We all know how important sleep is for our health but many of us don’t stop to consider that this includes our hair too. Unfortunately, a lack of sleep is all too common these days, which can lead to problems with our skin, immune system, and mental health – not to mention affecting your hair cycle. Keep on scrolling to find out exactly why a good night’s sleep is important to your overall hair health!
How does sleep affect our hair health?
A good and restorative night’s sleep is needed for the protein synthesis of the hair, as well as the release of enzymes and growth hormones that are necessary for overall hair health. Your body naturally produces a hormone called melatonin: this hormone helps to regulate your sleep cycle and has been shown to help with healthy hair growth. What does this mean? A decrease in melatonin levels could lead to a decrease in the health of your locks.
As well as this, a lack of sleep can lead to stress and anxiety, which can have a big impact on your hair. It has also been found that stress as a result of sleep deprivation, can cause our locks to become oily – not what we want!
What can I do to prevent this?
The most important thing you can do for your locks in this situation is to work on improving your sleep cycle! There are a number of lifestyle changes you can make in order to improve your sleep (and therefore hair quality), which include: regular exercise, a healthy diet, and drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
It’s also a good idea to develop a nighttime wind-down routine such as turning off all technology half an hour before bed, using lavender essential oil to create a relaxing atmosphere, or even engaging in meditation or deep breathing exercises.
When it comes to your hair care, it’s a great idea to integrate this into your nighttime routine! Set aside some time each week to relax with a hair mask before bed (wine and Netflix, anyone?) as well as paying particular attention to your scalp through nourishing hair care products and maybe a scalp massage or two!