Growing up, did your mother ever tell you that you’ll catch a cold if you sleep with wet hair, and now that you’re an adult, you usually skip the late night shower because you’re too tired to wait for it to dry?
Turns out, our mother was wrong…
About the cold, at least. However, sleeping with wet hair can actually make you sick, but not SICK-sick. Not getting it? Well, let us explain!
Photo via Times of India
Here’s what could actually happen if you do go to bed with a wet head, according to Healthline.
#1 Getting Sick
Yes, getting sick with a cold is one of the most common concerns thanks to our mothers and grandmothers.
“There is no evidence that one can catch a cold from going to bed with wet hair,” said Dr. Chirag Shah, MD, a board-certified emergency physician and co-founder of Push Health.
Sorry mom...
You catch the cold not because you’re cold, but it’s your body is being infected with one of over 200 cold-causing viruses, usually a rhinovirus.
#2 Fungal Infection
Sleeping with wet hair can cause fungal infection in your scalp. Yes, sounds kinda gross, huh?
Fungi such as Malassezia can lead to conditions like dandruff or dermatitis, so it is recommended that you sleep with dry hair when possible.
Fungus is naturally present on your scalp and pillows are usually a hotbed for fungus. It thrives in a warm environment and a wet pillowcase and pillow provide the ideal breeding ground for funguses.
#3 Hair breakage
Hair is the weakest when it’s wet!
Sleeping with wet hair does impact the hair itself. Along with the inevitability of waking up with some serious bedhead, you may also do damage to your hair.
The main risk is actually the breakage of hair when tossing and turning, and this is particularly an issue if hair is braided or in a tight updo, which adds more tension to your hair. The best way to go about it is avoid sleeping with wet hair and leaving it down.
All in all, sleeping with wet hair can be bad for you, but not in the way that your mother warned you.
You should go to bed with completely dry hair to reduce your risk of fungal infections and hair breakage!
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
