Hairstyles That Look Awesome When You Wake Up

For most of us, mornings are crazy pressed for time, making us wish we could simply wake up to great hair. However, the bitter reality is that most of us either lose a solid hour of sleep waking up in time to style our hair the way we want it, or else end up throwing it up into a lackluster bun or ponytail to better hide the mess on the top of our heads.

But it doesn't have to be like this (cue the heavenly chorus). Seriously, there are several solid tips and techniques that help us wake up with awesome hair that's basically ready to go for the day. Meaning you can spend more of your precious time on things you'd rather be doing, like sleeping.

Read more: The 10 Best Hair Clips For Thick Hair In 2022

And as much as hair might not seem like a big deal in the scheme of things, I think we can all agree that for better or worse, liking the way our hair looks often just make us feel good. It gives us an extra little skip in our step and make us smile to ourselves when we catch a glimpse of ourselves in mirrors and windows.

For the sake of wanting to like our hair, but not wanting to sacrifice precious morning minutes stressing over it, here are 11 hairstyles you can sleep in that will look amazing in the morning.

1. The "Maintenance" Top Knot

According to Dhiran Mistry, stylist John Barret salon, when your hair it already looking good, say from a professional blowout, the best thing to do to maintain it is to get it out of your face while sleeping. Check out his above tutorial for a top knot that's super effective at maintaining already awesome-looking hair.

Beaute Galleria Bun Makers, $11, Amazon

2. Beach Waves

Loose, casual beach waves are one of the easiest overnight looks to achieve and will leave you looking instantly awesome in the morning. Beauty vlogger Andrea Brooks says she splits her hair right down the middle and then twists both sides into pigtails, pinning both up at the top of her head before bed. And voila! Wake up to awesome waves. Check out her above video for a more detailed tutorial.

John Frieda Sea Salt Spray, $8, Amazon

3. A French Braid

Makeup enthusiast and YouTuber Amanda Lee Roy recommended putting your hair in a french braid before it's fully dried and sleeping on it in order to wake up to super wave and voluminous hair. Skip to 1:50 of the above video to see how she does it.

Braid Makers, $8, Amazon

4. Donut Bun Waves

Tina, professional hair stylist and founder of the YouTube channel Makeup Wearables, recommended purchasing a donut bun hair styling accessory and looping your ponytail through it before bed for awesome overnight waves. They can be as tight or as loose as you like.

Beaute Galleria Bun Makers, $11, Amazon

5. The Multi-Bun

According to a compilation piece in Women's Health on wake up-ready hairstyles, sectioning your hair off and creating multiple "mini buns" all over your head secured with bobby pins is a super easy way to create simple, morning-ready waves without any heat styling.

6. Perfectly Straight

YouTuber DespiteTheRandomness showcases a super effective method of keeping straightened hair straight through the night using the "wrapping method," in which you tightly wrap your hair around your head. That way you can blow dry and straighten the night before and wake up ready to go.

Chi 1" Straightener, $90, Amazon

7. A Regular Old Messy Braid

For those of you who aren't for fancy french braids or mini buns, nothing's faster and easier than a simple braid before bed when your hair is almost fully dry (not not completely). You'll have super casual waves as soon as you wake up and take your hair down.

Oscar Blandi Braid Paste, $25, Amazon

8. Messy Curls

According to professional stylist Drew Schaefering in Redbook Magazine, an easy alternative to overnight waves is to section off your hair, twist each section, and then braid those smaller sections. Then just tousle in the morning instead of brushing when you take it down.

9. A Low "Bed Head" Bun

Schaefering also said that a great way to get sexy-looking bed head is to sleep in a low bun. "Pulling your hair sleeker and flatter on the top then creating a soft bun at the nape of your neck will allow your hair to take a more relaxed shape with a silhouetted top and waves at the bottom," she said.

10. The Loose Top Knot

This is a personal tip that is so super easy I had to include it. After washing you hair and working in some styling mousse, simply twist it up and secure it with a claw on the top of your head. I find this works super awesome when I'm on vacation and want there to be volume and texture in my hair, but can get away with a more haphazard, casual look.

Scunci No Slip Crown Clip, $6, Amazon

11. The Silk Pillowcase

Silk Pillowcase, $20, Amazon

OK, this isn't a look, but it's crazy important for waking up with awesome hair first thing in the morning so it absolutely is worth mentioning. Silk pillowcases reduce friction, and therefor frizz, in your hair, and will keep whatever hairstyle you're working with way smoother.

Great hair doesn't have to take you an hour in the morning — it can be as simple as waking up and running out the door. Now you can use all that time you'll be saving to actually do what you want in the morning, like make breakfast, exercise, or just sleep!

Images: EMS-FORSTER-PRODUCTIONS/DigitalVision/Getty Images; YouTube (6)