For most of us, losing hair can deal a serious blow to our self-esteem. We’ll try just about anything to keep it from happening. Some methods don’t work, but there are some that do seem to help. Is getting enough sleep one of them?
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Not All Hair Loss is Equal
First, the word “lose” is a bit deceiving; we all lose hair, every day, as part of the natural follicular cycle that controls hair growth, a normal process that the American Academy of Dermatologists refers to as “shedding.” It’s when hair doesn’t grow back that there’s a problem, and that’s an important piece of information to have when looking for a solution.
- Androgenic alopecia, known as “male pattern baldness,” is the genetic predisposition that causes hair follicles to stop producing. It’s not a result of our lifestyle habits, so how we sleep or eat really doesn’t make much difference.
- Telogen effluvium is a condition in which the hair growth cycle is disrupted. It can result from illness, nutritional deficiency, stress, or hormonal changes that occur following childbirth, for example. In most of these cases, hair can grow back, especially with a boost from good sleeping habits.
So How Does Sleep Fit In?
Regular, uninterrupted sleep is essential for the health of the body—and the better your general condition, the healthier your hair will probably be. Sleep is not only the body’s way of saving energy and re-generating itself, but it also plays a significant role in maintaining the chemical balance necessary for good health. One of those chemicals is melatonin.
Melatonin is an important hormone that aids in restful sleep. It’s also thought to play a role in hair re-growth and may actually slow hair loss. If we don’t get enough quality sleep, our melatonin levels drop and our circadian rhythm (natural sleep cycle) is thrown out of sync. That means that normal cell growth suffers, including our hair follicles.
Sleep, Don’t Stress!
A big enemy of healthy hair is stress. We all know what stress can do to the human body. But it has more influence on hair loss than you might think.
The real culprit is cortisol, popularly known as the “stress hormone.” An excess of cortisol is also the villain that can cause weight gain; it slows down our normal bodily functions, thus the connection to hair: Stress causes us not to sleep well (or sleep enough), and that messes with our metabolism. The resulting cortisol can disrupt the normal hair growth cycle by extending the period of telogen, the resting stage for hair.
When cortisol levels drop, the hairs will usually will grow back, but it can take several weeks for a re-start. In the meantime, it’s important to gets enough quality sleep. Be Kind to Your Hair—Get Plenty of Sleep!
To create the best environment for your hair to flourish, quality sleep is a necessity, regardless of the reasons for the loss. Most research suggests that the average adult needs around 7-8 hours of sleep every night. And that means restful slumber in quiet, comfortable sleeping conditions. Our bodies require a regimen of REM sleep (rapid eye movement) each night, when the body enters its most restful stage. Without it, we can face a long list of health problems besides hair fallout.
The best advice for good sleeping habits include:
- Maintaining a regular sleeping pattern; go to bed at the same time every night.
- Avoiding electronic messaging devices before you go to bed, such as smart phones or tablets; the light from these devices interrupts your levels of melatonin.
- Sleeping in a dark, cool, quiet environment.
- Avoiding food, caffeine, or alcohol right before going to bed.
- Supplementing your sleep routine with regular exercise and a healthy diet.
What To Look For
If you’ve lost hair due to stress or environmental factors, it should come back—but it may take a while. Hair growth is a relatively slow process. Hair loss due to genetic factors will generally not come back but following a healthy lifestyle (including good sleep) may slow the process down. You can also consider other techniques, such as hair grafts, to restore some of the hair you’ve lost. Hairfix Hair Restoration Center can help you with that.
Located in Tijuana’s New City Medical Plaza, at Hairfix we are a hair transplant clinic in Mexico that offers a full range of treatments for hair loss situations, including hair restoration in Mexico, stem cell therapy for hair loss in Tijuana and mesotherapy: nutrient-rich injections designed to nourish hair growth. And our highly qualified medical staff can also provide you with the latest in hair transplant procedures for your scalp, eyebrows, or beard, all at a more affordable hair restoration than you’ll find in the U.S.
We’re just a short drive away from San Diego and we will help you make the necessary arrangements to reach us. Contact us today for a free initial consultation…your hair will thank you! Ask us about beard transplant cost in Tijuana.
