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How To Sleep Better With Allergies

Ways To Sleep Better During Allergy Season

It might not feel like spring quite yet in some parts of the country, but as warmer weather approaches, blooming flowers and endless loads of allergy-inducing pollen will be here in the blink of a eye.

Of course, if you already suffer from seasonal allergies, you know that the itching, sneezing, stuffiness and general discomfort don’t stop at bedtime. Like a cold or the flu, allergies can make quality shut-eye much harder to achieve. In fact, more than one-third of allergy sufferers say that their symptoms impact their sleep, according to a recent survey by allergen barrier bedding company AllerEase.

When you throw sleep deprivation on top of some already unpleasant symptoms, you’re practically guaranteed to feel less than optimal for the next few months. The good news is that with a little bit of effort, you can turn your bedroom into an allergen-free zone — and get more of the symptom-free rest you crave. Here’s how.

Make Sure You Know When Its Time For A New Mattress

As your mattress gets older, your mattress and pillows collect dust mites, skin cells, sweat and body oils. The dust mites in your mattress can trigger your hay fever symptoms, so its important that you keep dust mites at bay. Clean your sheets as often as possible and regularly hoover your mattress to avoid dust mites building up.

Its also important that you know when you should replace your mattress. It is advised that you replace your mattress every 8 years.

If you are a hay fever sufferer and these tips help you get a better nights sleep during allergy season, let us know in the comments section.

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Sleeping Better With Allergies

Did you know that allergy symptoms are worse at night? Try these expert solutions for sleeping better with allergies.

Allergy symptoms reach their peak before dawn, so getting a good night’s sleep can be a big problem for people with allergies. Studies show that three quarters of people with allergies wake up in the middle of the night due to allergy symptoms, and 93 percent have trouble sleeping.

“Allergies contribute to sleep disorders like sleep apnea and also to snoring. Difficulty getting a night of restful sleep can lead to during the day and make it even harder to recover from allergy symptoms,” says Jill Poole, MD, an allergist at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

How Allergies Can Ruin Your Sleep

Almost any kind of allergy can ruin your sleep, whether it’s an itchy or a food allergy that upsets your stomach, but the two biggest sleep-killers are nasal allergies and asthma. Nasal allergies include seasonal allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, and perennial allergic rhinitis, which is the type that lasts all year. When you have a nasal allergy, the tissues inside your nose swell and block your breathing at night. Symptoms of nasal allergy that interfere with sleep include:

  • Snoring
  • Periods of interrupted breathing called sleep apnea
  • Headache
  • A dry or sore throat from breathing through your mouth

Symptoms that interfere with sleep if you have asthma include:

  • Heartburn

Sleep Remedies: Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep

Treatment Tips for Allergy and Sleep

How Do You Find Out What’s Causing Your Allergies

Enright suggests that you become an allergen “sleuth” to find out which allergens are causing your symptoms. If your allergies only happen at nighttime, perhaps you are allergic to something in your bedroom.

The most common allergens in bedrooms are microscopic house dust mites which live in bedding.

If the humidity in your bedroom is above 40%, molds may be growing in the carpet, bedding, and upholstered furniture.

If there is a smoker in your home, your nose and sinuses are probably becoming congested due to your inhaling secondhand smoke at night. A HEPA room air purifier running in your bedroom will remove the smoke. If you are unsure about the cause of your allergy symptoms, get a test or a test to identify the allergens that cause your problems.

What Type Of Mattress Is Good For Allergies

How to Sleep better When you have Allergies?

The best mattress for allergies is one that will resist common allergens and provide a hygienic sleep environment. When we look at allergies that can affect sleep quality, the most common irritants are dust mites, mold, mildew, and pet dander. Allergens like mold and mildew thrive in environments that are high in moisture, while dust mites look for nooks and crannies to inhabit.

Mattresses made with memory foam and are known to be resistant to common allergens. Memory foam is not an ideal environment for dust mites especially if it has a high density since theres less space within the foam for them to penetrate and occupy This material is less conducive for dust mites than fibrous padding and innerspring coils.

Natural latex is also ideal for allergy sufferers. This material is harvested from rubber trees and processed in a way that washes away excess proteins. This manufacturing process makes it safe for those with latex allergies.

Hybrid mattresses often use comfort layers of latex and memory foam, which is why a few of our top picks include hybrid mattresses. These mattresses also allow air to circulate and help wick away heat and moisture.

Traditional innerspring mattresses with fibrous padding are often the worst offenders for harboring dust mites. The open coil structure and loose fiber create an optimal environment for dust mites. Synthetic fibers that do not breathe well can also cause moisture to build up in the mattress.

If Youre Allergic To Dust Mites Consider Changing Your Sheets Every Day

If youre allergic to dust mites, its best to change your sheets every day. Dust mites are microscopic creatures that live in the air and can be found on most surfaces, including mattress covers, pillows, carpeting, furniture cushions, and even clothes.

Dust mite droppings contribute to allergic reactions and cause asthma. Dust mites are generally harmless, but they are an even greater problem for people with underlying allergies or sensitivities such as eczema.

Dust mites like warm, humid environmentsso its best not to set your thermostat at more than 20 degrees Celsius in the summer and turn your humidifier off when youre sleeping.

Dust mites can also be found in bedding, clothes, carpets, or furniture cushionsso its important to wash these items often too. If the allergy symptoms are severe, speak to a doctor about getting prescribed medication that will allow you to sleep better at night.

Keep Your Sinuses Clean

Do you know whats even better than trying to adjust your sleeping position to accommodate congested nasal passages? Preventing those passages from getting congested in the first place. 

This isnt always possible of course, but there are ways you can try to reduce congestion, especially during peak allergy season.

Tips For Better Sleep During Allergy Season

Sleeping during allergy season can be challenging, but there are ways to make yourself more comfortable. Here are some of our favorite tips:

  • Vacuum your bedroom daily, or every few days to remove pollen, dust and pet dander that might be lingering on the floors, especially carpet.
  • Invest in a dehumidifier for your bedroom and run it daily to prevent mold growth and keep your HVAC system filters clean. 
  • Change into fresh clothes after you come in from outside and wash your hands and face thoroughly. It might also help to keep your dirty laundry with allergens on it away from your bed. 
  • Use a cooling gel eye mask to soothe irritated and itchy eyes. These masks can be kept in the refrigerator or freezer and are available at most drugstores.
  • Wear moisture-wicking clothing to bed if your allergies cause nighttime sweating. Find clothes made with synthetic fabrics that absorb sweat and keep moisture away from skin.
  • Sleep with multiple pillows or a wedge pillow under your head to raise your upper body and help drain mucus out of your nose and lungs. 
  • Create a relaxing nighttime routine to ease anxiety. Take a warm shower, read a book, or meditate to calm your mind.
  • Stay hydrated throughout the day and drink a glass of water before bed to thin the mucus in your nose. You can also try rinsing your sinuses at night with a saline solution. 
  • Continue to follow allergy treatment protocol, even when your symptoms are manageable or seem to have gone. 
  • How To Sleep Better Through Allergy Season

    Around twenty to fifty percent of Americans struggle with seasonal allergies around springtime, with the rise of pollen in the air directly impacting respiratory patterns. Figuring out how to sleep better while you struggle to breathe normally can be a challenge. 

    Getting to know common strategies and practices that can help minimize the impact of your allergies on your sleep is in your best interest. Trouble sleeping can often read to irritability, lower energy, and less productivity, which can in turn exacerbate some of the milder symptoms of seasonal allergies. 

    Optimizing your bedroom and sleep hygiene habits can go a long way in transforming your sleep through allergy season. From finding a memory foam mattress that is both comfortable and sniffle-proof, to using the right types of medication, here are our top tips and tricks when it comes to balancing your sleep through this time:

    How To Sleep Better When You Have Allergies

    Health and Fitness

    If you suffer from fall allergies, youre not alone. Millions of people each year go through the same thing. It begins with a stuffy head or watery eyes, which quickly transforms into you barely being able to breathe through one nostril, let alone get a good nights sleep.

    However, there are things you can get some much-needed rest. Heres what you need to know about getting a better nights sleep when you suffer from allergies.

    Keep Pets Out Of The Bedroom

    Cant seem to get all of the pet dander out of the carpet when you vacuum? It may be a better idea to keep the pets out of your bedroom altogether. The pet dander can get into your carpet, but it can also get into your bedding, which in turn can get the pet dander in your hair. Then you carry around those allergens near your face all day long, causing more and more allergy symptoms.

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    Tips To Help You Get Better Sleep With Allergies

    7 Smart Strategies for Better Sleep With Allergies ...

    If you suffer from allergies, you are not alone. Roughly 40 million Americans suffer from seasonal or year-round allergies that make it difficult to sleep.

    Luckily, there are many ways to overcome allergies and get a good nights sleep. Keep reading for some helpful tips that can help improve your quality of sleep!

    How To Stop Mould In Your Bedroom

    While you might think mould only lingers in deep, dank caves and the mugs under your son’s bed, this sneaky allergen could be lurking in all sorts of forgotten areas of your bedroom too, like your laundry basket or behind a wardrobe. Any damp spot provides a ripe environment for mould to grow, and once it’s settled in, it spreads by releasing its fungal spores into the air. Not what you want to be breathing in during your nightly snooze.

    To stymie the spread of mould and mildew:

  • Maintain a healthy humidity level in your home. Although air that’s too damp can cause mould to multiply, a dry atmosphere can also exacerbate allergy symptoms, irritating your eyes, nose and throat. Keep moisture levels in check by splashing out on a dehumidifier and drying your washing outside or in a tumble dryer.
  • Wipe away condensation when it gathers around windowsills and exterior door frames. If you do spy a damp spot, refrain from using bleach to remove it, as commercial bleach contains up to 90% water which will soak into a porous surface and actually encourage mould to grow. Instead, stick to non-toxic cleaners, you’ll be surprised at the wonders a little vinegar, lemon and baking soda can work.
  • Purify your air and prettify your room with potted plants. Some of the best flora and fauna to reduce airborne toxins include chrysanthemums, Chinese evergreen and aloe vera, but be careful not to overwater them as excessive moisture can cause the soil to become mouldy.
  • How Do Allergies Affect Sleep

    Allergens irritate your nasal passages when they enter your nose, triggering uncomfortable symptoms like nasal congestion, sneezing, and watery eyes. These symptoms affect your ability to breathe easily and tend to worsen at night two reasons why allergies commonly lead to poor sleep quality.

    If your allergies keep you up at night, you may be missing out on sleep. Without a good nights sleep, you end up feeling tired and grumpy . Being tired can impair your performance at school and work, negatively affecting your and wellbeing. Poor sleep also heightens anxiety and response, which in turn, makes it harder to fall asleep.

    Allergies dont just impact your ability to fall asleep; they also interfere with your ability to stay asleep. People with allergies may wake up due to a congested nose, sneezing or coughing fit in the middle of the night. Over time, this kind of allergy-induced sleep deprivation adds up, creating a vicious cycle that leads some to rely on sedatives or  to help them fall or stay asleep which is not a good idea.

    How To Sleep Better During Allergy Season

    This article was medically reviewed by Janice Litza, MD. Dr. Litza is a board certified Family Medicine Physician in Wisconsin. She is a practicing Physician and taught as a Clinical Professor for 13 years, after receiving her MD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health in 1998.There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 5,731 times.

    Allergy symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes, and congestion can make it very difficult to sleep. Luckily, there are many things you can do to make yourself more comfortable at night, which should improve your sleep. Reducing the number of allergens in your bedroom can make a huge difference in your quality of sleep during allergy season. Clearing out your sinuses regularly and taking medications for your allergies will also help keep you more comfortable so you can sleep soundly.

    : Take Allergy Medication At Night

    Youll want to check with your doctor before you do this, but taking any allergy medication at night will make sure that the medication wont wear off in the middle of the night, and will stay strong while you sleep. If you are taking an over-the-counter medication, check the ingredients to be sure it doesnt have caffeine or other stimulants that might keep you awake.

    Allergies And Sleep Issues

    Allergy symptoms can wreak havoc on your lifewhether awake or asleep. People who have allergies often experience sleep concerns. Sleep is affected because allergens irritate nasal passages, which can make breathing more difficult, and allergies can directly interfere with sleep too. In addition, nasal congestion and other allergy symptoms often are worse during the nighttime. When allergies affect the amount of sleep you get and the quality of your sleep, they can end up having an impact on your quality of life, such as your ability to enjoy daytime activities or be productive at work or school.

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    The effects of allergies can cause you to experience daily fatigue. And if youre waking up all night from sneezing and coughing, or are having trouble breathing during your sleep, the fatigue can be considerably worse. These symptoms are detrimental to your sleep and can leave you feeling tired throughout the day and might even cause you to feel generally unwell. A research study on this topic found that people who had allergic rhinitis, compared to people without allergies, took longer to fall asleep, slept for fewer hours at night, and felt sleepier during the day. They were also more likely to drink alcohol or use sedatives. Overall, they had worse sleep quality, which decreased their quality of life.

    So, what can you do to be rid of those annoying allergies, so you sleep and feel better?

    Clean The Air For Better Sleep

    Using an air purifier at night has been shown to help sleep, both in people with allergies and people without allergies. Air pollutants are known to worsen various allergies. Common allergens include dust mites, mold, and pet dander. These allergens can sometimes be found in bedding such as pillows, sheets, and mattresses. Pollen can be present indoors as well as outdoors, and certain types of pollen have higher counts at nighttime compared to daytime. Air purifiers can effectively remove these types of particles from the bedroom environment to alleviate allergies during sleep.

    Some air purifiers, such as the Alen BreatheSmart line, emit a type of sound called pink noise, which can contribute to better sleep along with the air purification function of the product. The Alen BreatheSmart 45i was shown to improve sleep in two separate studies conducted by SleepScore Labs, particularly among the people in the study who reported poorer sleep quality. In the first study, 96% of the research participants felt that using the Alen air purifier improved their allergy symptoms, and 93% reported that the Alen air purifier helped them sleep better. In the second study, objective sleep measurement showed a statistically significant increase in sleep quality during the nights when the research participants used the air purifier in their bedroom, compared to the nights during the study when they did not use the air purifier.

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    : Reduce Nasal Congestion

    If youve been reading my blog for a while, you know that if you struggle with snoring or nighttime allergies, I encourage you to decongest for better rest. I recommend trying the Sinusonic it is one that I recommend testing for all my clients now. Sinusonic also has great videos and scientific research on their site about how and why it works.

    Additionally, using a before bedtime can reduce the size of inflamed nasal tissue, and clear those passages, allowing you to breathe easier.

    : Adjust Your Laundry Routine

    How To Sleep Better With A Dust Mite Allergy » Read Now!

    If you spend a lot of time outside during allergy season, put your clothes into the wash as soon as you come inside for the day. Avoid letting your clothes dry outside this can attract more pollen and allergens. Instead, put your clothes in the dryer to keep them allergen-free.

    If youre especially concerned about allergens in your home, there are a variety of hypoallergenic sleep products available to help keep seasonal allergies in check.

    Sleepy Time Tips To Decrease Allergies And Sleep Deprivation

    During the deepest level of sleep, your body is revitalized and tissue damage is repaired. Sleep helps restore the body and strengthens the immune system. Yet difficulty sleeping may accentuate your allergy symptoms, making a congested nose feel even worse.

    To get sounder sleep, it takes a combination of steps, including nasal saline irrigation, allergy medicine, and lifestyle measures, says Murray Grossan, MD, a Los Angeles-based ENT and author of The Sinus Cure. Grossan offers these tips:

    Watch your diet and avoid drinking and alcohol for at least six hours before .

    • Check your medications, as some allergy medicines can cause or nervousness. The ingredients and side effects are listed on the medication label.
    • Consider taking an antihistamine like diphenhydramine at night. It causes drowsiness in many people.
    • Get regular exercise for sounder sleep, but don’t at night as it may keep you keyed up. Try to exercise outside during the early morning hours to gain the extra benefit of natural sunlight. This helps to set your body’s natural circadian rhythm for regular sleep.
    • Keep the windows closed in the bedroom to keep out pollen and nighttime dampness.
    • Raise the head of your bed a few inches. The higher the head, the less the nasal congestion with allergies.

    Tip #1: Maintaining Your Mattress For Optimum Sleep Hygiene

    When it comes to optimizing your bedroom, your bed is a great place to start. Though its common knowledge you need to wash your bedsheets pretty regularly, whats less known is that even the best mattresses require some thorough maintenance. If you arent vigilant about how often you clean and maintain your bed, youre likely to experience more rather than fewer allergy symptoms.

    Whether you have a memory foam mattress or more traditional spring, over the years your bed can trap varying amounts of external debris, such as dust mites, pet dander, and yes, even pollen, which can in turn cause a reaction and lead to trouble sleeping. 

    If you own a memory foam mattress that is older than eight years, youll need to replace it. Youll also need to clean your memory foam mattress at least twice a year to ensure youre keeping it as hygienic as possible, though for those who suffer from allergies, its recommended you bump this up to as much as once every quarter. 

    Every bed has its own particular requirements when it comes to clean up memory foam mattresses for instance cant be cleaned with water. In this case, it tends to be easier to use a damp cloth and vacuum for memory foam mattresses. 

    The  should, it goes without saying, be naturally hypoallergenic for your convenience. The best mattresses for allergy sufferers will also be engineered with ease of maintenance in mind, though if you want to invest in additional tools, such as mattress protectors, this will only help. 

    Reducing Allergens In The Bedroom

    Eliminating allergens in your bedroom is the best way to reduce the chance that your allergy symptoms will act up at night and interfere with your sleep, making you tired during the day. However, this is often easier said than done. Allergy-causing substances are often found in common places, like your mattress and linens. Humans can easily bring outdoor allergens inside when they collect on clothing and hair.

    Taking precautionary measures can help eliminate allergens in your home. Below, you can find ways to limit allergens from some of the most common sources in your bedroom.

    Tip #2: Keeping Your Pets Out Of Your Bedroom

    As tempting as it might be to let your loving pup or kitten cuddle up beside you during bedtime, their fur can trap pollen, dust, and other aggravating debris that have the potential to make your symptoms worse. 

    This is especially true for those who have pets who spend the bulk of their time outdoors. Even indoor animals tend to attract and trap a lot of external debris in their fur. If youre the type of person who has trouble sleeping without your pet, certain precautions can help you manage their disturbance and help you sleep better. 

    If you are looking for ways to sleep better through allergy season, keeping your pets out of your bedroom completely will help minimize the risk of you getting the sniffles right before bedtime, and have you much better disposed to sleep better. 

    Keep Your Bedroom Clean

    It is important that you keep your bedroom clean to make sure dust doesnt build upon areas such as your surfaces and skirting boards. Of course, your bedroom is where you sleep, so for allergy sufferers, its worth making the effort to make sure your bedroom is clean. By paying attention to the cleanliness of your home and bedroom you can minimise your hay fever symptoms dramatically.

    Tips To Sleep Better With Spring Allergies

    With all of the talk about the COVID-19 pandemic, worrying about your allergies seems less important.  However, if you have seasonal allergies, its hard to breath well during this time of year when everything is blooming.  If you cant breathe well due to congestion, sleeping becomes more difficult.  So, whats a person to do?  Here are five tips from SleepBetter that are designed to help you get a better nights sleep while the pollen is flying.

  • Take a shower. Try taking a shower right before bed.  It will wash the pollen out of your hair and off of your body, making for a more pollen-free bed.
  • Vacuum and wash your sheets. This time of year, many people want to open the windows and air out the house.  Unfortunately when you do that, youre letting in the very thing thats making you sneeze.  Try running a vacuum in your bedroom each night, and wash your sheets more frequently than usual.
  • Use newer allergy medications. The newer allergy medicines like Claritin, Zertec and Allegra dont generally interfere with your sleep.  If possible, avoid the versions of these medications that have a D by their name, as they include pseudoephedrine, a medicine that does tend to either make people sleepy or wake them up.
  • In the end, for most people at least, the spring allergy season lasts only a few weeks to a month.  If you can make it through that time without becoming severely sleep deprived, youll find that your nose and head are clearer as we head into summer.

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