An allergy is a condition in which your body’s immune system reacts to a substance or environmental stimuli. The immunological mechanisms of your body initiate the reaction. These substances are known as allergens, including pollen, dust mites, pet dander, latex, mould, insect sting, certain foods, and medications. Heredity is also a risk factor for allergy. In this article, we are going to help you learn how to have a good night’s sleep if you suffer from allergies.
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If you are allergic and come into contact with an allergen, your immune system produces a response. That response can include sneezing, itching, a runny nose, nasal congestion, post-nasal drip, and watery eyes.
How Allergies Affect Sleep
Allergies negatively affect your ability to fall or stay asleep. You may have difficulty breathing and trouble falling asleep when you have an itchy or stuffy nose or nasal congestion.
Frequent sneezing, itching, and a runny nose can cause frequent wake-ups throughout the night, making it difficult to stay asleep.
Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) causes inflammation of the nasal passage, resulting in a blockage. A nasal blockage can make it harder for you to breathe through the nose, causing snoring, wake-ups, and poor sleep quality. You can alleviate snoring and sleep-related issues by using anti-snore devices.
Moreover, people with allergic rhinitis may experience an itchy, runny nose and sneezing, which can cause sleep disruptions.
Asthma attacks can also cause difficulty breathing, coughing, and wheezing, making it hard for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.
How to Sleep Better With Allergies
There are several methods you can deploy to avoid, remove or control allergens, which include:
1. Use an Air Purifier
An air purifier can help clear your room of allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, and pollen. Air purifiers work by pulling in air from the room and passing it through one or more filters before returning the cleaned air to the room.
It is important to check the product specifications to understand what types of impurities a specific air purifier is designed to remove.
2. Keep Your Bedroom Dust-Free
There are several steps you can take to reduce dust buildup:
- Keep clutter to a minimum: The more items you have in your bedroom, the more surfaces there are for the dust to settle. Try to keep things like books, knick-knacks, and clothing stored in closed cabinets or drawers to minimise dust accumulation.
- Vacuum and dust regularly: Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to regularly remove dust and allergens from your bedroom. Make sure to vacuum carpets, upholstered furniture, and hard floors. Use a damp cloth to dust surfaces like nightstands, dressers, and window sills; the cloth helps absorb the dust instead of blowing it off.
- Wash bedding regularly: Wash sheets, pillowcases, and other bedding in hot water (at least 54.4°C (130°F) at least once a week to kill dust mites and remove dust.
- Keep windows closed and use air conditioning: Open windows can let in dust and other allergens from outside. When the pollen count is high or particularly windy, it’s best to keep your windows closed and use air conditioning instead.
3. Keep pets out of the bedroom
Pets can bring in a lot of dust from outside and drop dander on your bedding or bedroom floor. You should keep them out of the bedroom and bathe them regularly to help minimise the carriage of dust and shed dander in a controlled environment.
4. Use hypoallergenic bedding
Hypoallergenic beddings are designed to reduce the buildup of allergens like dust mites and pollen. Look for a hybrid bamboo pillow, mattress covers, and comforters made from hypoallergenic materials. Quality fabrics with a pore size of 6–10 μm are suitable for pillow and mattress covers.
5. Take your Medication When Going to Bed
If you are taking medication due to an allergy, it’s better for you to take your medicine when going to bed. This method ensures the medicine is still effective while you sleep.
6. Humidity Control
Most allergens thrive in very humid conditions. A relative humidity of 45–50% can help achieve control of dust mites.
7. Wearing a Face Mask
Wearing a face mask in high-exposure environments can help reduce exposure to allergens such as pollen and dust. A face mask will help filter out dust particles, dust mites, and pollen.
8. Change your Clothing and Shower
If you spend time outside during a high pollen count, immediately remove your clothes when you get home. Put them in a laundry basket or room and take a shower. This method can help avoid carrying pollen and dust to your bedroom and reduce the symptoms of allergies.
9. Talk to your doctor
If your allergies are severe and are impacting your sleep, talk to your doctor about a treatment plan. They may also suggest additional treatment options, such as immunotherapy (allergy shots), to desensitise you to your allergens.
10. Create Awareness
If you are the only one in your family aware of the causes of allergies, you may experience difficulty avoiding or controlling allergens. Inform your family and friends about allergens and how they can help manage them. A concerted effort can reduce exposure to allergens and enable you to sleep more comfortably.
Managing your allergies and creating a comfortable sleep environment can help improve your sleep quality. Taking the above steps can improve your sleep and overall quality of life. I hope this has helped you learn how to have a good night’s sleep if you suffer from allergies.