a few hours, wearing a bonet to SLEEP in this boiling hot weather (no A/C) at night?? That's asking too much of me. Maybe one day when I can afford A/C I might give it a shot, lol!

[elfynity]

No way I'm wearing bonets to sleep, I can barely tolerate ANYTHING on my head (besides a hair clip) during the day for more than a few hours, wearing a bonet to SLEEP in this boiling hot weather (no A/C) at night?? That's asking too much of me. Maybe one day when I can afford A/C I might give it a shot, lol!

You must be in the southern hemisphere, or at least just not north! I agree, the thought of wearing a full sleep cap in the heat where I am, is not something I'd consider. But for the sake of these broken hairs, maybe the bandana would work for you too, I'm gonna give it a try and see hopefully it is not too hot? It seems like things in your hair are super irritating though. I have a portable A/C and it works very well. The portable ones are more affordable and it works for me, I've got it set up right though too. So maybe that could be a consideration for you.

[cookies]

This would never have even crossed my mind if it weren't for LHC :lol:
I don't protect my hair while sleeping and am only now starting to understand how that affects it negatively.

LadyLongLocks, I love the bandana idea!
I do have a silk-like bandana sized scarf which I never wear, so I think I'll promote it to Hair Keeper :D

What do you think causes damage from sleeping in braids/buns? Always wearing the same one? Accessories (ties, sticks, etc)? The same part rubbing against the pillow/bed disproportionately more than the rest?