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Why Are My Allergies Worse At Night

Incorporate An Air Filter Into Your Hvac Or Invest In A Portable Air Purifier

What causes nasal congestion to get worse at night? – Dr. Honey Ashok

If you just cant seem to get a hold of the allergen levels in your home, you may want to consider incorporating a premium air filter into your HVAC system or using a portable air filter in your bedroom.

According to the Current Allergy & Asthma Report, the use of air filtration systems in your home is the most highly recommended tactic to regulate allergen exposure for those who suffer from allergic respiratory disease. You can add a premium filter to your air conditioner or heating unit to improve allergen levels in your home, or you can use a portable air filter that can easily move from room to room as you see fit.

Symptoms Of Nighttime Allergies

  • Sore or dry throat
  • Headache upon waking

A common question asked by allergy sufferers is: can allergies make you tired? While fatigue is not a direct symptom of allergies, the aforementioned allergy symptoms can largely impact your sleep cycles, which interfere with the quality of your sleep. The result of fragmented sleep is fatigue throughout the day. If you suffer from any of the symptoms listed above regularly, you may be having an allergic reaction to the allergens present in your home.

Dust Your Furniture Regularly

Go a week without vacuuming or dusting your furniture, especially in a sunny well lit room and youll notice a film of dust collecting on bedside tables, dresser drawers and any other surface that doesnt get touched often.

If you dont have a regular cleaning routine that includes dusting and often wake up with a stuffy nose, dust mites may be to blame. A dust mite allergy is more common than you might realize.

You may be at higher risk for dust mites too if your bedroom decor includes large heavy drapes, lots of decorative pillows and upholstered furniture. Carpeting, shaggy rugs, stuffed animals, dolls, and books are also dust traps that need to be vacuumed often or dusted regularly.

Read Also: Do Allergies Give You A Sore Throat

Why Your Allergies May Seem Worse At Night

While dust mites are the leading cause of nighttime allergy symptoms, a range of other factors can cause symptoms to flare up. Levels of some types of pollen, for example, increase at night, and simply the act of lying down in bed can result in coughing or wheezing, which may disturb your sleep. When youre trying to fall asleep, youre not physically active and therefore youre probably more aware of your symptoms than you are during the day.

* Use the hot setting on your washing machine.

Make sure to follow the manufacturers recommended maintenance schedule to replace them as needed.

Dust mites and mold spores thrive in humid environments. A cooler temperature will reduce humidity.

You’re Alone With Your Thoughts And Sniffles

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Why do allergies get worse at night? “Besides the fact that all illnesses feel worse at night?” quipped Dr. Rosenstreich. “When you’re busy during the day, you might forget about it and feel a little better,” said Dr. Rosenstreich. “When you’re lying in bed, most people aren’t thinking about anything else, and symptoms feel much worse.”

For that reason, nighttime is prime time to try over-the-counter allergy meds, said Dr. Rosenstreich. Look for an oral antihistamine or a corticosteroid nasal spray that can help limit congestion and reduce inflammation.

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Why Do I Wake Up Sneezing In The Middle Of The Night

If you wake up sneezing in the middle of the night, this may be a sign that there are allergens in your bedroom. Bedrooms can host a number of different allergens such as pet dander, dust mites, and mold. Additionally, these rooms may be prone to collecting dust due to carpeted floors and objects ripe for harboring dust such as photo frames or lamps.

To prevent these sneeze attacks, try dusting your bedroom, regularly vacuuming the floors, and using an air purifier. You may also find that taking an allergy antihistamine before bed may help prevent symptoms from keeping you awake. If these nighttime sneezes persist, see your physician for other treatment and prevention options.

Take Allergy Medications At Night

If you currently take an antihistamine or allergy medication in the morning, consider taking it at night.

Many allergy medications, such as Zyrtec, are recommended every 24 hours. By taking the medication before bedtime youre more likely to get through the night without the active ingredients wearing off or becoming less effective closer to the end of the 24 hour period.

As with all medications though, its best if you consult with your doctor.

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What Triggers Your Allergy Symptoms

If you have respiratory allergies, you may experience a collection of symptoms that all start with your nose perhaps you take a breath and a substance like pollen or dust lands on the lining of your nose. These substances, called allergens, may cause a release of chemicals that produce symptoms as your body attempts to protect you from what it perceives as a threat. This is an immune response. Allergens include pollen, dander, mold or dust mite droppings all pollutants you may find in your home and bedroom.

How Open Windows Can Affect Your Seasonal Allergies

Why Allergy Season Is So Bad This Year And How To Handle It

One big reason that cracking your windows open on a spring night isnt the best idea is that pollen levels are often the highest in the evening. Opening your bedroom windows at dusk is essentially exposing your house to floating pollen and allowing it to cover everything from your carpet to your bedspread.

Even if you decide to wait until early summer to let a fresh breeze blow through your home, you could still be causing yourself allergy grief. Grass, tree, and ragweed pollens thrive during warm days and cool nights, and if you add a little bit of wind to a brisk evening, you could have a surge of pollen spores suddenly spreading through your house like wildfire.

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Why Do My Allergies Get Worse At Night

  • Related Resources – Why Do My Allergies Get Worse at Night?
  • Allergy triggers and symptoms are unique to each individual. Allergies can depend on your body, environment, and even geographic location. Various factors can cause allergy symptoms to worsen in the evening for many people. You may spend the day with few or no allergy symptoms, only to experience sniffles and itchy eyes when you go to bed. Allergy symptoms can get worse at night because one of the places where dust and pet dander build up are your mattress. If you have seasonal or environmental allergies, your symptoms may come and go at different times of the day. You may experience worse nighttime allergies, morning allergies, or even both.

    Keep Your Environment Allergen

    Allowing pets to climb into your bed or sleep with you is not recommended, as they track dander that might be left behind.

    Other common allergens that could increase your symptoms include dust, cockroaches, some household products, and cigarette smoke.

    Keeping your environment free of these allergens reduces the risk of allergy symptoms at night.

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    Why Does My Allergies Get Worse At Night

    The severity of your allergies may steadily progress as it gets later in the day, or nighttime and this can be due to many factors or conditions within your home, especially your bedroom. No matter what type of allergy you have it can potentially ruin your sleep and disrupt your health. Whether it be dust mites, pet dander, pollen, or indoor mold growth, all of these allergens can be produced and elicit into the air space of a home and ultimately will have a significant impact on an individual who suffers from allergies and can even be the cause behind nighttime allergies. Below we are going to discuss these various allergens that are the main culprits behind nighttime allergies that will lead to disrupted health and sleeping at night.

    Dust Mites

    Dust mite allergies are an allergen that will affect both those allergy and asthma sufferers. Dust mites are a household mite that are found in association with dust, and these microscopic creatures will resemble small bugs that will not leave bites on your skin. These allergens will prefer carpeting, some furniture, and bedding to live in because of the conditions on these surfaces such as dead skin that has been shed from individuals that come into contact with these surfaces. Dust mites are one of the main reasons for your bedrooms high allergen levels and will contribute to the aggravation and progression of nighttime allergies.

    Pollen
    Indoor Mold

    Why Are My Allergies Worse In The Morning And At Night

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    Do you wake up with morning headaches, feeling congested, or sniffling? Do you struggle to go to sleep at night because of sneezing and wheezing?

    If you have seasonal or environmental allergies, your symptoms may come and go at different times of the day. You may experience worse nighttime allergies, morning allergies, or even both.

    Hereâs why your allergies may be worse at night or in the morning, and what you can do about it.

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    Use A Natural Allergy Symptom Reliever

    To a certain extent, allergy symptoms are an unfortunate reality that many of us will experience at one point or another. However, rather than never going outside, we can be prepared with methods to soothe our worst symptoms to still make the most out of our day.

    Since the solutions to natural problems are also often found in nature, our AllergyPatch Allergy Relief Stickers make perfect sense. These stickers utilize the powers of essential oils to help relieve allergy symptoms like sneezing, sniffling, congestion, and more, all by enriching your immune response.

    Why Do My Allergies Get Worse At Night & In The Morning

    • person Gary Tramer

    Those who regularly experience allergies know their symptoms all too well, but those of us who are lucky enough to come out of a spring day unscathed might not be as familiar.

    Allergy symptoms can range significantly, depending on the kind of allergic reaction youre having.

    For instance, an allergy to a certain food could cause stomach distress, but external irritants probably wont make your tummy turn.

    Here are some of the more common and less severe allergy symptoms that many of us experience:

    • Itchy and runny eyes
    • Hives or a skin rash
    • Swelling of the face and body

    For some reason, these already unpleasant allergic reaction symptoms seem to worsen at night and in the morning. This article will explain why that is and how you can alleviate the discomfort.

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    Talk To Your Sleep Specialist And/or Sleep Coach

    Even if you follow these tips and make the necessary changes, sleep problems may still persist. If youre struggling with insomnia, snoring, or stop breathing while you sleep, consult your doctor. You may require a sleep test to potentially identify more serious sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea .

    While nighttime allergy symptoms do not always accompany OSA, a home sleep test can help you determine whether your symptoms will require more treatment than what can be done in the home.

    Dont let your allergies keep you up at night. There are easy steps you can take to ensure that your symptoms are under control so you can breathe easily. But if your seasonal allergies continue to affect your ability to sleep, contact us today to schedule an assessment of your symptoms.

    References:

    Sublett, J.L. Effectiveness of Air Filters and Air Cleaners in Allergic Respiratory Diseases: A Review of the Recent Literature. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 11, 395 .https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11882-011-0208-5

    Enjoying That Fresh Air Even With Seasonal Allergies

    Nightwatch: Asthma Patient Suffers Severe Allergic Reaction | A& E

    While it may seem like a drag to keep your windows closed, its a precaution that will help your allergy symptoms! And just because you have to deal with seasonal allergies, that doesnt mean you have to cut yourself off from outside entirely. You can still enjoy the outdoors on a beautiful day it just takes a little bit of planning. This planning includes checking the pollen count before going outside and taking a shower and washing your clothes as soon as you come in from outdoor activities.

    Another way to ease the discomfort caused by seasonal allergy symptoms? Keep a box of Breathe Right® Nasal Strips on your bedside table for when allergy-induced nasal congestion is affecting your sleep. Effective, drug-free, and easy to apply, Breathe Right nasal strips open your nose to relieve snoring and nighttime nasal congestion due to allergies.

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    Why Dont We Experience The Same Seasonal Allergies In The Winter

    Its helpful to remember that seasonal allergies typically refer to pollen-based allergies or those that occur as a result of plant matter. We do not experience pollen-based allergies in the winter for a few reasons.

    Most of us spend most of our time indoors during these months since we do not particularly enjoy being turned into human popsicles. However, on the unpleasant occasions that we are forced to trek outside during an arduous winter, were still unlikely to experience seasonal allergies.

    In mid-January, the trees and plants that surround us appear to be dead, or more realistically, are slowing down and laying dormant until the warmer months. This means that there is little to no plant matter or pollen available to bother us.

    When the weather finally does get warmer again, we will be greeted with a plethora of beautiful flora as the plants return to their former glory. On a less bright side, these natural beauties coming alive again means that many of us will be forced to withstand a few months of sneezing, itchy eyes, and more.

    Your Pet Sleeps In Your Bed

    Another common allergen making things worse in your bedroom? Pet dander that accumulates on your carpet or comforter. Sure, furry friends make for cozy snuggle buddies, but if you’re allergic to your pet, sleeping beside each other isn’t doing you any favors.

    It’s always an unpopular suggestion, said Dr. Parikh, but she tells patients to stop allowing their pets in their beds. “Keeping the animals out of the bedroom is best. Nobody listens to me, but it helps!”

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    Lying Down Worsens Congestion

    Gravity is not your friend when it comes to your bedtime allergies. “When you lie down, basically everything in your nose starts dripping down your throat,” explained Dr. Parikh. Due to the anatomy of the nose and throat, that can lead to more or worse coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing than when you’re standing upright, said Dr. Parikh.

    Propping yourself up with some extra pillows might help ease congestion and post-nasal drip while you sleep.

    Sleepy Time Tips To Decrease Allergies And Sleep Deprivation

    Why Do Coughs Get Worse At Night

    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 caffeine and alcohol for at least six hours before bedtime.

    • Check your medications, as some allergy medicines can cause insomnia 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 exercise 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.

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    Several Different Allergens May Be Causing Your Morning Allergy Symptoms

    Dust mites are one common trigger for morning allergies. Many people are allergic to these microscopic bugs, which can be found in house dust, eating the skin cells that people shed. They are often found in warm environments, including bedding and upholstered furniture, so your bedroom is an ideal environment for them to live and breed. Although dust mites donât bite or spread disease, their shed body parts or droppings can trigger morning allergy symptoms.

    Pet dander may cause morning allergies, especially if it has collected in your bedding and carpet. This can become an issue if your cat or dog sleeps in the bedroom with you. It may also be triggered by caged pets that are kept in the bedroom, such as a gerbil or guinea pig.

    Pollen is one of the biggest outdoor causes of morning allergies, since pollen counts tend to be higher in the morning. If you are an early riser and go outside first thing in the morning to walk your dog or exercise, you could be getting a big dose of allergen exposure at the start of your day. This may also happen if you sleep with the bedroom windows open.

    Indoor mold is another potential trigger for morning allergies. Since mold thrives in damp areas, it can become a problem if your bedroom is near a bathroom, or another location with mold growth.

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