Does hair grow more slowly overnight?

Jeltz

Jeltz

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Wiltshire
If I shave at night in the morning I'm still quite smooth when I get up about 9 hours later, however if I shave in the morning after 9 hours I'm rather stubbly.

I can see a couple of factors as possible reasons the 1st being that maybe hair grows more slowly when sleeping, maybe night shaves being more relaxed are closer or also could skin tighten during the day, thus exposing more of the hair (and possibly making it easier to get a closer shave) Or perhaps the hair dries out a bit over night and shrinks?

Any thoughts? Anyone else noticed similar?
 
Here's an answer off the internet:

"Hair actually grows slower while you are asleep then when you are awake because your heart rate slows and most of your body almost goes into a shut down mode so the more your awake the faster your hair is going to grow"

Do we actually have a doctor in the house? He'd know if this was really true. Maybe he'd supply us with illegal mind-bending drugs too!!
 
I suppose it'll be down to blood flow/pulse rate. Asleep it'll be slow so hair will grow more slowly than when you're awake, no?
Ive often wondered the same but in Summer and Winter and my barber doesnt know :shock: maybe I need to change him.
regards, beejay
 
I'm not a doctor, haven't searched t'interweb and have experienced this too - I'm sure that I recall - as a useless fact that I picked up years ago - that hair does indeed grow less during sleep for the reasons mentioned above. The body is in a state of rest and it's metabolism slows right down.
 
heroblob said:
Just to add a slight twist, your hair is the last thing to stop growing after you die. Carries on growing for quite a few hours after you stop.
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Hmmm, sounds like a new thread for 'post mortem shave' of the day. :)
 
FrenchBlade said:
Rik said:
Hmmm, sounds like a new thread for 'post mortem shave' of the day. :)
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Not to sound morbid or anything, but I've actually done this more than once, not an easy task.. :|

FB.
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Well if you need to practice using those straights then you have some possible volunteers or at least when asked who doesn't want a straight shave there would be no objection raised :eek:
 
moodymick said:
Must be the sleep thing as i have experienced this, however when i have shaved prior to starting a nightshift, at the end of the shift (12hrs) i am deffo ready for another :)
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You obviously don't get enough sleep on your 12hr night shifts. Lol :D
 
I have read that owing to the slowing of your body's metabolism during sleep, all of your body's processes slow down, including hair growth.

So, yes.

Ian
 
Hmmmm, so by the same logic smoking which increases the body's metabolic rate must make hair grow quicker!
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This paper would suggest otherwise:

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I've always learned that the presumed slowing of hair growth during sleep is an urban legend. I'll see if I can dig up some related scientific stuff...

Edit: this one is related to the (absence of) growth after death:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.snopes.com/science/nailgrow.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.snopes.com/science/nailgrow.asp</a><!-- m -->
 
heroblob said:
Just to add a slight twist, your hair is the last thing to stop growing after you die. Carries on growing for quite a few hours after you stop.
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No it doesn't. It's a myth. You hair and nails stop growing, but appears to grow because the skin shrinks. *Posted this before I refreshed and saw Henks post.

Back to the subject, I once read or saw that its better to shave when you've been up an hour, presumably the beard is softer when you've been awake for an hour. Following that logic, would suggest after being awake all day, the beard is really soft. Or it could be attributed to other reasons. Perhaps you're more awake at night and so perform a better shave than in the morning when you've just woke up.
 
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