As the summer heat intensifies, so does the suffering of hay fever-prone individuals. After enduring the sniffling and sneezing brought on by spring blooms, many find themselves plagued by irritated eyes, scratchy throats, and stuffy noses. While it’s impossible to completely escape outdoor allergens, there are effective ways to reduce your exposure indoors, particularly in the bedroom. In this blog, we’ll focus on the connection between allergies and sleep, in particular hay fever, offering you essential insights to ensure a more restful night, free from hayfever symptoms.
Understanding allergies
According to the NHS, “An allergy occurs when your body responds to typically harmless substances such as pollen, dust, or animal fur. While symptoms can range from mild to severe, some individuals may experience significantly serious reactions.
Things that cause allergic reactions are called allergens.
Common allergens include:
- tree and grass pollen (hay fever)
- house dust mites
- foods, such as peanuts, milk and eggs (food allergy)
- animal fur, particularly from pets like cats and dogs
- insect stings, such as bee and wasp stings
- certain medicines”
Hay fever
Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, occurs when individuals inhale air containing allergens. These allergens, such as pollen from grass and ragweed, can trigger an allergic reaction. Histamines are released in response, causing inflammation and symptoms like watery eyes, congestion, and sneezing. It is estimated that 1 in 5 of the UK population are affected by hay fever at some point in their life!
The Impact of hay fever on sleep
If you struggle with hay fever, you’re likely familiar with the challenges of achieving peaceful sleep amidst symptoms like a runny nose, sneezing, and coughing. Hay fever can significantly disrupt your sleep patterns, leading to restlessness and frequent awakenings. The associated breathing difficulties can further disturb your slumber, causing interruptions throughout the night.
While hay fever medications (antihistamines) can provide relief, they often come with undesirable side effects. Decongestants found in allergy treatments can hinder your ability to fall asleep, while antihistamines may induce daytime drowsiness. Insufficient and poor-quality sleep can give rise to headaches the next day, heightened feelings of anxiety or depression, and difficulty concentrating.
Why is hay fever worse at night?
It may seem strange that hay fever symptoms worsen at night when you’re typically exposed to more pollen outdoors during the day. However, there are a few reasons why some people experience intensified hay fever symptoms at night.
The Pollen Shower Phenomenon:
One reason for heightened hay fever symptoms at night is the pollen shower phenomenon. During the day, as the temperature rises, hot air carries pollen particles upward. This occurs when the rising air carries pollen to higher altitudes. However, as night falls and the air cools down, the downward drift of the air causes pollen to descend, leading to an increased likelihood of waking up with hay fever symptoms during the night.
Bedtime Factors:
In addition to the pollen shower phenomenon, several factors contribute to worsened hay fever symptoms at night. Many hay fever sufferers also experience other allergies, such as pet dander and dust mites. Dust mites thrive in humid environments and are commonly found in sheets, pillows, mattresses, and bedroom carpets. As a result, you are exposed to these allergens as soon as you lie down to sleep.
Furthermore, the act of lying down exacerbates symptoms as mucus causes congestion in the nasal area. This congestion can lead to difficulty breathing and overall discomfort, making it challenging to achieve a peaceful night’s rest.
Practical Tips for an Allergy-Free Bedroom
Creating an allergy-free bedroom is essential for promoting quality sleep and reducing the impact of allergies on your rest. Hay fever and allergies shouldn’t prevent you from getting the quality sleep you deserve. By implementing some simple strategies, you can create an allergy-free environment in your bedroom.
Keep your bedroom clean:
Regularly dust and vacuum your bedroom, paying attention to surfaces, including your mattress and carpets. This helps reduce the accumulation of dust mites and other allergens. If you have pets, try to keep them out of the bedroom to reduce exposure to pet dander. Regularly groom and bathe your pets to minimise dander production.
Battle dust mites:
Dust mites are present in every home, but you can prevent them from taking over. Target their favourite hiding places—your bed and pillows—by washing your bedding regularly. We recommend using a mattress protector for added protection. Maintaining a humidity level below 50% in your bedroom to discourage dust mite growth is also recommended. Consider using a dehumidifier if necessary.
Wash your bedding:
Wash your bedding, including sheets, pillowcases, and blankets, in hot water to effectively remove allergens. We advise aiming for a weekly wash routine and avoiding using laundry detergents with added fragrance when washing your bedding.
Buy a hypoallergenic mattress and use allergen-proof bedding
Invest in a hypoallergenic mattress, pillows and allergen-proof pillowcases, mattress covers, and duvet covers. These specially designed materials can help alleviate common triggers for allergies and promote better sleep. Using anti allergy pillow protectors, and anti allergy mattress protectors helps to create a barrier between you and potential allergens.
Pre-sleep shower:
Take a shower before bedtime to rinse pollen from your hair and remove dead skin cells. Also, ensure you wear clean pyjamas, as pollen can cling to the fabric and invite unwanted allergens into your bed. As a minimum, it is advisable to cleanse your eyes and nose before bedtime, as pollen may accumulate on your lashes and nasal hairs. This practise ensures the elimination of any particles. After washing your face, apply a small amount of petroleum jelly to the outer area of each nostril to create a barrier against pollen particles. By doing so, the jelly will attract and capture the particles, preventing them from entering your nasal passages. This simple measure can help minimise nocturnal sneezing.
Keep windows closed:
While it may be tempting to let in fresh air on a hot summer night, open windows provide a clear path for pollen to invade your room. If you seek a cooler sleep atmosphere, consider evaluating your bedding and pillows for improved air circulation near your face and body.
Antihistamines:
To ensure a more restful sleep with fewer allergy symptoms, consider taking an antihistamine approximately 30 minutes before bedtime. This proactive step will help alleviate allergies and promote a peaceful night’s rest.
Practise good sleep hygiene:
Maintain good sleep habits by following a consistent bedtime routine, ensuring your bedroom is dark and quiet, and keeping electronic devices out of the bedroom. Our blog: How to ensure you get a good night’s sleep has further tips.
Our award-winning bed experts are dedicated to assisting as many people as possible in achieving better sleep, including those affected by allergies and hay fever. Shop online, over the phone or in store.