Allergies And Sleep: Why Sleepers With Even The Most Comfortable Mattress May be Experiencing Insomnia Due to Allergies

Allergies are no joke. Aside from being an annoying inconvenience, they can seriously affect the sleep quality of anyone, even the owners of San Diego’s finest mattresses. In fact, people with allergies are more than twice as likely to develop insomnia and other sleep disorders. Of course, this is a dangerous issue because poor sleep quality can have damaging impacts on your mental and physical health. If allergies are currently inconveniencing your own sleep patterns, keep reading for a better look into the root of the problem and what you can do to boost your chances of getting a peaceful and full night’s rest. 

What are allergies? 

Sometimes, our immune systems react negatively to a certain foreign body that is inherently harmless. That reaction is called an allergy! For many people, the main culprits that cause allergies are allergens like dust mites, dead skin cells, and dust. These tiny particles can easily irritate our immune system, sparking a reaction consisting of persistent coughing and sneezing, as well as a dry throat, watery eyes, and a runny nose. 

Why do allergies get worse at night? 

Allergies get worse at night for many reasons, but here are the top three reasons why your allergies may be acting up while you’re trying to catch up on rest: 

1. Your cortisol levels are low- Cortisol is a hormone that helps us in many ways, especially when it comes to combating allergies. That’s because it’s anti-inflammatory, meaning it can lessen allergy symptoms. Unfortunately for us, cortisol levels naturally lower at night, making us more susceptible to experience worsened allergies. 
2. Laying down can make breathing difficult- When you lay down, your areas of congestion might shift around, which can make breathing out of our nose more difficult. On top of the fact that allergies can inflame your nasal passages and make it harder for air to pass through, your ability to breathe easily out of your nose is incredibly lowered at night. 
3. Chance of exposure to allergens is higher at night- Obviously, allergens cause allergies, and unfortunately for us, exposure to dust, dust mites, and dead skin cells are more common at night. This means that allergies are simply more intense or more likely to occur at night. 

In combination, these three factors can seriously lower your chances of falling and staying asleep on any mattress, even the quality mattresses San Diego has to offer. After all, worsened allergies can lead to a dry throat, coughing fits, interrupted breathing and snoring, sneezing, and headaches, all of which make it extremely difficult to get consistent and restful sleep. 

What can be done to improve allergies and sleep quality? 

Fortunately, there are many things you can do to increase your chances of getting good sleep despite having allergies. Here’s a short list of tips and tricks that may help your allergies:

1. Clean your room regularly- This can most directly decrease the strength of your allergies because regular cleaning eliminates the amount of allergens in your area. You can do this by vacuuming and sweeping your floors and carpets, deep cleaning your mattress, and changing your sheets and pillow cases. 
2. Get a new mattress- Mattresses harbor allergens, which is why it’s a good idea to clean them every so often. However, even despite all this cleaning, it’s still necessary to get a new mattress every 7 to 10 years. If your mattress is on the older side, consider visiting a San Diego mattress store to find a comfortable mattress that is perfect for your needs. 
3. Keep your pets out of your room- Pet dander can be a particularly irritating allergen for some people. As such, you might want to consider keeping your pets out of your room to see if it has a positive effect in reducing your allergies. 
4. Take a hot shower before bed- Not only does this relax you and put you in the right calming headspace before bed, but a hot shower can rinse off any allergens that have clung to your body throughout the day and help reduce congestion so you can breathe easier. 

Hopefully, these tips can help you overcome annoying allergies and get a full night of peaceful sleep. If not, consider speaking to your doctor about your allergy issue for more possible solutions and help. After all, you deserve the most comfortable sleep your San Diego mattress can give you!