How to Sleep in a Durag

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Both men and women wear durags as a fashion statement or for the simple purpose of keeping their hair tidy. Durags are also popular for those who want to maintain their 360 waves as it keeps them flat and in place.

Moreover, a durag (or do rag) can also give a handful of benefits to one’s hair, especially when worn to sleep. This is why a lot of people consider a durag as not only a fashion item but also a bedtime staple.

So, how do you sleep in a durag? Wrap the durag around your head and use a headband to keep it in place. Tuck the ties into the headband to avoid getting them tangled while you sleep. Don’t wrap it too tight, and use a comfortable material that won’t make you sweat.

There are a lot of benefits to wearing a durag to sleep, and tying one involves just a few simple steps. Keep reading to find out more.

Although you might think that putting on a durag is the last thing you would want to do after a long tiring day, tying a durag properly is quick and straightforward if you follow the right steps. But before getting into learning how to tie your durag correctly, here is a list of why wearing a durag to sleep is something you need to try in the first place.

The Benefits of Wearing a Durag to Bed

Minimize Hair Loss

A sleep cap or a durag can minimize the friction of your hair against your pillow and can also protect and preserve new hair growth. Wearing a durag to sleep is extremely helpful for those who are trying to grow their hair back after serious hair loss due to the use of chemical treatments, chemotherapy, or heredity-pattern baldness. Furthermore, it can also protect against excessive hair loss due to abrasion.

Prevent Tangling

With all the tosses and turns you do during sleep, your hair can easily get tangled. If you hate waking up to a messy and knotty hair, wearing a durag to bed is one of the best solutions to that. Brush your hair thoroughly and wrap it in a durag before going to bed; this way, you prevent any knots from forming. Additionally, wrapping your hair can also help in preventing breakage.

Preserve Hairstyle

When you go to a salon to get your hair styled, say you want to have a blowout, for example, you obviously want to keep your hairstyle for longer to get your money’s worth.

To retain your hair’s style and body ’till the next day, wrapping it with a durag when you go to sleep is the key solution.

Prevent Blemishes and Breakouts

Wrapping your hair in a durag is not only beneficial for your hair, but it is also one of the practical solutions to reduce or prevent blemishes and acne breakouts. Keeping your hair off of your face while you sleep helps prevent the oils from your hair and scalp from getting into your pores and potentially clogging them.

Prevent Frizz for Curly Hair

Your hair can easily get frizzy with all the tosses and turns you do while sleeping due to the friction against your pillow. If you have curly hair, there are more chances for your hair to frizz up if you don’t wrap it with a durag or a sleep cap. Wrapping your hair up with a durag while you sleep helps in keeping your curls intact, therefore preventing frizz.

Treat Hair Overnight

Overnight hair treatments can definitely do wonders for your hair. A durag can be an excellent partner tool whenever you are doing overnight hair treatments; it will help your hair absorb the treatment better and also prevent all the greasy oils and creams from staining your pillows and sheets.

How to Tie a Durag Properly Before Bed

Now that you’ve got the knack of all the benefits of wearing a durag to bed, it’s about time you learn how to tie it properly.

Step 1: Position the Durag Above Your Head.

Flip the durag inside out so that the hem is on the outside. Doing this will ensure that the hem of the durag does not leave an imprint on your hair while you sleep on it overnight.

You may choose a durag of any material.

Step 2: Wrap the Durag’s Tails Around Your Head.

Take one tail from one side and one from the other and wrap them towards the back of your head. The two tails must cross in the back of your head. Once they have crossed, pull the two tails all the way around your head so that they would cross at your temples before you wrap them around the back.

Tip: Avoid tying the ties as it will leave an imprint on your forehead while you sleep on it.

To get the ties in place briefly, just twist them together.

Step 3: Use a Headband Around Your Head.

Tuck the durag under the headband. Use the type of headband which is used in sports to catch sweat. It must be elastic and firm but not too tight where it will be uncomfortable to wear overnight.

Although it’s alright to wear a durag to sleep without a headband, this technique will reduce the chance of the durag to leave lines and imprints on your forehead overnight.

Step 4: Unwrap the Ties.

After tucking the durag underneath the headband, pull the ties gently to separate them. The ties must now be free and not wrapped around your head anymore. You may tuck them in at the back under the headband to keep them in place and avoid tangling while you sleep.

Although it’s completely fine if you leave the ties wrapped around your head overnight, undoing them is way more comfortable for you.

Step 5: Tuck in the Flap.

Tucking in the flap into the headband ensures it doesn’t get dragged on while you are sleeping. When the flap gets tugged on, it can potentially knock loose and displace the durag from the headband.

A Few Additional Tips in Wearing a Durag to Sleep

1. Don’t tie/wrap it too tight.
   When you wrap a durag around your head too tightly, there’s a tendency for you to feel extremely uncomfortable or get an unwanted headache. To keep the durag secure and in place, use a headband to avoid having to wrap it too firmly.
2. Change/Wash your durags daily.
   Changing and washing your durag every day prevents bacteria build-up, which can result in scalp irritation or breakouts when it gets in contact with your skin. Oils and dirt from your hair will easily transfer to cloth material such as a durag; thus, changing and washing it every day is a must.
3. Choose a durag material you’re comfortable with. 
   Having your hair wrapped up in a durag can become uncomfortable sometimes, especially if you live in an area with a warm and humid climate. For this reason, you would want to choose a durag made of comfortable materials. For areas with warm weather, choose a durag with lightweight materials such as silk or nylon.

Durags for Sleeping

If you are interested in getting yourself a durag which you can use for sleeping, here are some to check out:

1. Smooth, Comfortable, and Breathable – Feels Like Silk Durag

Silky Durags Pack for Men Waves, Satin Durag, Award 1 Wave Cap (view on Amazon)

These Silky Durag Headwraps offer top-of-the-line durability with its Quadruple Stitch Seam system, which ensures their products won’t rip easily compared to other durags on the market. This brand of durag also features a unique design: longer tails and wider headwraps for added compression and hold, which is essential if you’re on the look for a durag to wear to bed. Moreover, what makes this even more fit for sleeping is the high-grade silk-like material; it is smooth, flexible, breathable, and won’t irritate the skin.

2. Long Tail and Wide Headwrap – Velvet Durag

This product is made from premium-quality velvet fabric which is stretchable, smooth, breathable, and highly comfortable. If you are in the market for a durag that’s not made from silk but still great to wear to bed, this is one to check out.

The Drippy Rags Apparel 360 Waves Luxury Velvet Durag also features long straps for maximum hold and compression.

3. Maintain Hair Waves

WaveBuilder Premium Hair Wave Seamless Durag (view on Amazon)

This last recommendation is targeted mainly for those who want to maintain or create hair waves overnight. If you are on the market for a durag to wear at night that’s going to give you beautiful waves when you wake up and do your wave check, this one is a must-try.

This durag includes a form-fitting seamless design for superior wave-creation potential. It’s excellent for maintaining 360 waves and corn-rowed hairstyle, and it’s made from high-quality fabric material.

Conclusion – How to Sleep in a Durag

Whether you are trying to grow back your hair or just want to maintain and preserve your hairstyle, wearing a durag to sleep is definitely going to give you a handful of advantages. However, wearing your durag the wrong way can also lead to a few disadvantages. If you wear it too tight, for example, you may feel uncomfortable overnight and might wake up with a throbbing headache. Therefore, wearing your durag properly through the instructions mentioned in this article is vital.

References:

https://www.headcovers.com/blog/hair-covering-while-sleeping-protects-hair/