How do you all go to bed with a wet head?

[Stella B.]

Yesterday, I shampooed my hair after dinner, because I had a full day planned with other things to do. I knew that when I got started, it would be way past bedtime before my hair was dry. I decided not to use the hair dryer for the first time ever, and airdried for a few hours. I moisturized, sealed, twisted my hair in about 8 small sections. When I put on my satin scarf, my hair was still damp, especially at the scalp. I even put a towel on the pillowcase to keep it from absorbing the dampness. I have heard that some of you ladies go to bed with damp conditioner treatments and leave them in overnite. ??? So, I trusted that my hair would be dry by morning. My hair was still damp when I woke up, and I think I may have caught a head cold. What did I do wrong? Do any of you ladies practice going to bed with a wet head on a regular basis? I didn't feel too good about this experience...don't think I'll be doing that again soon!

 

[LushLox]

I'd like to know too. I don't think it's something I could do personally.

 

[crlsweetie912]

Well, I always go to bed on a wet rollerset and let it airdry. Before I got my hair cut, I would sit under the dryer in the am (about 15 min) just to make sure the set was fully dry. I do this with regular rollers, rods, flexi rods. I love it. I HATE sitting under the dryer.

Now I will do it with maybe oils or something as a pre poo. I put a cap on, tie down with a scarf and that keeps any product from getting on my pillow cases, but I always put a towel down just in case the baggie slides a bit during the night.

I never go outside with wet hair, and I thought that stuff was just an old wives tale?

When you said "twists" are you talking about flat twists or just regular old twists? I guess it depends on how thick your hair is, but if you had sat under the dryer in the am for a few minutes I am sure that it would have been ok. HTH.

 

[JustKiya]

I go to bed with my head soaking in conditioner all of the time. I wear a showercap underneath of my usual scarf, and roll on. If I'm trying to airdry my hair overnight, it's usually in braids, and I'll just wear my scarf, and lay a towel over my pillow.

And wet hair doesn't give you colds, germs do.

 

[glam-]

I do it frequently. When I work out in the evenings, I cowash after. I do one of two things: 1) put my hair in several braids, don my silk bonnet and hit the sack or 2) just put my hair into a high, high ponytail on the top of my head and tuck the ends under, put on my bonnet and go to sleep.

My hair is never dry in the morning, but it's not sopping wet either. I take it down the rest of the way and let it dry naturally on my way to work.

 

[Caramel Jewel]

I sometimes do- before I decided to transition and now while I'm transitioning.
My hair is short - it's in a bob where one side is shorter than the other, so I can't wear a pony tail and I haven't tried anyother styles - so I keep it staightened.
(my new growth reverts completely within 48 hours, but I only flatiron it once its been cleaned)
Sometimes I've washed it in the morning at let it air dry, I would wear a scarf folded like a triangle and go about my day...I've even gone outside with wet hair...but it's getting colder so I may not be doing that much now...
(when I was younger, with longer relaxed hair, I would wash, put it in a ponytail and go out with a soaking wet head all the time..the first time I did it I got sick but I guess I got used to it cause I didn't get sick anymore, I couldn't do that now because I can't put it in a pony tail. If I could I would )

I've done this at night when I washed it at night and decided to straighten it with a flatiron in the morning. I usually let it airdry for as long as possible and before I go to bed I'd tie it up completely.

oh I don't put oils in it while it's airdrying because it takes longer for it to dry...
in open air without a scarf it takes about four hours to dry completely...
the top of my head takes the longest to dry...
and even if it is still a little damp, I'd flatiron it because that would dry it....

I do this [now] just to keep so much heat out of hair....

 

[DarkDesire]

Yeah - going to bed with a wet head has never been any good for me - especieally if I still need to do extra stuff in the morning...

'And wet hair doesn't give you colds, germs do.'

True, but I think wet hair makes you jailbait for germs, like a nice warm petri dish. The end result tends to be a bit of a cold... well for me anyway.

 

[gymfreak336]

I just did this last night.

I washed, conditioned with Giovanni Smooth as Silk , added some leave in and made a semi high bun. I used bobby pins but I only very loosely. Not too tight, just enough to hold it. I then took a satin wrap and wrapped my head up.

I then take a mircofiber towel, you know, the super absorbent ones, and placed it over my pillowcase, and went to bed. I find the towel helps it dry faster.

 

[Stella B.]

Thanks for the feedback, ladies. I did do most of the things mentioned above (twist-braided hair, pinned it up, put towel on pillow, etc) by some of you, but If I do this again, I will skip the sealing with oil part, and I will go ahead and drag the dryer out, and sit under it for about 15 minutes. (I was so trying to just let my hair air dry over nite). I am sure the dryer would have sped up the air-drying process, so I wouldn't have to wake up to a wet head. I think it was the whole idea of my hair still being damp after 6 hours that bothered me.

 

[SimpleKomplexity]

I personally can't do it. Each time I go to sleep with a wet head, I wake up and feel like someone hit me with a brick. I always eel a cold coming on. Soooo wet hair before sleep is not my cup of tea. It is true just by being wet does not make you geta cold, you have to be infcted with the virus. But many of us are exposed with the cold virus day to day by people we are in contact with. Wet hair leaves your pores open and leaves you more susceptible to lowering your immune system so the cold virus can affect you. I have to sit under the dryer for 30 min and then go to sleep

 

[Priss Pot]

I'd like to know this too from the naturals who co-wash at night. I know if I were to co-wash at night, I'd wake up with one side of my head dried flat and the other side dry in the normal pattern, lol.

When my hair gets much longer, I'm going to try co-washing at night sometimes, braiding/twisting it up and taking them out in the morning when dry.

ETA: During my last months as relaxed, I would go to bed with a wet wrap. I'd wash my hair at night sometimes, wrap my hair wet, put on a scarf, and go to bed. When I wake up, my hair would be air-dried straight. All I would do is maybe bump the ends with a curling iron or put some satin-covered sponge rollers in it if I had enough time to let them sit for a bit. This routine worked really well. If at a time where my hair wouldn't be completely dry when awakening, I'd lightly blowdry that section on warm or cool (low). My hair was SL at the time, so I'm not sure if APL+ would dry in time enough overnight.

 

[envybeauty]

I do it allllllllll the time. Especially in the summer.

When my hair was BARELY APL, my hair would be like 90% dry when I woke up in the mornings. I loved it. It was straight and smooth and the dampness allowed me to moisturize further when I sealed with mango butter in the morning.

Now at about bsl length, my hair is never liek that in the morning. It is really damp. I still don't mind.

It depends on the length of your hair.

 

[myronnie]

I do this all the time! I deep condition at night during the week and rinse it out. Then I just braid my hair in two braids and go to sleep.
But I live in a warm climate..
Also, i spray my hair with water at night and airdry overnight

 

[gymfreak336]

I'd like to know this too from the naturals who co-wash at night. I know if I were to co-wash at night, I'd wake up with one side of my head dried flat and the other side dry in the normal pattern, lol.

When my hair gets much longer, I'm going to try co-washing at night sometimes, braiding/twisting it up and taking them out in the morning when dry.

ETA: During my last months as relaxed, I would go to bed with a wet wrap. I'd wash my hair at night sometimes, wrap my hair wet, put on a scarf, and go to bed. When I wake up, my hair would be air-dried straight. All I would do is maybe bump the ends with a curling iron or put some satin-covered sponge rollers in it if I had enough time to let them sit for a bit. This routine worked really well. If at a time where my hair wouldn't be completely dry when awakening, I'd lightly blowdry that section on warm or cool (low). My hair was SL at the time, so I'm not sure if APL+ would dry in time enough overnight.

TSU, my nightly cowash routine is kinda like this. I put my hair in a bun at night so in the morning, it is almost dry but the rest of it is dry or 95% there and flat from the scarf. I put a little moisturizer on the bun part and put one of those soft wide headbands on to keep my edges smooth. I then rebun with a matching clip and I am good to go. Works very well and looks like I tried.

 

[Stella B.]

I go to bed with my head soaking in conditioner all of the time. I wear a showercap underneath of my usual scarf, and roll on. If I'm trying to airdry my hair overnight, it's usually in braids, and I'll just wear my scarf, and lay a towel over my pillow.

And wet hair doesn't give you colds, germs do.

Germs certainly do give you colds. Wet hair increases the temperature transfer from your head to the air, and could contribute to stressing out the immune system, which could become a playground for germs.
So in my opinion cold air+ wet hair= prime conditions for colds.

 

[Stella B.]

I do this all the time! I deep condition at night during the week and rinse it out. Then I just braid my hair in two braids and go to sleep.
But I live in a warm climate..
Also, i spray my hair with water at night and airdry overnight

I'm sure if it hadn't been chilly here last night, and me sleeping under a window, my hair might have dried quicker.

 

[SouthernDimps]

I do this whenever I co-wash or shampoo my hair since I don't own a hair dryer. After I get out of the shower, I let my hair dry 85% before I braid or twist. This usually takes about 45 minutes. By the morning, my hair is completely dry.

 

[sylver2]

i put a plastic cap on, then bonnet over that.

 

[yuriko]

I do this whenever I co-wash or shampoo my hair since I don't own a hair dryer. After I get out of the shower, I let my hair dry 85% before I braid or twist. This usually takes about 45 minutes. By the morning, my hair is completely dry.

this is exactly what I do, and my hair comes out a lot less damp in the morning

 

[bajanplums1]

if i airdry it overnight, i don;t put on the leave ins until the morning,
adding products slows the process.
also i noticed that it dries better if it is loose. if i throw a scarf on my head, it will not dry as fast.
finally, if i do a co wash instead of a shampoo and conditioner, it dries faster.

 

[hairsothick]

I slap some conditioner on it, put my plastic cap on, put my scarf on over that, make sure it's tucked so that it doesn't run into my ears and then I'm knocked out.

 

[Keep1Belle]

I do it frequently. When I work out in the evenings, I cowash after. .... 2) just put my hair into a high, high ponytail on the top of my head and tuck the ends under, put on my bonnet and go to sleep.

My hair is never dry in the morning, but it's not sopping wet either. I take it down the rest of the way and let it dry naturally on my way to work.

this is my routine as well works with me

 

[MonPetite]

I've done it every night for the past 5.5 YEARS.

I wear a shower cap -no damp pillow, the steam from my scalp trapped in it keeps my scalp toasty. My bonnet keeps the cap from making noise.

My hair is damp...not sopping wet, that helps too.

I don't see what the hullabaloo is about myself.

 

[almond eyes]

I don't sleep with wet hair because my braidouts look terrible in the morning and my hair is more prone to frizz.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[alanaj]

I've done it quite a few times. When I was relaxed I would try to wrap my hair or pin curl it and put a scarf on and sleep. I really liked the way my hair came out because it was a lot more moisturized and the shape seemed to me to be a lot better as well. It was usually still damp in the morning but not soaking wet so it might be a 5 min blow dry vs 30-45.
no headcolds for me that way
Now that I'm transitioning I dont do it as often though

 

[nichole21]

I slap some conditioner on it, put my plastic cap on, put my scarf on over that, make sure it's tucked so that it doesn't run into my ears and then I'm knocked out.

I do the same thing. Very quick and easy. Wash and airdry in the morning.

 

[Eisani]

I do this quite a bit. I do it to prepoo, DC or just because. Last night I CW'd and loosely bunned, laid my edges down then put on my satin scarf then a bonnet on top of that. I don't do it on soaking wet hair, ever. I also place a towel on the pillow. My hair never dries over night, I don't even expect it but I don't get colds. I don't know if this actually works or not, but an old lady told me once that when it's cold out, on your final rinse, make the water as cold as you can stand it. She said it should tighten your pores and by the time you go outside, your hair/head has already been exposed to a cold temperature. IDK, that's what she told me and that's what I've done w/no probs.

 

[Britt]

I personally can't do it. Each time I go to sleep with a wet head, I wake up and feel like someone hit me with a brick. I always eel a cold coming on. Soooo wet hair before sleep is not my cup of tea. It is true just by being wet does not make you geta cold, you have to be infcted with the virus. But many of us are exposed with the cold virus day to day by people we are in contact with. Wet hair leaves your pores open and leaves you more susceptible to lowering your immune system so the cold virus can affect you. I have to sit under the dryer for 30 min and then go to sleep

Ditto... since i've been on this board for the past 5 years, i've noticed this. Whenver I go to bed with a really wet head, I kinda feel a cold the next morning... I think there is a def. a correlation between having a wet head and catching a cold.

Germs certainly do give you colds. Wet hair increases the temperature transfer from your head to the air, and could contribute to stressing out the immune system, which could become a playground for germs.
So in my opinion cold air+ wet hair= prime conditions for colds.

Maybe this is it.. i don't know the real reasoning, but wet heads def. give me a cold. At best, I have to sit under the dryer for about 15 min. to take off some of the wetness.

 

[Stella B.]

Its good to see that there are lots of different opinions about going to bed with a wet head. Just wanted to know what other ladies were thinking about this. It works for some, but not for all. Sounds like a lot of you have been doing this for some time with no ill effects. Now that I know my hair holds water like a sponge, I will know what to expect, and do what it takes to avoid that wet head feeling in the morning.Thanks for chiming in, and sharing your views.

 

[magviv]

I've started to do this after reading TSTurnbu's thread on keeping the hair damp for growth. My hair is shoulder length and I usually air dry with leave-ins until damp and then put my hair into a pony tail and cover with a satin bonnet. The first time I did it, I woke up with stuffy sinuses. After that I decided to turn the ceiling fan above my bed off and decrease the A/C so the room temp wasn't as cool. So far, doing those two things has made all the difference. I probably won't go to bed with wet hair as much during the cooler months.