Is It Bad to Sleep with Wet Hair? The Truth Behind 6 Hair Haka-Hakas

Have you had an elder tell you: “Wag ka muna humiga kasi lalabo mata mo”? You’re not alone. This is a common Filipino belief that has been passed on from generation to generation. There are several permutations of this, too. According to these superstitions, sleeping with wet hair will result in poor vision or blindness, give you a headache, or make you go insane. But the question stands: Is it bad to sleep with wet hair? We’re investigating some age-old myths to find out if they are true.

Now to answer the million-peso hair question: is it ok to sleep with wet hair? One of the most common myths surrounding hair is that sleeping immediately after showering will make you go blind or insane.

What happens when you sleep with wet hair? While there are disadvantages to sleeping with wet hair, there’s no correlation between wet hair, eyesight, and insanity. This is according to the Makati Medical Center website. It can, however, damage your hair because wet hair is vulnerable to breakage. Friction from rubbing against a pillowcase or any tangles can lead to damaged, broken hair. This is what happens when you sleep with wet hair — not blindness.

Here are some tips on how you can sleep safely with wet hair:

Use conditioner after shampooing

Follow with a hair-detangling product or hair serum

Comb through thoroughly

Wrap your hair in a towel

The American Academy of Dermatology puts this myth to rest: hair doesn’t need 100 brush strokes a day. It’s not only false but also damaging to your hair and can cause hair fall. It’s simply too much brushing, even if you have the strongest hair. Brushing gently and moderately does, however, have some benefits. It can stimulate circulation in the scalp and distribute natural oils for shinier hair. For best results, use a brush with natural bristles and never brush wet hair. Do your research on the different types of combs to find what's best for your needs.

Is your hair dull and damaged? Use Dove Intense Repair Shampoo to help it recover. Formulated with Keratin Repair Actives, it repairs signs of surface damage, making hair look healthier, smoother, and shinier. No need to brush 100 times.

Some beauty junkies swear by giving hair a last cold rinse before stepping out of the shower. Supposedly, this will close the cuticles on the hair shaft and make hair shinier. Scientists at TRI Princeton, an independent research firm for skin and hair, found that cold water doesn’t contribute to shine at all. Moreover, it doesn’t rinse off product residue as effectively as warm water does. So, unless you enjoy an ice-cold rinse, stick to room temperature water or warm water instead. 

This myth doesn’t make any sense. Hair grows from the hair follicle, which is what anchors each strand to the scalp. Tiny blood vessels in the follicle feed the hair so that it keeps on growing. However, the strand that emerges from the skin’s surface is composed of dead skin cells. Therefore, cutting the ends won’t do anything for hair growth. Instead, a regular trim makes hair look healthier as it grows longer by getting rid of dry, split ends. 

To make your hair stay healthy as you grow it, use Sunsilk Strong & Long Shampoo regularly. It has biotin and aloe vera that nourish hair deeply, so it stays healthy through different styles. 

You shouldn’t apply hair color on squeaky clean hair, but not for the reasons we think. When we don’t wash our hair, natural oils that build upon the scalp form a barrier that protects it from the chemicals in hair color. However, this doesn’t mean your hair should be dirty. On the contrary, your hair needs to be free of products such as gels, oils, and serums. These coat the hair and could interfere with the coloring process. Your best course of action? Wash your hair the night before coloring your hair. 

The truth is, there are so many factors that contribute to hair health. So much so that you just can’t say your shampoo isn’t working because your hair “got used to it.” If it looks like your shampoo isn’t working anymore, it could be because your hair is different. If you colored your hair, changed your diet, or moved to a humid location, your hair’s needs may have changed. You then have to adjust accordingly. Experts recommend having at least three different shampoos in rotation to address your hair’s changing needs.

These hair haka-hakas certainly made our haircare routines more fascinating growing up. But to sum it up, is it bad to sleep with wet hair? Not as bad as our elders led us to believe! It can break your hair, but it won’t make you go crazy or blind. Whether it’s an old myth or a TikTok video, always check the science before practicing a haircare haka-haka so you don’t waste time or products, or damage your hair.