Who doesn’t like to take a relaxing shower before going to sleep?
However, not drying your hair before bed doesn’t just damage your hair. It can also cause certain health problems.
Humidity causes a sudden change in body temperature, something that can cause headaches and increased muscle tension in the neck. Wrapping it in a towel can even aggravate the problem, as the fabric retains moisture for longer.
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Going to sleep with wet hair can also cause dandruff since the Malassezia fungus – which lives on our scalp and is the most common cause of this disorder – begins to reproduce more quickly in humid conditions.
This bad habit also dries and weakens our hair, and also reduces its elasticity. Hair absorbs large amounts of water and “swells or becomes overhydrated”, while “the cuticle dilates and leaves the pores open. This makes it more fragile against any harmful external agent”, explains trichologist David Saceda. It also alters the pH, so your scalp can become greasy.
Finally, changes in body temperature can trigger allergies and colds, as they weaken our immune system. While any pathogen has an incubation period, going to sleep with wet hair accelerates the onset of symptoms.
But what can you do to avoid the negative effects of going to bed without drying your hair?
Hair health experts recommend:
- apply conditioner
- wringing your hair out before you get out of the shower
- rub it gently with a cotton towel
- detangle it with a wide tooth comb
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And if you have opted for the hairdryer, it is best to use it at medium temperature, because at high temperatures, the water inside the hair shaft can boil and create bubbles that break it.