Dreadlocks have evolved over the past decades and are associated with Hippies, Rastafari's, Afros, and other idealistic groups as a cultural norm. Moreover, the hairstyle brings beauty to a universal hairstyle. The dreadlocks are innovative with different types such as micro locs, Sisterlocs, faux goddess locs, and other types. Maintaining your developing or fully grown dreads is an entirely different issue. Improper dreadlock maintenance can cause damage such as dryness, filth, or decay, and it also causes discomfort, itchiness, and a foul smell to your scalp. Plus, getting a peaceful sleep with dreadlocks is another challenge.
Did you recently install your dreads and are now looking for the best method to sleep with your new dreadlocks? Are you seeking a comfortable sleeping solution to help you keep your dreads in good shape for longer?
This blog will share some ideas for getting a good night's sleep with dreadlocks while avoiding potential damage such as headaches, frizz, and breakage. Continue reading to learn how to sleep with dreadlocks.
How Do You Sleep with Dreadlocks?
If you have "mature" locks, it means you've had them for a long time, such as two years or more. You may know everything about locs journey and know how to sleep with damp locs or how to feel dozing with dreads and how to sleep without messing up dreads. However, learning to sleep with fresh dreads is not something that normally comes naturally but you can try.
Taking care of your dreads while sleeping, washing, and cleaning is crucial. Dreadlocks are prone to breakage and drying out and could draw dirt and other particles from the environment. You might occasionally feel itchy and unpleasant. All these things can be easily avoided with the proper routine, and you can reduce the possibility of breaking. If your dreadlocks are exposed, you may pull them out accidentally throughout the night, which can cause breakage. The worst-case scenario can be that you wake up to find that a dreadlock has broken off while sleeping. To avoid such circumstances, covering your dreads while sleeping will protect your locs. Further, it will keep lint and debris from your bed from attracting to your hair. So, it is essential to follow the right tips while sleeping with locs.
7 Tips to Get Peaceful Sleep with Dreadlocks
Let's look at some routine tips that might make managing your dreadlocks easier at night.
1: Use satin bedding
Long hair gets damaged easily from brushing up against rough bedding materials, which can cause friction. Static electricity can cause damage and frizz to your hair and can also lead to problems while sleeping. Cotton pillows are rough, rubbed with fear, increase curly hair, and can cause long-term harm to dreadlocks. Silk or satin pillowcases soften during sleep and prevent the risk of curling and damaging the dreadlocks. Satin fabric is smooth and will help your face move quickly while you sleep, reducing wrinkles against the pillowcase.
Silk comes from silkworms. On the other hand, satin contains synthetic material, and both fabrics are suitable for dreadlocks. So, prefer a satin pillowcase instead of silk or any additional bedding to avoid any issues while sleeping with dreadlocks.
2: Massage the head to sleep with dreadlocks
Remember to take care of your scalp, especially if you have dreadlocks, as it is essential to your hair health. Your hairs are different in weight and style than traditional hair. The locs tightly bound may put some stress on your scalp. Additionally, they can cause irritation, itchiness, and discomfort. A daily scalp massage helps stimulate hair growth, increase blood circulation, and retain moisture. When you massage your scalp with essential oil, it evenly distributes the sebum - a waxy, oily substance naturally produced by the body that protects and moisturizes your scalp and body skin. Use massage oil to add extra moisture and relief the itchy or dry scalp and get a peaceful sleep with dreadlocks.
Now the question is, when should the scalp be massaged? Just before sleep! As it will allow the oils to work their magic on your scalp by good absorption. Plus, the circular movements of your fingertips, from your hairline to your neck, will do wonders in blood circulation. Try to massage your scalp daily at night for a few minutes. If you're not okay with this idea, try to massage twice a week on hair-washing days.
3: Use leave-in conditioner at night
Massaging your scalp is only the beginning of your locs journey routine. It is best if you keep your dreadlocks clean from residues and buildup to keep them dreadfully awesome. Keep in mind that they may be intolerable to some leave-in conditioners, unraveling and confusing in the beginning. Give the leave-in conditioner a try to check if it helps keep the locs at peace. Mature locks may not face this problem. Just be careful not to use too much in a single use. Sleeping with wet or soaked dreadlocks is not advisable as this may cause mildew formation or unpleasant odors. Many scalp massage oils can double as leave-in conditioners and are marketed this way. You can use a natural and 100% organic product or a separate conditioner to keep the locs soft at night.
4: Cover your dreads
Why cover your dreadlocks instead of tying them back? In many cases, people may prefer to cover their locs, but doing so has real benefits. Tying your dreadlocks may seem more manageable and faster, but it won't help when it comes to retaining the moisture. Moreover, it does not help with preventing debris from sticking to your hair. If you're struggling with dryness and an itchy scalp, consider wearing a dreadlock sleeping cap instead of tying the dreadlock. If you're on a tight budget or just starting with dreads, you might think nylon stockings or a durag is an excellent option. But in reality, these choices are not ideal. Anything too tight to be worn over dreadlocks can also cause breakage and damage to the locks.
A more practical approach is to tie the hair up in a bun and cover it up with a cap or sock. A sleepyhead puts far less strain on your hair than unraveling locs. It will also be the preferred and more comfortable option for many individuals to sleep with dreadlocks. By using a dread cap or sock while sleeping, you can protect your hair from attracting debris and lint from your sleeping surfaces, such as bedding and pillows.
Durags are one of the best ways to cover and protect dreadlocks from frizz and lint. For medium-length dreadlocks, they are best during sleep. They are made of soft and lightweight material that is breathable too. You can tie the locs as tightly as you like so that the durag does not loosen. Likewise, working in a dusty environment such as a construction site, consider wearing durags during the day to protect your fears from residue.
5: Tie your dreadlocks
Tie the dreadlocks to a bun or ponytail while you sleep to minimize the possibility of flattening, pulling, or breaking. You might think it's better to keep it loose like natural, free-flowing hair, but dreadlocks are different. If you don't want to cover your dreads when you go to bed, wrap them in a knot and tie them with a scarf or a large piece of rubber. Make sure that the dreadlocks are not too tight to cause extra strain on your head. To sleep with dreadlocks peacefully, tie them in a high bun and cover them with a head scarf or satin cap to protect them well.
6: Ditch the pillow to sleep with dreadlocks
Ditching the pillow is another great option for those with long dreadlocks sleeping in discomfort. If you're having trouble sleeping because your pillow is too hard, you might consider upgrading to a thinner pillow or giving up another cushion altogether. Also, try pulling your hair back for more comfort.
7: Consider going dreadhawk
A more exceptional but frequently exceptional production solution for sleeping with dreadlocks is to consider cutting out the side dreadlocks to make dreadlocks smoother. Dreadlocks are the major problem for side sleepers, as this side of the dreadlocks hairdo uncovered on the sides of the head makes it less demanding to rest. In addition, turning to Dreadhawk can offer other arbitrary benefits, such as peaceful sleep. One of the potential disadvantages of wearing dreadlocks is that styled hair this way makes free hair more discernible.
Final Words
To sum up, sleeping with dreadlocks can be problematic for some people, but not all individuals. So, taking precautions such as massage on the scalp, tying the dreadlocks, or using the satin caps to keep them in good condition is good. Further, it will help keep the locs in good condition and will save your time and cost investment.
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