Will your hair grow at night and with more sleep?
Will your hair grow at night and with more sleep? This age-old question has kept people awake at night for years. Yes, your hair grows at night, and scientific evidence supports that. However, there is no conclusive evidence that hair grows faster at night than during the day or vice versa.
The average growth of hair per day (24 hours) is about 0.3-0.4 mm. And this rate remains constant until the hair reaches the last phase of growth (telogen).
Hair growth, whether day or night, depends on the three stages of growth: anagen, catagen, and telogen. Anagen is the active stage when hair grows; catagen is the transitional stage, and telogen is the resting phase when you shed your hair.
The anagen stage lasts about two to six years. Your hair will add about 0.5 inches every month during this active phase. This growth happens both day and night since your hair growth cycle results from cell division. And as long as the anagen stage is in play, cell division occurs. The newer cells lengthen your hair, pushing it forward from the base.
There is a faction that believes hair grows faster at night. It is understandable to assume that your hair will certainly grow faster when you are resting than when engaged in activities. After all, your body repairs itself faster during sleep. They argue that while resting, other organs won’t need as much blood, and more will go to the scalp.
On the other hand, others believe hair grows faster during the day. They believe hair grows more quickly with higher metabolism. During the day, you are more active, which, according to them, leads to faster growth than at night (when sleeping) when the body does nothing.
It is hard to prove any of these theories correct without factual backing. Presently, scientists are still learning more about the hair. But one certain thing is that your hair grows at night. And factors that contribute to hair growth include age, physical wellbeing, nutritional balance, hair, and presence or absence of disorders.