It’s no secret that failing to get enough quality sleep on a regular basis can negatively affect overall health and wellness. But do the negative consequences of poor sleep include hair loss?
It’s no secret that failing to get enough quality sleep on a regular basis can negatively affect overall health and wellness. But do the negative consequences of poor sleep include hair loss? Can lack of sleep cause hair thinning? If so, why does lack of sleep cause hair loss?
Research suggests that a lack of sleep and hair loss could be connected, but this link may be indirect. The two conditions share some common risk factors, though, such as poor mental health, stress, and underlying medical challenges.
Here, we’ll look at the potential link between sleeplessness and hair health. We’ll also discuss science-backed hacks for hair restoration and better sleep.
It’s well-established that sleeplessness can affect your appearance — after all, there’s a reason the term “beauty sleep” exists.
A night of tossing and turning can undoubtedly leave you with sallow skin and bags under your eyes, but can sleep deprivation cause hair loss? If so, why does lack of sleep cause hair loss?
Good news first — there’s no current research showing that a single night of lost sleep will have any effect on your scalp. However, some research suggests an association between hair loss and chronic poor sleep quality and quantity.
A 2022 study of 102 adults — half with alopecia areata and half with no hair loss condition — suggests there might be a complex connection between alopecia areata and poor sleep.
The researchers noted that insufficient sleep can be a trigger for several autoimmune disorders — and alopecia areata tends to accompany other autoimmune conditions, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
In other words, not getting enough quality sleep may bring on flare-ups for more than one autoimmune disorder, including alopecia areata.
The study findings also suggest that having alopecia areata can contribute to stress, anxiety, and depression, all of which can lead to sleep disturbances. This sets up a vicious cycle of hair loss interfering with sleep, which, in turn, may lead to further hair loss.
A 2020 study looked at over 1,800 people with female pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) — the same disorder as male pattern hair loss, but in women. It found that poor sleep quality correlated with an increased rate of hair loss.
The researchers found that those with poorer sleep quality (as well as increased alcohol intake, frequent ponytail hairstyles, and oilier scalps) were more likely to suffer more severe hair loss.
These studies didn’t conclude that sleep itself was the determining factor for hair problems. As the authors emphasized, sleep quality is often associated with other factors, like stress levels, mood disorders, and even autoimmune disorders — which is exactly the issue.
Though sleep deprivation itself might not trigger hair loss, both issues could be symptoms of another problem.
Next, we’ll dig in deeper to understand the potential relationship between lack of sleep and hair loss.
There are several ways sleep (and a lack thereof) affects hair, which we’ll cover below.
In the same way stress can cause sleeplessness, it might lead to hair loss.
There’s a well-known link between stress and hair loss. Although high levels of stress can’t cause male pattern hair loss, it can trigger — and potentially worsen — a type of temporary hair loss called telogen effluvium.
A 2023 study of 1,080 men and women suggests that several causes of hair loss, including telogen effluvium, may be related to:
Psychological stress (relationship problems, financial worries, etc.)
Physiological stress (high fever, chronic illness, etc.)
When you’re chronically stressed, you may have chronically high cortisol levels. Cortisol, known as the stress hormone, has been linked to poor hair health. How so? Elevated cortisol levels can affect hair follicles and disrupt the hair growth cycle.
Telogen effluvium can also be triggered by:
Severe shock
Traumatic events
Surgery
Severe blood loss
Major illnesses and infections
Pregnancy and childbirth
All of which can cause hair loss on their own and are stressful enough to keep you from getting sufficient shut-eye.
Stress and sleep share a frustrating relationship: Stress can keep you up at night, while a night of poor sleep can leave you feeling incapable of coping with stress.
In fact, a recent review shows that sleeplessness can worsen stress and vice versa. Another vicious, cruel cycle, right?
So, if you’re noticing your hair fall out after a bout of sleeplessness, ask yourself if there could be another factor at play.
If you’ve noticed an increase in hair loss and are having trouble getting enough hours of sleep (seven to nine hours are recommended for most adults), it’s possible you’re dealing with a medical problem you haven’t yet uncovered.
As mentioned, telogen effluvium hair loss can happen a few months after experiencing severe illness or infections — both of which might affect your sleep.
However, other illnesses may cause hair loss as well as sleep issues.
For instance, thyroid conditions might make your hair shed significantly. Both hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) are linked to hair issues, though the link between the thyroid and hair loss isn’t fully understood.
The thyroid can also affect sleep quality and energy levels.
A 2021 study found that people with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism may be more likely to experience sleep conditions like insomnia, restless legs syndrome (RLS), and obstructive sleep apnea.
So, if you’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep, it might be time to meet with your healthcare provider to have your thyroid hormone levels checked. A simple blood test can determine your levels of TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) and free T4 (thyroxine). Other symptoms of thyroid disease can include weight gain, fatigue, cold sensitivity, and a depressed mood.
Ever absentmindedly pulled out some hair while sitting in traffic, stressing over a work problem, or having a tense conversation with a loved one?
While this can happen to anyone, some folks have a constant, compulsive urge to pull out their hair. This is a mental health condition called trichotillomania.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related mental health conditions — including trichotillomania — are associated with sleep disorders.
A 2021 study found potential links between sleep deprivation and trichotillomania. Those with trichotillomania were less likely to get enough hours of sleep each night compared to those who didn’t have the condition.
The study didn’t make it clear whether a lack of sleep could cause the condition. It just highlighted the correlation between poor sleep habits and the frequency of hair-pulling.
As you can imagine, constant hair-pulling doesn’t just lead to hair breakage. It can also put a lot of pressure on your hair follicles — to the point where growth might slow down or stop altogether.
Is hair loss from lack of sleep reversible? Usually, yes — but this depends on what’s causing both issues.
As discussed, if there’s a link between lack of sleep and hair loss, it may be due to stress, illness, or trichotillomania. There’s a chance your hair can recover from hair loss if it’s caused by those issues.
To tackle your poor sleep and hair loss issues, it might be wise to take a three-pronged approach here:
Address whatever’s causing your hair loss
Use quality hair-loss treatments backed by research
Work on improving sleep patterns
Keep reading for details.
It’s best to act ASAP to figure out what’s contributing to your hair loss. We highly recommend speaking with a healthcare professional to determine what’s making your hair fall out. You may want to start with a dermatologist, preferably one with experience diagnosing and treating hair loss problems.
You might also need to get blood tests to check for underlying illnesses or vitamin deficiencies.
From there, you can address those issues directly. This might look like:
Taking prescription medication to manage health conditions
Improving your diet or using supplements to boost your vitamin intake
Using positive stress-relief methods to manage anxiety
Seeking mental health care to cope with chronic stress or trichotillomania
Going to trauma debriefing after a shocking or traumatic experience
It may take time for you (and your hair follicles) to recover after stress, illness, or infection. But your hair will most likely grow back.
To speed up the hair regrowth process, you can use one or more science-backed hair loss treatments. This might include:
Finasteride. Finasteride is an FDA-approved oral medication that reduces the body’s levels of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) — a hormone linked to male pattern baldness.
Minoxidil. Minoxidil is an FDA-approved, over-the-counter topical treatment that can treat many types of hair loss. It’s available in the form of minoxidil foam or minoxidil liquid solution.
Finasteride and minoxidil together. Our topical finasteride & minoxidil spray combines both science-backed treatments to stimulate hair growth.
Supplements. Hair-friendly supplements like our biotin gummies have the nutrients your body needs to grow healthy hair.
In-shower products. A volumizing shampoo and conditioner can breathe new life into thin, limp hair while keeping your mane healthy and clean.
Saw palmetto shampoo. Our thickening shampoo with saw palmetto may help promote thick, healthy-looking hair. This herbal ingredient is a natural DHT blocker.
If your sleep quality is so bad right now that you’re Googling whether it’s making your hair fall out, it’s probably time to seek expert advice.
A healthcare professional might prescribe one or more of these treatment options:
A melatonin supplement
Histamine-1 (H1) receptor medications
GABA-A (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptor medications
They might also suggest you work on your sleep hygiene with techniques like improving your sleep environment so it’s less stimulating (think blackout curtains and no screens). You should also try to avoid alcohol right before bed, as it can disrupt sleep. And limit caffeine late in the day, as it can make it harder to fall asleep.
Exercise, especially in the morning, can provide key benefits, including stress relief and better sleep at night.
You may also benefit from seeing a therapist who specializes in treating sleep issues, especially if your sleeplessness is stress-related.
These treatments might not improve your hairline directly, but maintaining a proper sleep schedule will certainly help you feel better overall.
A lack of sleep can send stress hormones out of whack, and severe stress can be a contributing factor in hair loss. So, in theory, logging more hours of shut-eye could help you avoid stress-induced hair loss.
But this isn’t the only piece of the puzzle — and stress isn’t the only potential cause of hair loss.
Can sleep deprivation cause hair loss? If so, why does lack of sleep cause hair loss?
Insufficient shut-eye probably won’t directly cause your hair to fall out. But getting enough sleep is an absolute necessity when it comes to maintaining your well-being — both mental and physical.
A lack of sleep doesn’t directly cause hair loss — at least, there’s little evidence that it does. Indirectly, though, sleeplessness can worsen stress, which can, in turn, affect your hairline.
Both sleeplessness and hair loss could be related to underlying medical conditions. Major illnesses, infections, and conditions like thyroid disease can cause both hair loss and sleep issues.
There are many evidence-based hair loss treatments to try. Most types of hair loss can be slowed down or stopped. Treatments like finasteride, minoxidil, supplements, and quality hair care products can help.
Sleeplessness, like hair loss, can be a sign to make an appointment with a medical professional. Both can be symptoms of underlying conditions — and, usually, both can be treated.
To explore science-backed hair loss treatments, take our free hair assessment.
Hims & Hers has strict sourcing guidelines to ensure our content is accurate and current. We rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We strive to use primary sources and refrain from using tertiary references. See a mistake? Let us know at [email protected]!
*All images feature a model portrayal
(unless otherwise noted).