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Allergies and Sleep
- Allergies can make it harder to fall asleep, stay asleep, and feel rested the next day.
- Nasal congestion from allergic rhinitis can contribute to snoring, fragmented sleep, and other breathing problems at night.
- Bedroom allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, pollen, and mold may make symptoms feel worse while you sleep.
- Keeping windows closed, washing bedding regularly, reducing dust, and using air filtration may help improve nighttime allergy symptoms.
Have you ever woken up with a stuffy nose or experienced sneezing in your sleep? Whether they’re seasonal or year-round, allergies aren’t fun.
Up to 40 percent of Americans suffer from allergic rhinitis (allergies), with symptoms including sneezing, itchy or runny nose, and watery eyes — and for many allergy sufferers, poor sleep as well. Individuals with allergies are more than twice as likely to have insomnia than those without allergies.
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How Do Allergies Affect Sleep?
Allergies can affect all aspects of sleep. Individuals with allergic rhinitis are significantly more likely to suffer from sleep issues, including:
- Insomnia
- Trouble falling asleep
- Trouble staying asleep
- Increased snoring
- Increased risk for sleep apnea
- Poor sleep efficiency
- Short sleep
During the day, their problems don’t end. They’re more likely to have trouble waking up, experience daytime fatigue, and have morning headaches and sinus pain.
There also appears to be a correlation between the severity of a person’s allergies and the severity of their sleep problems. In other words, the worse their allergy symptoms are, the worse their sleep is.
For some people with allergies, difficulty sleeping may develop into more serious sleep disturbances, such as bedwetting, insomnia, restless sleep, snoring, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and other forms of sleep-disordered breathing. The connection between allergies causing or worsening sleep apnea is of particular concern because we know that OSA can lead to difficulty losing weight, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and death.
Tips to Sleep Better With Allergies
Sleeping with allergies can be tough, but it is possible. Here are seven tips to cope with allergies and get better sleep.
Use an Air Purifier
Air purifiers can help improve sleep for people with and without allergies. They help clear your bedroom air of common household allergens like mold, dust mites, pet dander, and even pollen brought in from outside.
Close Your Doors and Windows
If you leave your windows open during the day, you’re inviting allergens into your home. Closed windows and doors, on the other hand, can do a lot to keep allergens outside and away from your bedroom.
Keep Your Furniture as Dust-Free as Possible
Most people are surprised by the amount of debris and dust collected in nooks and crannies in the room. Avoid heavy drapes and upholstered furniture in the bedroom. Avoid floor-to-floor carpet, if possible. Use tightly-woven fabric for your sheets and pillowcase to prevent trapping of dust. Avoid “dust collectors”, such as stuffed animals, fake flowers, and old books in the bedroom.
Keep Pets Out of Your Bedroom
Pet hair and dander are two common allergens that impact sleep, so sleeping in a separate room from your pet may help relieve your allergies at night. Give them a comfy bed outside your bedroom and pet them goodnight. Just make sure to wash your hands afterward!
Change Up Your Laundry Routine
After spending time outside, especially during high pollen count days, take your clothes off when you come inside the house and put them directly in the laundry room. Never hang your clothes outside to dry. Use a dryer instead, if possible.
Shower Before Bed
Showering before bed helps wash the pollen away. Make showers a part of your bedtime routine, and you’ll always be clean before bed.
Take Allergy Medication at Night
If you currently take your allergy medication in the morning, consider changing it to nighttime. Consult your doctor first, though. This ensures the dose of medication is still strong in your system when you go to bed, instead of wearing off in the middle of the night.
Talk to Your Doctor
Speaking of your doctor, they can discuss some treatment options with you based on the type of allergies you have. There are over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, and lifestyle changes that can provide relief.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my allergies get worse at night?
Your allergies may feel worse at night because of the numerous allergens that can accumulate in the bedroom. Dust mites can live in pillows and mattresses, pets may sleep nearby, and pollen can drift in through open windows.
To reduce exposure, encase your pillows, mattresses, and box springs in dust-mite-proof covers, keep windows closed during pollen season, and consider having pets sleep in a different room
. Some research also suggests that nasal congestion follows a circadian rhythm, which means it’s often more severe at night and early morning
.
Can allergies cause sleep apnea?
While research suggests that there is a link between allergies and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), there isn’t conclusive evidence that allergies directly cause OSA. Some studies suggest that allergies may be a risk factor for OSA, as they cause nasal congestion and make breathing more difficult during sleep . However, research is still ongoing, and other studies have found insufficient evidence to support this theory .
Does sleep help allergies?
While there’s little evidence suggesting that sleep directly improves allergies, research shows that getting good sleep supports overall health
. Unfortunately, allergies often make it harder to sleep.
To sleep better with allergies, minimize allergens in your room with regular cleaning; put dust-mite-proof covers on your pillows, mattress, and boxspring; and consider using an air purifier. A doctor may also be able to offer a treatment plan based on your specific environment and allergy symptoms.
Does sleeping with a humidifier help allergies?
Sleeping with a humidifier may ease certain symptoms of allergies, but only if they’re cleaned regularly and used with the proper settings. Room humidifiers can soothe dry sinus passages and help relieve congestion associated with allergies
.
However, daily cleaning is essential in order to prevent buildup of bacteria or mold, which could then be released in the air and worsen allergies. Using distilled water instead of tap helps prevent buildup of minerals that could be released as dust. Most importantly, dust mites, one of the most common indoor allergens, thrive in moist places, so make sure to keep the humidity level below 50%.
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Dr. Rausch-Phung is a board-certified preventive medicine physician and a freelance medical writer specializing in health, wellness, and prevention with a passion for health communication.
Dr. Truong is a Stanford-trained sleep physician with board certifications in sleep and internal medicine. She is the founder of Earlybird Health.
Learn more about our medical advisory boardReferences12 Sources
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