Can Lack of Sleep Be the Cause of My Hair Loss?

Hair shedding is a natural process that everyone experiences. While it is normal to lose about 100 to 150 hairs every day, if you notice more hair in your comb, brush, or drain, you may be experiencing excessive hair loss. A wide range of things cause excessive hair loss, but while you may be aware of how diet and lifestyle can affect hair growth, your sleeping habits can have a tremendous impact on your health, including your scalp and hair.

Impact of Lack of Sleep on the Body

Research shows that adequate sleep plays a critical role in maintaining your body's health and overall wellness. Sufficient sleep is necessary to support brain functions, emotional well-being, and maintain your physical health.

Lack of sleep can lead to various diseases and health issues that usually occur over a prolonged period. In some cases, the added stress caused by a lack of sleep can trigger genetic conditions that may not have happened for years, if at all. In addition, lack of sleep can adversely affect every bodily function and is linked directly to thinning hair and hair loss.

Lack of Sleep and Hair Loss

Sleep is a necessary function to repair cellular damage and to regulate bodily functions. However, lack of sleep not only inhibits your body's ability to heal but also releases cortisone, a hormone associated with increased stress and hair loss. Combined with the physical toll of not getting enough sleep, these factors create additional stress that often leads to thinning hair or hair loss.

In addition to stress-induced hair loss, studies have found that lack of sleep can disrupt the natural hair growth cycle. Research published in the American Journal of Pathology suggests that the adult stem cells responsible for the hair growth process depend on your internal circadian clock to activate. A lack of sleep can leave your brain foggy and confused and can also confuse and disrupt other bodily functions, such as your natural hair growth cycle.

The long-term effects of thinning hair and hair loss due to a lack of sleep differ. In many cases, lack of sleep causes an increase in stress, triggering temporary conditions such as telogen effluvium. This condition is often associated with high levels of stress which cause an abnormal number of hairs to suddenly enter the telogen or resting phase of the hair cycle. It can take two or three months for these hairs to shed, leading to what seems to be a sudden loss of hair. However, the condition is usually temporary, with new hair growth returning within six to nine months after the stressor is removed.

In other cases, the lack of sleep can trigger male or female pattern baldness. While you may have a genetic disposition to thinning hair and hair loss, a lack of sleep can advance the condition significantly. In addition, male and female pattern baldness can be permanent, so it's critical to identify the exact cause of your hair loss and treat the condition as early as possible.

Contact the Experts at Mane Image

Experts believe that sleep is vital to the health of your hair follicles and critical to the synthesis of protein needed to produce strong, healthy strands of hair. At Mane Image, we can help with providing you with potential causes of your hair loss and recommend solutions to help with your hair loss. Whether your thinning hair or hair loss is caused by a lack of sleep, stress, or genetics, our team of professionals can help. To learn more about how lack of sleep can lead to hair loss, contact us today and schedule your FREE initial consultation.