Tangled hair is a total pain on the head. (Ha, see what I did there?) Not only does it look super messy, it’s also difficult and painful to detangle those rat nests. Having grown up with long hair at the windy seaside, I had to figure out a few ways to keep my hair from tangling.

And because sharing is caring, today I want to tell you all of my secrets on how to keep hair from tangling throughout the day & night. But first, let’s understand a little bit about the causes of tangled hair!

Disclosure: Some of the links below are so-called provision links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

What causes tangled hair?

So why does hair tangle?

As with any hair problem, there can be different reasons for your hair matting.

Generally, it is almost always some external, mechanical influence that causes hair to tangle.

Loose hair and wind

Image of long hair being blown around wildly by wind

Probably the most obvious cause for tangled hair is wind. When you wear your hair loose and then a storm whirls it around… Well, you can be pretty sure that you have some birds’ nests in there afterward.

Related: How to easily solve these 5 long hair struggles

Hair textures & health

There is also a clear correlation between certain hair structures and tangled hair. Curly hair, long and fine hair, as well as dry and damaged hair all tangle much easier than heavy, sleek hair.

(Oh, by the way, if you’re looking for the best tips on how to keep curly hair from tangling at night? Check out my 7 ways to sleep with curls and not ruin them!

Why does my hair get so tangled underneath?

Some people don’t really stay out in the storm much. And still, after a day of wearing their hair loose, they have a lot of tangles. Most of the tangled hair will be “underneath”, meaning that part of your hair that touches your neck, back, and clothes.

So did you ever wonder “Why is my hair matting underneath?”

Image of a woman with long hair, seen from the back, her hair is draping over her backpack

There are two reasons for this phenomenon. One is the constant rubbing of your hair on your clothes or backpack. The materials of our clothes are usually rather rough in terms of hair-friendliness. What happens is that this rubbing motion basically twists your hair strands together, causing those tangles.

The second reason is the hair damage that develops over time from your hair rubbing on your clothes. Your hair breaks and splits. This again causes it to tangle much more.

Why is my hair so tangled after washing?

Other people have the problem that their hair is incredibly tangled after washing. Even though they detangle thoroughly before, after stepping out of the shower their hair is extremely matted. And we all know how bad brushing wet hair is! It is one of the main mistakes one can make in their hair care.

There two different scenarios that will cause bad tangling when you wash your hair.

Image of a showerhead with water spilling out. Washing your hair in the wrong way can be a reason your hair is tangled after washing.

Washing overhead

One is washing your hair overhead. If you ever tried brushing your hair overhead, you already know that something wild happens to hair when overhead. Somehow nothing falls the right way once you turn back to normal.

Shampooing in circling motion

Another reason is the way many people apply shampoo. While it is better for your hair to simply distribute the shampoo in your scalp in a sweeping motion, many of us feel the need to scrub. We massage and massage, making all kinds of tangles and knots in the process.

If your hair is always tangled after washing, watch yourself closely next time. Do you move your hands in ways that will cause your hair to tangle?

How to keep hair from tangling throughout the day

There are also a few other things you can do to keep your hair from tangling throughout the day.

Use “untangly” hairstyles

The first and easiest tip is to put your hair in hairstyles to keep hair from tangling by default. The best hairstyles for that are updos.

If your hair is long enough, check out these hairstyles for long hair! You’ll find step-by-step instructions for two updos you can do in a few seconds each.

If your hair is still a little short for those styles, maybe try some easy braids. What matters is that your hair is not flowing freely, but is instead being protected from any rubbing and tangling.

Oil your hair regularly

Another step you can take to keep your hair from tangling and knotting so much is to regularly use some oil on your hair.

Oiling your hair plays the same role as moisturizing does in your skin care. It keeps your hair flexible and keeps it from drying out too much. As we talked about above, dry hair tangles much easier.

So make sure to put a little oil in the tips and lengths regularly. Especially if you are planning on wearing your hair loose.

Related: What is the best argan oil for hair? 10 tips!

Use less heat styling

This is more of a preventative thing. But if you are someone who uses a lot of heat styling, this might be a strong contributing factor when it comes to your tangled hair.

Heat dries out your hair significantly and makes its structure much more brittle. This, in turn, leads to more tangling. So if you are serious about getting less tangly hair, lay off the heat!

Related: The best healthy hair tips for healthy hair growth
Related: How to dry hair without heat

How to keep hair from tangling at night

Did you ever wonder what the cause of the infamous “bedhead” is?

Do you sleep with your hair down? And are your bedsheets made of cotton? Both factors are really not so nice for your hair. And you might wake up with some seriously tangled hair in the morning.

All that rolling around and rubbing on bedsheets are perfect conditions for making your hair matt like crazy. But, of course, there are a few things you can do to prevent your hair from tangling during the night.

So how to keep your hair from getting matted while sleeping?

Related: How to sleep with long hair (and not get it tangled)

Sleep on a silk pillow

The most important step for hair health during the night, in my opinion. Get yourself a silk pillowcase*. Silk is a hair-friendly material, it is way less rough than cotton. It also helps keep some moisture in your hair.

A nice side-effect: Silk is also a skin-friendly material. And sleeping on a silk pillowcase is supposed to reduce dryness-induced wrinkles.

So go for that princess feeling, get a silk pillowcase and enjoy way less tangled hair in the morning!

Put your hair in a comfortable “night-do”

Another measure you can take to prevent tangling in the night is a protective night-do. There are several choices of hairstyles to keep your hair from tangling.

Many curly girls opt for the popular pineapple hairstyle. Just pull your hair together overhead and wrap a hair tie around.

Related: Easy pineappling – How to pineapple curly hair for bed

I personally prefer Invisibobbles* to rubber hair ties, as they don’t cause as much breakage.

(You can get some here!*)

Another hairstyle that works well to protect longer hair in the night is a loose braid. As I sleep on my side, I make the braid on the top of my head and work down from there. It might long a little funny, but this way it’s never in my way while sleeping.

Wear a SLAP

If neither the pillowcase nor the night-hairstyle are options for you, you can still go for a satin lined cap or SLAP*.

Those caps look completely normal, but they are lined with satin inside. Satin, like silk, is a sleek material, causing less friction for your hair. At the same time, your hair cannot go wild, tangle and know, while it’s safely put away in that cap.

Related: How to sleep with long hair (and not get it tangled)
Related: How to sleep with curls and not ruin them: 7 ways

Got any other tips to keep hair from tangling?

So these are my tips to keep your hair from tangling. What do you do to deal with this problem? I’d love to hear from you in the comments! And remember to pin this to Pinterest.

Want to know how to prevent hair tangles? If your hair tangles easily, these tips will help you figure out why your hair tangles all the time and how to stop this from happening!

*These links are so-called provision links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.