Safe to say that getting the perfect curls is no easy feat. What’s worse is that you will probably lose these curls overnight as you sleep.
And this brings us to the focus of this article which is: how to sleep with your hair to keep it curly.
We will share 9 tips on how to maintain curls overnight, so keep on reading.
1. Lock moisture
The number one enemy for curly hair is frizz. This is made worse at night as you sleep.
Frizz is majorly caused by insufficient moisture levels in hair. Low moisture levels also cause hair to become dull and breakage in hair.
To maintain your curls overnight, moisturize your hair with a leave-in conditioner and then loc the moisture with oils such as olive or coconut oil.
This will ensure the moisture locked in the cuticles and not lost as you sleep.
Some curl-friendly leave-in conditioners also bring back the bounce in the hair therefore, be on the lookout for those for added benefits.
2. Sleep on your side
To preserve your curls at night, you might want to adjust your sleep position.
Sleeping directly on your curls will likely apply pressure and causing them to get frizzy, messy, and jumbled together.
A better sleeping position would be on your stomach or, your side as this reduces the pressure on your curls.
Additionally, sleeping on the side has been found to have health benefits such as improving digestion and reducing heartburn.
3. Use a silk scarf/ bonnet
Silk /satin bonnets, and pillowcases have been popular in the hair community especially among those with curly/coily hair types.
Silk and satin act as protective materials reducing the friction between hair and surfaces.
This is because their nature allows for hair to glide over and not get stuck in one position which creates friction.
Other materials for instance cotton are more likely to increase friction which results in matted hair, frizz, and even hair breakage in some cases.
Apart from frizz, silk and satin allow for moisture retention during the night.
These materials, unlike others, do not absorb moisture from hair hence reducing the amount of moisture lost.
Using both silk or satin scarves and pillowcases acts as a double protection measure for your curls.
When looking for sleeping scarves/bonnets look out for those with extra room to accommodate a larger column of curls.
4. Pineapple wrap
If you want to preserve your curls as you sleep, then wrap the hair in a pineapple.
This is a protective styling method that ensures your curls are tucked in and held together.
Curls are now head to the center of the head reducing the chances of laying on your strands and crushing them. As a result, frizz is reduced and curls remain defined.
To achieve a pineapple:
- Flip your hair upside down and gather your curls at the top of your head.
- Tie with a scrunchie or hair tie making sure not to tie your hair too tightly.
Make sure to use a silk or satin hair tie which reduces the chances of hair breakage.
5. Plop the hair
Say, for instance, your curly hair is wet by the time you go to sleep. A good method to keep your hair safe with defined curls is by using the hair plopping method.
Just like the pineapple, the plop method brings all your curls on top of your head reducing any chance of frizz formation or breakage.
To achieve the plop,
- Begin by applying a curl-enhancing product for instance a gel, hair mousse, or other curling products onto your hair.
- Next, you are going to need a cotton t-shirt to hold your hair. Begin by flipping your hair upside down onto the shirt.
- Then take the ends of the t-shirt and direct them towards the back of your neck and tie a knot to secure your t-shirt.
6. Do two-strand twists
Another method that can be used for both dry and wet curly hair is the two-strand twists.
This method works by tucking away hair in a protective style to preserve curls. To achieve two-strand twists, section your hair into as many parts as you would like.
For each part, split into two and begin to wrap one section onto another till the base of the braid. Repeat for all other sectioned parts.
Remember to use a silk hair scarf/bonnet and pillowcase for extra protection for your hair.
7. Braid the hair
Braids work just like two-strand braids to keep curly hair defined and tangle-free.
People with softer curls might find their hair curlier after unraveling the next morning while tighter curls might find their curls stretched out.
To braid the hair,
- Section your hair into about 8 parts.
- Split each part into three strands and then begin braiding in an over-under motion.
- Repeat for the rest of the sections.
- Make sure to use a silk or satin scarf, bonnet, or pillowcase as an additional protective measure for your curls.
8. Bantu knots
Bantu knots as a protective style has been common over the years.
It is also an excellent option to maintain curly hair overnight.
To install bantu knots:
- Section the hair into as many parts as you desire.
- Use a curl-enhancing product such as styling gel or curling mousse.
- Twist each section into one long strand and wrap it around itself until it forms a knot.
- Make sure to secure it with bobby pins if you need it to be extra secure.
- Unravel in the morning for defined curls.
9. Sleep with flexi rods
Flexi rods are great for curling hair as well as retaining curls. Unlike normal curls. Flexi rods are flexible enough to not be a disturbance as you sleep.
To install Flexi rods, begin preferably with damp hair. Next section your hair into several parts.
Begin by rolling the rod towards the base of your roots then bend to secure. Repeat with the other sections.
Make sure to roll the rods as close to the top of your head as possible to increase comfortability.
Remember to use a silk or satin scarf, bonnet, or pillowcase for extra protection to reduce frizz and matted hair.
Unravel your rods in the morning for bouncy, defined curls.
In a nutshell, here is how to sleep with hair to keep it curly:
- Lock moisture
- Sleep on your side
- Used a silk scarf/bonnet
- Do a pineapple wrap
- Plop the hair
- Do two-strand twist
- Braid the hair
- Bantu knots
- Sleep with flexi rods
