Why Do My Allergies Get Worse at Night? Here Are Simple Fixes for Better Sleep

Why Do My Allergies Get Worse at Night? Here Are Simple Fixes for Better Sleep

Morning comes, and you’re energized and ready to tackle the day. After errands or work, you head home excited for some time at home. That’s when you start to notice your nose is plugged, your eyes are itchy, and your throat has a tickle that doesn’t go away. By the time you lie down to sleep, you’re miserable and either can’t sleep or keep waking up.

Does this sound familiar? Almost 250 allergy sufferers completed a survey about their allergy symptoms over a 24-hour period. Sneezing (82%), runny nose (56%), and red, itchy eyes (46%) were the top three symptoms. Three out of four respondents reported their symptoms worsened while they were in bed. You’re definitely not alone.

Nighttime allergy spikes are common, and it’s especially problematic for Fresno residents. Fresno’s topography and agricultural businesses create issues throughout the year. You can’t stop night from arriving, but you can change a few of your routines and habits to get a better night’s sleep.

What Makes Allergies Flare in the Night?

Nightly allergy flare-ups are common, and it’s not just one thing causing it. There are several factors.

Circadian Rhythm

Every day, your body follows the circadian rhythm. Cortisol is your body’s anti-inflammatory hormone. It’s highest in the morning and then drops during the day. Your cortisol levels are lowest as midnight arrives. 

Because cortisol levels are lower, inflammation increases throughout the day. It reaches its highest point as you settle into bed to sleep.

Fresno’s Air Quality

Fresno sits between two mountain ranges. The valley forms a bowl that traps particulates like agricultural dust, exhaust fumes, pollen, and wildfire smoke. If you open a window to sleep with a cool breeze, you’re letting those particles into your room.

Nasal Anatomy

When you’re up during the day, gravity is helping drain your sinuses. As soon as you lie down, mucus pools. Some of your sinuses are larger than others, and as they fill, you experience pressure. 

You’re also dealing with a change in blood pressure when you lie down. Blood flow increases in the nasal passage, causing slight swelling. Paired with mucus pooling, it can feel like it’s harder to breathe through your nose, even when your air purifier has removed all possible allergens.

Stay Proactive By Paying Attention to Fresno’s Different Pollen Seasons

Before you even start making plans to get more sleep, you need to know what pollen to watch for. Allergy tests can pinpoint specific allergens, so it’s worth getting tested. Arm yourself with the information needed to know when your allergies are likely to flare up.

Some allergy medicines need time to build up in your system before they can help. You can do everything right and still feel symptoms if your medicines haven’t had time to work. These are the common pollen types in Fresno and the months when they’re more likely to trigger allergies.

• Winter (December through February) – Early-blooming elm, cedar, and juniper
• Spring (March through May) – Ash, cottonwood, mulberry, olive, valley oak, and walnut
• Summer (June through August) – Agricultural dust, Bermuda grass, Johnson grass, and rye grass
• Fall (September through November) – Mold, pigweed, ragweed, and tumbleweed

Climate change and rising global temperatures are extending the growing season in the U.S. As a result, you might experience allergies earlier than expected and have them last longer than usual.

Common Nighttime Allergy Triggers

Outdoor allergens kickstart your allergies throughout the year, but there are also indoor allergens that are harder to avoid. They surround you.

Dust Mites

Dust mites thrive in warm, humid environments and eat dead skin cells. They’re in your bedding, carpeting, mattresses, pillows, and upholstery. Beds are ideal, as that’s an area where you shed a lot of dead skin.

Indoor Mold

Fresno’s dry heat may not seem to draw mold, but a humid bathroom with poor ventilation is an ideal spot for mold. It also thrives in evaporative chillers and HVAC drip pans. If you leave bread, fruit, or vegetables on your counter for days, mold can grow on them.

Pet Dander

Your pets have proteins in their saliva and urine that trigger allergies in certain people. If you have allergies to pet dander, you need to limit exposure.

Trapped Outdoor Allergens

When you’re outside, pollen clings to your clothing, hair, and skin. You’ve been outside all day and never took a shower. When you go to bed, you transfer that pollen in your hair to your pillow and pillowcase.

Simple Ways to Ease Nighttime Allergy Symptoms

You can’t eliminate all allergens from your life, but you can do things to minimize your exposure.

• Brush and Wash Your Pets – Wash them each week to reduce protein buildup in their fur. Brush them daily to keep shed fur from building up on your flooring and furniture. Don’t let your pet sleep with you at night.
• Dehumidify Your Home – Keep the humidity below 50%. Your HVAC system may do this when you run the AC, but a dehumidifier may help in humid areas like basements or bathrooms.
• Elevate Your Head – Sleep with your head raised slightly to help mucus drain all night. A wedge is a good way to keep your neck and shoulders supported while sleeping in an elevated position.
• Run a HEPA Air Purifier – Use them in your main living areas and bedroom. Keep it running 24/7 to reduce allergens in your home.
• Shower Before Bed – Stop transferring pollen and other allergens to your bedding. Take a shower before bed. 
• Upgrade Your HVAC Filters – Choose the air filter with the highest MERV rating your system can handle. MERV 13 is ideal for removing allergens. Change it once a month if the air quality has been particularly high, especially during harvesting and wildfire seasons. Otherwise, every two to three months is a good schedule for filter changes.
• Use Mattress and Pillow Covers – Purchase hypoallergenic, washable covers for your mattress and pillows. Put them over your pillows and mattresses to keep dust mites from getting into your mattress and pillow’s foam and other fillers.
• Vacuum Carpeting Several Times a Week – Because carpeting traps dust, dust mites, and pollen, you want to keep your carpets as clean as possible. Vacuum a few times a week. Even better, consider replacing carpeting with hardwood or tile flooring.
• Wash Bedding Weekly – Once a week, wash your bedding in hot water or using your washing machine’s Allergiene cycle. 

See a Fresno Allergist

You’ve tried everything. You shower before bed. You run an air purifier in your bedroom. It doesn’t help. If you’re still waking up throughout the night, dealing with chronic congestion, and feel exhausted in the morning, it’s time to see an allergist.

Dr. Sabry is a board-certified Fresno allergist who gets to the bottom of your triggers and establishes an immunotherapy plan that reduces your immune system’s response over time.

Schedule an appointment at Premium Allergy & Respiratory Center online. Start your journey towards a solid night’s sleep without your allergies taking over your life.