Most of us wish on a daily basis that we did not need sleep so that we can spend those hours doing something more productive like working, running errands, and spending more time with family. What many of us fail to realize is that we are actually being very productive when we sleep. Adequate sleep allows the body to repair itself faster, strengthens the immune system, lowers inflammation, reduces the risk of heart disease, increases productivity, improves mental and emotional health, and so much more! In fact, not getting enough sleep will not only take its toll on your emotional and mental health, but can even lead to hair loss. This is your guide to how sleep deprivation can cause hair loss!
The Relationship Between Hormones and Sleep
Failure to get adequate amounts of sleep can affect the hormone levels in your body, causing them to become imbalanced. For instance, sleep deprivation causes reduced levels of the human growth hormone and increased levels of cortisol (stress hormone). Hormones play a large role in hair growth. Increased levels of cortisol can inhibit hair follicles from growing health strands of hair, while insulin affects the storage of nutrients that play a part in the growth of your hair. Ensuring you are getting enough sleep is important for maintaining hormonal balance, which in turn, promotes healthy hair growth.
How Sleep Affects Stress Levels
Sleep deprivation can increase stress in the body. Prolonged high levels of stress in the body can lead to three types of hair loss in men and women:
- Telogen effluvium - This is a condition in which high levels of stress have made many hair follicles enter the resting phase. When the current strands of hair fall out, there will not be new strands to take its place, because the follicle is in the resting phase as opposed to the growing phase.
- Trichotillomania - This is a coping mechanism for some when dealing with stress. Those with trichotillomania pull out their hair. Sometimes the damage to the hair follicle is irreversible.
- Alopecia areata - Severe stress causes the body to attack its own hair follicles, which results in hair loss.
Getting the proper amount of rest will help to reduce the level of stress and allow normal hair growth to resume.
Illnesses and Sleep
More than likely you have noticed that the more rest you get, the faster you recover from illnesses as minor as the common cold. The trauma from an illness or major surgery can cause your hair to temporarily fall out until you have recovered. Receiving adequate during recovery may either prevent hair loss or help your body heal faster, which in turn means your normal hair growth will resume quicker.
What If Your Hair Loss is More Than Lack of Sleep?
There are numerous causes of hair loss and sleep deprivation is only one. Other causes include genetics, medication, environment, and diet. If simply readjusting your schedule to ensure you are always getting a good night's sleep won't do the trick to restore your full head of hair, it may be time to seek professional hair restoration treatment.
New Look Institute is San Jose's premier hair restoration studio. Whether you are in the beginning stages of thinning or experiencing complete balding, our hair loss specialists can help. After conducting a thorough hair and scalp analysis, you will be presented with viable options that fit your needs, goals, and budget. Potential solutions include laser hair growth therapy, topical treatments, wigs, toppers, extensions, and hair restoration systems for men and women. Contact us today to schedule your free hair loss analysis!
