Are nighttime allergies getting in the way of your sleep? Learn why your allergies may be worse at night and what you can do about it.
Allergy sufferers often experience worse symptoms at night — just when they’re hoping to get some rest and relief. Your bedroom, however, likely contains triggers that can set off nighttime allergies.
COMMON NIGHTTIME
ALLERGENS
Your mattress, bedding, pillowcase and blanket all contain microscopic dust mites that feast on dead skin cells and can cause allergy symptoms. If a pet sleeps in the bed, dust mites are even more plentiful, as is pet dander, another typical trigger for sneezing and coughing at night. Mold and pollen are also common culprits for nighttime allergies.
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 you’re trying to fall asleep, you’re not physically active and therefore you’re 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 manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule to replace them as needed.
‡ Dust mites and mold spores thrive in humid environments. A cooler temperature will reduce humidity.
REFERENCES
- “Why Are My Allergies Worse at Night?” Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center. December 2019. Accessed October 10, 2021. https://www.carolinaasthma.com/blog/why-are-my-allergies-worse-at-night/.
- Pacheco D. “Allergens That Impact Sleep.” Sleep Foundation. April 2022. Accessed April 28, 2022. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/allergies-and-sleep/allergens-that-impact-sleep.
- Klein S. “5 Reasons Your Allergies Are Worse at Night.” Health. March 2018. Accessed October 10, 2021. https://www.health.com/condition/allergy/allergies-worse-at-night.
- McDonald LG, Tovey E. “The role of water temperature and laundry procedures in reducing house dust mite populations and allergen content of bedding.” J Allergy Clin Immunol. October 1992. Accessed October 10, 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1401643/.
USE ASTEPRO® ALLERGY BEFORE BEDTIME
Astepro® Allergy is a first-of-its-kind, steroid-free nasal allergy spray that starts to work in 30 minutes for fast-acting, 24-hour nasal allergy relief. For relief from your nighttime allergy symptoms - nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing and itchy nose, keep Astepro on hand. You can pick it up at your local retailer or buy now.
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