Top 3 Dreadlock Sleeping Caps & 5 Ways To Keep Your Dreads Moisturized
There are dozens of hairstyles to do when you get bored with your plain hair. Dreadlocks are one of the most common hairstyles among African people that will literally challenge your hair.
Now it has become more popular all over the world at any age. Dreadlocks look fashionable, personality, but require delicate care.
To achieve the perfect locs on your hair, it’s better to take care of it even while you are sleeping.
In this article, we will enlighten you with some useful knowledge about the best dreadlock sleeping caps, how to keep dreadlocks healthy and beautiful at night when you’re in bed.
Should I cover my dreads when I sleep?
This frequently-asked question is very common, especially if you are a newbie with these gorgeous locks.
The answer can vary from person to person, but generally yes. You should cover your dreads while sleeping.
While some people also consider tying their dreads is one of the best ways to protect hair when they go to sleep, covering locs seems to work more effectively.
Top 3 Dreadlock Cap to Wear On Dreads while Sleeping
Now you know that your dreadlocks should be protected while sleeping to maintain in the long term.
There are actually a few options that you can consider to wear on your locks at night. Let’s take a look:
Satin bonnet (Satin cap)
This will be the easiest choice for you to cover your dreads on the bed. A satin bonnet will protect your hair from contact with the cotton pillowcase.
As a result, your dreadlocks can be kept in style and it also keeps the natural oil on your scalp, which is good to nourish your hair.
- Works nice for dreadlocks
- Perfect for shorter hair
- Works nicely for calm-sleepers
- Protects against damage
Pros
- Provides frizz-free hair
- Provides better shine
- Keeps your hair from breaking
The Cons
- Heavy to sleep in
Satin Du-bag
Generally, a satin du-bag is similar to the satin bonnet. However, this option will be more perfect for those with long locs and a wild sleeping habit.
You might wake up with a satin bonnet out of your hair, and a satin du-bag seems to work better.
- Perfect for those with wild sleep habits
- Keeps your hair from breakage
- Works nicely for longer hair
- Keeps the moisture in
Pros
- Keeps the oils on your scalp
- Helps with indirect nourishment
- Provides comfort
The Cons
- Not for high temperature countries
Satin or silk pillowcase
When it comes to pillowcase material, satin or silk is the best. If your pillowcase is satin or silk, covering your locs with a nightcap will be optional.
Sleeping on satin beddings will prevent your dreads from breaking or being frizzy like with the cotton counterparts.
- Universal decision
- Works great with all types of dreadlocks
- Keeps your hair from breakage
- Makes a cap optional
Pros
- Works perfectly with long and short dreadlocks
- Stops frizziness
- Keeps hair breakage away
The Cons
- May be uncomfortable for some
Benefits of getting your dreads covered while sleeping
Letting your dreads free at night is good as you give them a chance to breathe, and you won’t feel uncomfortable because of having something on your head.
However, covering your dreads with a satin bonnet is better. The reasons are listed below:
Frizz Minimizing
When you sleep with your dreads free, it is possible that you will wake up with a hair mess: dreads matted together without an order.
The cap will prevent the friction between your dreads and pillowcase because you toss and turn overnight.
Moreover, controlling your hair from contacting with the surroundings will also avoid breakage and hair loss.
Keep Your Hair Moist
Your dreads and scalp will be dehydrated at night when you sleep. It leads to a bad result that your hair will be dry and brittle.
At this stage, satin caps will do their job. By wrapping your dreads and scalp with a bonnet, you will prevent water and sebum from escaping from your hair and keep them moist.
Detangling Preventing
After a day of doing a lot of action to your hair, such as shampooing, conditioning, drying, and so on, your dreads might be fragile and easily get tired and overwhelmed.
Using a bonnet and a pillowcase will effectively help to keep the form of dreads. You won’t need to spend a lot of time in the morning rolling or tangling them again.
Prevent your hair from absorbing the bedding’s lint
If your locs are black and you sleep on a white cotton pillow, you will wake up with ridiculous fiber lints on your hair.
Therefore, if you don’t cover your hair, you should at least sleep on a same-colored pillow and drap.
Prolong the hairstyle
For people who already possess dreadlocks for a long time, they must have covered their locs while sleeping. This will help you lengthen your locs life and your hair will still look beautiful in the long term.
How do you keep your dreads moisturized?
You cannot get healthy locs if they are dry. Therefore, moisturizing dreadlocks is essential to ensure your dreads are healthy from the inside out.
Below are some typical methods to keep your dreads away from being dry.
Use proper shampoo
Not only moisturizing shampoo works, you can try other shampoos that are suitable for your hair.
As long as your locs are healthy with the proper shampoo, you can use any type following the instruction.
Use water-based moisturizers and emollient oils
When it comes to dry locs, that means your hair needs water.
So using the water-based moisturizer, then applying emollient oil on your hair will be a great way to keep them moisturized.
Check out: How to oil dreadlocks? – 3 Methods at home
Increase water intake
Drinking enough water will not only be a healthy option for your body, but also for your dreadlocks, which easily become dry if improperly cared.
Avoid heating treatment
It’s not recommended styling your locks with flat iron or something like that because the heat from this equipment is terrible for your hair.
This is one of the ways causing dry and bristle dreads that you should avoid.
Protect your dreadlocks while sleeping
Don’t underestimate cotton pillow cases as the fiber from them is one of your hair’s biggest enemies.
So wearing a satin scarf when you sleep will be an effective way to keep your hair moisturized.
What Does A Satin Cap Do?
Wearing a satin cap (also called bonnet) does provide you a lot of benefits no matter what your hairstyle is.
No More Headache
People tend to tie their hair up in a ponytail or buns to keep them from messing up.
However, doing that in a long term might create a lot of pressure on your hair follicles and scalp, which causes scalp irritation or hair loss.
Wearing a satin cap can help to keep your hair in place and ease your scalp as well.
Get Yourself Ready in no Time
No more waking up early to prepare for your hair in the morning, you can do it at night and cover it with a satin cap then go to sleep.
Sleeping on a satin cap can help to retain your hair style. You only need to put wax or hair spray on it to keep the form, then you are good to go!
Cost Efficient
There is no doubt to say that women invest some serious money on hair care, from buying hair care products to changing hair style service.
Protecting your hair with a satin cap can save your money in many ways: You don’t need too many conditioners or hydrating products to keep your hair moist.
Since breakage, split ends are reduced a lot, you don’t need to go to hairdressers to solve these hair issues.
What Kind of Satin Is Best for Hair?
Depending on the materials and the effects, there are 2 main types of satin: silk satin and synthetic satin.
Silk satin, or natural satin is made from natural silk threads, and this is doing a good job of keeping your hair moist with water and natural oils. Silk satin cap is a bit more pricey than the other type.
Synthetic satin, which is made from not only silk but also man made fibers such as rayon or nylon, is good for minimizing the friction and maximizing your hair shine.
How Do You Wear A Satin Sleep Cap?
Satin cap with a headband is effortless to wear.
- Just tie up your dreads into a ponytail or buns using a headband (so that it does not create too much pressure on your scalp).
- Then cover all your dreads in the satin bonnet.
The satin caps without headband, you can use the same covering method as the scarf covering method:
- Rolling the satin cap around your head.
- Covering your forehead.
- Then either let your dreads out or cover it up and tie a knot.
Final words
In a nutshell, to keep your dreadlocks as beautiful and healthy as initially, it’s recommended to cover them at night when you sleep.
You can consider a satin bonnet, satin du-bag, or a satin pillowcase.
Don’t forget to moisturize your locs with suitable hair care products and a healthy lifestyle.
See also:
- Are stocking caps good for dreads?
- The 3 best dreadlock swimming shower caps
- The 3 kind of scarf you should wrap your hair
Aida
Founder & Hair Beauty Specialist
I’m Aida and this is my blog where I write mostly about beauty and make up related stuff, but I like to spice it up a bit with lifestyle and photography posts. Or with whatever that comes to my mind. Hope you will enjoy the reading enough that we will ‘see’ each other more often!