Does Sleep Affect Hair Health?

A good night’s sleep is key to overall health and well-being. No big revelation there!

Wait, you’re not so sure you agree? Well, in that case, think back to the last time you pulled an all-nighter, whether it was for a long drive, studying for a final exam, making the most of your best friend’s stag party, or whatever the occasion.  And then ask yourself how you felt the next morning.  After grabbing just a few hours of sleep. Or how you felt even the next morning after.

The answer, for 99% of the population, is “Lousy!”

But while you’re wondering why you’re not sleeping well, or what you did to deprive yourself of the rest, have you ever wondered what effect lack of sleep might have on hair loss?  Let’s have a look.

Sleep and Hair Loss

There is a significant amount of research that points to a correlation between sleep and hair health. It is known, for example, that sleep helps boost the immune system, lowers blood pressure, promotes healthy weight, and more. As for your hair, it is during sleep that the epithelial hair follicle stem cells, responsible for cyclic bouts of hair growth, get busy. Consistently getting good quality sleep ensures that this process happens seamlessly, while an interruption can prevent these stem cells from doing their job and, as a result, impair hair growth.

Effects of Too Much Sleep

Yes, you can have too much of a good thing. In fact, an over-abundance of melatonin, a hormone responsible for regulating your natural sleep cycle, can lead to fatigue and depression. And while currently there are no proven indications that too much sleep can lead to hair loss, an out of whack sleep cycle can lead to stress, a poor diet, reduced physical activity, and other factors that can result in hair loss.

Sleeping Position and Hair Growth

Whether you’re a stomach, side, or back sleeper, rest assured that your preferred sleep position will not have a negative impact on the health of your hair. However, what you sleep on can make a difference. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase can prevent frizzy hair since silk doesn’t produce the friction that cotton sheets do. And silk helps keep hair hydrated because it doesn’t absorb your hair’s natural moisture like other fabrics can.

Let’s be realistic.  Don’t just adopt good sleep habits to prevent hair loss. There are other both more and equally important considerations to keep in mind.  And yet, if you’re looking to do everything you can to keep your full head of hair, add a good night’s sleep, every night, to the list.

If, on the other hand, significant hair loss has already occurred, then do the next best thing: contact DiStefano Hair Restoration Center for a free consultation where we can identify and explore the options available to reverse the problem.