How to Stop Hair from Getting Greasy Overnight? – 4 Causes and Foolproof Solutions to Try Today!

You go to bed with your perfect-looking, freshly-washed hair only to find it all tangled up and greasy the next morning. Why does that happen? Are there any ways to stop hair from getting greasy overnight? Should you sleep with your hair up or down? Here are some of my tried and tested hacks that will keep your hair looking and feeling fresh in the morning!

Why is my Hair Greasy When I Wake Up?

Waking up with greasy hair is one of the most annoying things to deal with in the morning. The truth is that there can be many causes for this. One of the main and most common reasons for having extra oily hair in the morning is the fact that your scalp produces more sebum during the night. This process is further triggered when your head rubs against your pillow, especially if you don’t change its case frequently. Other causes for greasy morning hair are:

• Hot showers right before bed – As enjoyable as it is to take a nice, relaxing hot shower at the end of a busy day, hot water actually has a negative impact on your scalp. The hotter the water that you use to wash your hair, the more moisture you lose. This causes your hair to overproduce protective natural oils, hence why your hair feels greasy in the morning.
• Overstimulation of the scalp – If you wear your hair down a lot, and you touch it or run your fingers through it frequently, it will cause your scalp to produce more sebum. This can also happen if you enjoy brushing your hair a lot and for long periods of time.
• Wearing a lot of hats and headwear – Wearing headscarves, hats, beanies, and other types of headwear for prolonged periods of time forces and locks in the sebum into your scalp, which can also make your ends look drier if they’re too tight-fitting.
• Product build-up – If you’re someone who wears hairspray or other types of heavy hair products on a daily basis, this creates build-up on your scalp which leads to excess oil production. The same thing happens if you don’t wash out your shampoo and conditioner too well.

Read also: Greasy Hair Hairstyles – 8 Ideas That’ll Help You to Overcome Bad Hair Day!

Should I Sleep with My Hair Up or Down?

In order to protect your hair from breakage and excess sebum production overnight you should reduce friction to a minimum. If you have long hair, you should either put it up in a loose bun or a loose braid. Avoid rubber and elastic hair ties at all costs! Instead, you can use a satin scrunchie or a spiral hair tie. If you don’t feel comfortable wearing your hair up at night, you can use a silk or satin bonnet or pillowcase. The latter is also a great option for those with short and medium-length hair who can’t tie it up.

Read also: What’s the Difference Between Silk and Satin? 6 Important Factors to Consider

Ways to Stop Hair from Getting Greasy Overnight

Waking up with soft and luscious hair every morning – isn’t that the dream? As surreal as it may sound it’s much easier to achieve than you may think! Here are some simple tricks you can apply in your routine that will prevent your scalp from producing excess sebum overnight:

• Change your pillowcase frequently – Cotton pillowcases not only create a lot of friction but also absorb the moisture from your hair. To avoid that from happening experts suggest changing your pillowcases at least once a week. Ideally, opt for satin or silk pillowcases for best results.
• Wash your hair with organic products – While expensive shampoos and conditioners can give you that instant salon-like wow effect, they are not suitable for frequent use and can have a reverse effect on your hair over time. To avoid having your sebaceous glands working overtime it’s best to switch to more organic products. A useful tip my hairdresser gave me was to have a few different shampoos and switch them up every other time I wash my hair. This will help prevent residue build-up.
• Don’t go to bed with wet hair – Going to bed with wet hair is one of the worst things you can do to your scalp. You’re creating an ideal environment for fungi to thrive in which will not only make your hair more oily but can be a cause for dandruff.
• Cut down the refined carbohydrates – Bread, pasta, pizza, waffles, and other foods high in sugar raise your insulin levels which then leads to increased sebum production. Try taking Vitamin B6 and zinc to regulate your sebum production and maintain a healthy metabolism.

Read also: 10 Chic Ideas for Bed-Head Bangs When You Don’t Feel Like Using a Hairbrush!