The Science of Beauty Sleep: Why Quality Shut-Eye Is the Ultimate Haircare Hack

Does your hair still feel lank and lifeless even after fancy shampoos, conditioners, and regular hair treatments? It might be something in your lifestyle. Did you know that pollution can have drastic effects on your crowning glory? Or that numerous studies link improper nutrition to bad tresses? Or that beauty sleep may actually be the key to, well, beautiful hair?

That’s right. Numerous studies have shown that lifestyle can affect your physical appearance. Poor sleep quality can affect your weight, skin, and hair – although not in the way that you may think.

Two things: first, sleep is great. When you were young, you always heard it helped you grow taller. It gives you energy and makes your mind sharp.

Another thing you need to understand is that everything in your body is interconnected. For example, being tired can have jarring effects on your mood. Meanwhile, psychological stress can kick your hormones into hyperdrive, triggering acne or even dandruff. Anxiety can cause you to sleep less, which can spur so many other issues, while a person's quality of life, according to a study in the International Journal of Trichology, can initiate hair concerns as well.

Sleep is a great haircare hack if only for the consequences that happen when you don’t get enough of it.

According to a study in Nature, stress caused by sleep deprivation promotes the upregulating of enzymes which can, in turn, boost oil production. While natural oils make your hair naturally shiny, too much can cause itchiness and dermatitis.

Poor sleep decreases hormone production that can make you stressed (yup, it has to be said again – sleep and stress go together like shampoo and conditioner). According to the University of Pittsburgh, anxiety pushes hair follicles into a “resting phase,” which is the stage in hair growth that doesn’t produce new strands and makes existing ones more prone to falling.

The effect of the stress-sleep cycle doesn’t end there. The University of Pittsburgh study also brings up trichotillomania, which is an effect of stress. It is how people react to nerve-wracking situations by pulling their hair out. Trichotillomania is more common in girls and women.

When you get ample beauty sleep, your scalp receives much-needed blood flow and nutrients to help you achieve healthier and lusher hair. But there are other ways you can get better hair as you sleep, too. For instance, try not to sleep with wet hair. Wet hair is more brittle and more prone to breakage – which can happen when strands rub against your pillow or sheets. You can also switch to silk or satin pillowcases instead to reduce friction in your hair.

In periods of your life where you can’t get much sleep – such as deadlines, heartbreaks, and the occasional party – fortify your hair with Dove Botanical Anti Hair Fall Shampoo Silicone Free Primrose. It has a gentle, silicone-free formula that nourishes brittle hair and strengthens the follicle to reduce hair fall.

If you need a little help getting your beauty sleep, use Love Beauty and Planet Argan Oil & Lavender Smooth and Serene Shampoo. Its soothing lavender scent will help calm your senses and prepare you for some high-caliber slumber. Just don’t forget to dry your hair after your shower.