If you shower before bed, you've probably wondered whether sleeping with damp hair is a problem. Maybe you've heard it could make you sick, or that it can damage your hair or skin.
What's the truth? Let's address the "it can make you sick" myth first. "" says Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of medicine. While this idea persists, Schaffner says it was long ago disproved. It's true that you're much more likely to catch a common cold during the winter months. But this has to do with the ways respiratory (呼吸的) viruses spread, he says.
Illness-causing bacteria and viruses don't appear naturally, and so you're not going to make yourself ill by getting your pillow a little damp at night, Schaffner says. But there is a possible exception. Some research has shown that pillows—especially those made with synthetic materials—can contain asthma- or allergy-triggering molds (哮喘或致敏菌) and fungus, which tend to do well in damp environments, and so do dust mites, says Dr. Payel Gupta, a spokesperson for the American Lung Association.
Gupta says there's no evidence that people who sleep with wet hair experience more allergy or asthma symptoms. But if you wake up with a stuffy nose, itchy or watery eyes, breathing problems or other allergy or asthma symptoms—or even if you don't—you should wash your pillow cases and sheets in hot water at least once a week to reduce your exposure to any potential irritants (刺激物).
When it comes to the health of your hair and skin, there may be a few other reasons to worry about wet hair. "Generally, it's thought not to be good for hair to sleep with it wet," says Dr. George Cotsarelis, a professor of dermatology (皮肤病学), ""
It's also worth noting that almost anything you do to your hair—from brushing and blow-drying it to coloring it or exposing it to the sun—can damage it.
A. Hence, any concerns about wet hair are theoretical.
B. In some cases, wet hair may actually be a helpful sleep aid.
C. Over time, it can lead to breakages, as well as a loss of shine.
D. There may be some mild risks associated with going to bed with wet hair.
E. Another wet-hair rumor (谣传) is the idea that harmful bacteria will colonize your pillow.
F. This idea seems to fit into the old bit of custom that getting yourself chilled and wet will cause you to come down with a cold.
