Here are a few simple tips to keep your textured hair from breaking or drying out while you sleep at night. Keep reading to find out if these tips can protect your curl definition.
6 Tips For Maintaining Natural Hair At Night
1. Moisturize Your Hair
Moisturizing is the first step of your natural hair night routine and should not be missed. Infusing some moisture into your hair ensures that it is not dry and frizzy the next morning. Spray water on your hair or apply a leave-in conditioner to keep it hydrated. You can also opt for coconut or almond oils. However, do not soak your hair with water, oils, or conditioners, as an overdose of moisture can weigh your strands down. Also, don’t go to bed with wet hair.
2. Detangle Your Hair
Always use your fingers to detangle any knots gently before going to bed. Also, consider switching to wooden wide-tooth combs to prevent your hair from tangling. To ensure that the hair remains tangle-free even while sleeping, divide your hair into sections and tie it loosely into braids or chunky twists.
3. Massage Your Scalp
According to research, a regular scalp massage helps make your hair thick and stimulate hair growth (1). After your hair is moisturized and detangled, massage your scalp with your fingertips. This will help promote healthy hair growth. For best results, use coconut, almond, or diluted essential oils while massaging your scalp. A survey involving 340 participants studied the use of standardized scalp massage. It was observed that 327 of them reported attempting standardized scalp massage and 68.9% of them reported hair regrowth after 11-20 mins of daily massage. So adding scalp and hair massage to your hair care routine can be a great way to improve hair growth. Jewellianna, a curly girl vlogger who also shares beauty, fashion, and fitness tips, emphasizes the importance of scalp massages in her nighttime routine. She reveals, “I’ve been using scalp massages to grow my hair back because they stimulate the hair follicle and increase blood flow, which helps your hair grow. And I noticed a significant difference when I used this technique (i).”
4. Choose Protective Hairstyles
Tie your hair in protective hairstyles to keep your curls safe from damage. These low-manipulation hairstyles protect your locks from tangles, frizz, and breakage while you sleep. Depending on how you want to style your hair the next day, you can choose a protective hairstyle from the following types:
Twisting And Braiding
If your hairstyle the next day involves curls or plaits, tie your hair in loose braids. Your hair will get flawless definition and become easier to manage. Section your hair in 5 to 6 bunches and twist it into small ponytails. Twisting and plaiting your hair also helps stretch out your curls and keep them in shape.
Pineapple Method
As the name suggests, this method involves pulling your hair back into a high ponytail like a pineapple. The pineapple method prevents your hair from getting flat and adds volume to it the next day. If you have short natural hair, pull your hair into 4 or 5 mini-pineapples to preserve its moisture and shape.
Tuck And Roll
The tuck and roll are for those who have no hairstyle in mind and wish to protect their hair. Gather your hair and tie a low ponytail. Twist it to form a roll and tuck the hair with a clip behind your head. The tuck and roll hairstyle can help in keeping your curls less messy and intact. Note: Do not pull your hair back tightly. This might cause scalp discomfort and hair breakage.
5. Use A Satin Pillowcase
Always use a satin pillowcase instead of cotton or synthetic ones to prevent static, frizz, and flyaways. Sleeping on a cotton pillowcase can be comfortable, but it absorbs the hair’s essential oils and moisture. This can make your hair extremely dry and frizzy the next day. You can also wear a bonnet or wrap your hair with a silk or satin scarf to prevent tugging and snagging.
6. Use Flexi Rods
Opting for flexi rods is ideal if you have naturally curly or wavy hair. The rods help in maintaining the shape of the strands without causing any damage or tugging. You can start on dry, detangled hair, and apply a leave-in conditioner or any other styling product. Section your hair and wrap each part around a flexi rod, securing it in place. It is important to carefully consider how to sleep with curly hair as it can save you plenty of hair troubles. Ensure to sleep on a satin or silk pillowcase afterward to minimize friction. In the morning, gently unravel the rods, finger-comb your hair, and welcome bouncier and more defined curls. This technique not only helps preserve natural curls and also reduces unwanted frizziness. How can I protect my twists at night? You may use a satin pillowcase and headscarf to protect your twists while sleeping. Use water-based styling cream in moderate quantity to keep the shape intact. How do you sleep with wet natural hair? Ideally, you shouldn’t go to bed with wet hair as it increases the risk of fungal infections and breakage. However, if you have to sleep with wet natural hair, ensure that you use a curl cream to keep the curls intact and frizz at bay. Then, loosely tie your hair in a pineapple, top bun, or overhead braid.
