Lose Sleep, Lose Hair

"I feel like I lose more hair when I'm tired." That vague feeling so many people have actually has a solid scientific basis. One of the lifestyle habits I emphasize most in hair loss treatment is getting enough high-quality sleep. Just as your skin looks dull when you're short on sleep, your hair inevitably loses strength and falls out, too.

1. Sleepless Modern Lives, Thinning Hair

People today sleep less and less compared with the past. Heavier workloads at school and at work, complicated social lives, city lights that stay on late into the night, and the TVs and smartphones we can't put down until the moment we fall asleep all rob our brains and bodies of real rest.

I believe this chronic sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality is one of the major reasons hair loss has surged recently, including among young people. My own research clearly showed the connection.

Research Findings From Lee Moon Won Korean Medicine Clinic

In a survey of 468 college students in Seoul, the group with poor sleep quality showed a significantly higher tendency toward hair loss than the group with good sleep quality (p<0.05), with a clear correlation: the worse the quality and quantity of sleep, the greater the tendency toward hair loss. The ideal amount of sleep for preventing hair loss was found to be 8 hours.

Interestingly, the 8 hours of sleep found to be best for preventing hair loss also matches the recommended sleep duration for preventing other chronic diseases. In other words, getting a full 7 to 8 hours of sleep is a key health habit not only for your hair but also for preventing chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

2. What Happens in Your Hair Follicles When You Don't Get Enough Sleep

So why does hair fall out when you don't sleep? The answer lies in the body's hormones and cell regeneration processes.

• Less growth hormone: Hair growth and the repair of damaged follicle cells depend on growth hormone, which is released while we're in deep sleep. When you're short on sleep, less of this hormone is released, inevitably weakening follicles and thinning hair.
• Less melatonin and more oxidative stress: The sleep hormone melatonin acts as a powerful antioxidant that protects follicles from free radicals. When you don't sleep, melatonin production drops, leaving follicles exposed to conditions that age and damage them more easily.
• More stress hormones: Sleep deprivation is itself a major stressor on the body. It raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which shortens the hair's growth phase and quickly shifts it into the resting (telogen) phase that precedes shedding, causing hair loss.

3. Habits for Better Sleep (Sleep Hygiene)

For those who say, "I want to sleep, but I just can't," here are some sleep hygiene tips to help you sleep soundly.

• Keep a regular routine: Simply going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps stabilize your body clock.
• Manage light: Stay away from blue light from smartphones and TVs for 1 to 2 hours before bed, and keep your bedroom dark. In the morning, get some sunlight to help you wake up.
• Optimize your bedroom: Keep the temperature slightly cool and block out as much noise as possible to create a sleep-friendly environment.
• Watch what you eat before bed: Overeating, alcohol, and caffeine before bedtime are the biggest enemies of sound sleep.
• Stay active during the day: Regular exercise helps you sleep better, but avoid intense workouts right before bed.

4. When You Need Help: Supplements and Professional Advice

If lifestyle changes don't solve your sleep problems, you might consider some extra support. Melatonin, magnesium, and L-theanine can help calm the nervous system and improve sleep quality. However, if insomnia lasts more than two weeks, it may be a condition that requires medical treatment, so be sure to consult a doctor or specialist to address the underlying cause.

Healthy hair grows from a healthy body, and a healthy body starts with enough sleep. The first step toward preventing hair loss and getting "super hair" begins tonight: put your smartphone down a little earlier and get a good night's sleep.