One Lovely asks:

I have been growing my hair out for years and its long enough now that it’s annoying at night. I move a lot at night and every time I roll over I have to wrap my hair up into a little bun and put it on my pillow, otherwise is tries to strangle me.

Is it bad to put you hair up at night? I’ve heard putting it in a pony tail before bed causes split ends… Would it be better to braid it? What do you guys do with your long hair when you go to bed? 

Oh no, when hair attacks! Well, while I always endorse making sure you’re getting regular trims to avoid night-time hair strangulation, I know long hair can be 99 percent worth-it-to-have and the 1 percent drawback can be that potential pain in the… er, neck thing. So assuming you’re satisfied with the length itself, here are some things I’d recommend:


First off, a bun is never a bad idea, just try to avoid strapping it too tightly. Using a scrunchie (oy, I know) rather than a thin elastic hair tie is a great way to hold the hair gently and diminish the risk of split ends. If you typically go to bed with your hair wet, you’re a perfect candidate for super-easy sock bun curls. They’re comfortable to sleep in, they get your hair out of your way while you sleep, and they make really natural, soft curls that last all day.


Braids aren’t a bad idea, but if you’re concerned about split ends, like you mention, I don’t recommend braiding your hair wet before bed. Dry is fine. Like the bun, let the braid be pretty loose, and steer clear of French braids and such because it just creates more surface area getting roughed up in your sleep. The great thing about a braid is that it can easily end up wherever you want it. For example, you can braid it from the back all the way over your shoulder, or into pigtails over each shoulder, and they’re completely out of your way. Definitely try to secure them leaving plenty of unbraided hair at the bottom so you don’t put extra stress right on your ends with the ties, and always go for the bands without the metal fasteners on them.

Just remember to think about your hair’s feelings. I know that sounds silly, but if what you’re doing looks stressful to the hair, it likely is, and you want to reduce that in any way you can. Sleeping musses your hair up enough, best to keep it simple. I hope this helps, and if you decide to do the sock bun curls, send pictures!

Lovelies, have you had this or a similar issue? What might you recommend for this reader?

Got a hairy situation going on? Confused about what kind of brush ‘gets’ your hair? Bleach disaster? Growing it all out? Crimping irons? Hit us up.