Do you find yourself struggling to fall asleep each night due to a stuffy nose?
You might find yourself wondering why allergies are worse at night.
In fact, respiratory allergies affect about 20 to 25% of Canadians.
Below, you’ll learn more about why your allergies seem to be worse at night and a few tips and tricks to help ease the burden.
Why do my allergies get worse at night?
Allergies, also referred to “as allergic diseases”, are caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to a seemingly harmless substance within the surrounding environment.
Allergies often cause symptoms such as cough, sneezing, runny nose, and itchy or watery eyes.
But why are allergies worse at night?
Many substances like pet dander, bacteria, and dust mites are common triggers for people with allergies.
You might notice that when you lay down to go to sleep, or even when you wake up in the morning, you have a worsened runny nose or find it more difficult to breathe.
Irritants like dust mites and pet dander build up in your mattress and pillows, triggering a flare-up of allergy symptoms. Reasons why you should opt for an antimicrobial and breathable mattress.
Some causes to your allergies
Among all types of allergies one can be subjected to or suffer from, nasal allergies are among the most common that affect your sleep.
Here are some causes:
Dust mites
Dust mites are small bugs, often found in house dust. They often nest in dark, warm, humid climates making bedding the perfect home.
They feed off of dead skin cells shed by humans or even pets throughout the day.
Dust mites are common year-round. They often live and are found in pillows, box springs, and mattresses.
To reduce the potential exposure to dust mites, it’s imperative that you regularly keep your home as dust-free and ventilated as possible.
Pollen
Pollen is one of the most common causes of allergy.
It often falls from plants and trees throughout the day, but most commonly in the evening.
Pollen spores fall, landing on any surface to be carried throughout the environment.
Pollen can travel into your home from your skin, clothes, or can even be tracked inside through your pets.
If you do not shower and change clothes before diving into bed, you run the risk of transporting the powder from pollen into your bed, causing a flare-up of your allergies.
Pet dander
When one thinks of pet dander, they often assume it’s simply the fur of their pet.
However, pet dander comes from the skin, saliva, and even urine left behind by it.
Pet dander can travel anywhere and land on any surface fairly easily. It’s a common cause of an allergy flare-up at night.
If you’re near a pet, or within a home with pets, these tiny skin flakes can travel home with you on your skin or clothes, making their way into your bedding.
Learn more: Remove hair from a mattress
Why does hay fever worsen at night?
Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, is a condition caused by allergens such as dust or pollen.
It’s a very common condition that more than 3 million Americans suffer from each year.
Hay fever is accompanied by many symptoms such as:
- Continuous sneezing
- Runny nose
- Stuffy nose
- Sore or scratchy throat
But why does it seem like hay fever worsens at night?
- Pollen: there is often an increase in the production of pollen in the evening and nighttime versus during the day. Pollen is among the most common causes of hay fever.
- Immune system: just as your body relaxes and resets at night, your immune system does too.
- Sleeping position: sleeping flat at night reduces the ability of your sinuses to drain, resulting in an increase of mucus buildup and symptoms making hay fever worse at night.
Learn more: How to clean a mattress?
Polysleep’s tips to sleep well with allergies
While a good night’s rest might seem hopeless when you suffer from allergies, there are a few things you can do to reduce the number of irritants disrupting your sleep.
Keep your environment allergen-free
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.
Shower before bed
Showering and changing clothes before climbing into bed washes away the microscopic allergens that could have attached themselves to your clothes or skin.
Take allergy medication
There are many over-the-counter allergy medications that can be purchased today. Taking one of these medications each night before bed might aid in the reduction of symptoms you experience.
Regularly check your pillows and mattress for mold spores, dander, or dust.
Be sure to visually inspect your mattress and pillows often (at least weekly) for allergens. You could do this each time you wash your bed linens, to ensure regularity in this important task.
Purchase an antimicrobial mattress
A mattress is often an attractive environment for microorganisms like dust mites and dander to spread and multiply.
Polysleep has designed and manufactured an antimicrobial foam mattress.
A ventilated viscoelastic hybrid foam, ISO 207443 certified, ensures good air circulation. Additionally, a micro-perforated foam helps the mattress breathe naturally.
This Polysleep mattress offers a healthier and safer sleep surface.
Our antimicrobial mattress is resistant to allergens, mold, bacteria, and dust mites.
It inhibits or kills the growth of these common household microorganisms, providing the user with a hygienic sleeping surface each night.
You may be interested in: Steam cleaning your mattress
Takeaway Thoughts
Allergens such as dust mites, mold spores, and pollen are among the most common irritants of nighttime allergies.
Allergies are often worse at night as mattresses are the most enticing environment for these microorganisms to grow, live, and thrive.
Things like washing your bedding weekly, showering before bed, and keeping your pets out of your bed or bedroom help to reduce the risk of nighttime allergy flare-ups.
Allergy medication is another common recommendation to keep your symptoms at bay, allowing for a restful night of sleep.
Discover our Polysleep mattress now!
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