How Allergies Affect Your Sleep

Seasonal changes are the worst for people with allergies. Allergies can make it difficult to sleep. Nasal passageways swell up and become clogged which often leads to an unrestful night of snoring. This can lead to fatigue and sleepiness during the day. Not being well rested can also lead to more serious effects like depression and memory issues. 

According to a study, 48% of people who suffer from allergic rhinitis (seasonal allergies) say their allergies interfere with their sleep. But there are ways to combat the sneezing and wheezing that wake you up at night. Read below for tips to sleep soundly this allergy season. 

Tip #1: Use a nasal rinse before bed since allergies can worsen during the night and prevent a good night’s rest.

Tip #2: Make sure to clean or change the filter in your air conditioning units. If your air conditioner’s filter goes unchecked for long periods of time, dust that triggers allergies can accumulate.

Tip #3: Consider closing the windows. Cracking your windows to let in a breeze can be a nice alternative to air conditioning in the warmer months. But if you find that too much pollen accumulates in your room, consider closing the window a few hours before bedtime.

Tip #4: Don’t put the clothes you were wearing outside during the day on your bed. Pollen and other particles can cling to them and potentially transfer over to your sheets. This can trigger allergies that make sleeping difficult.

Tip #5: Turn your humidifier off to prevent the air from being too moist. Too much moisture and humidity can potentially lead to allergies and worsening of asthma-related breathing issues.

Allergies no doubt cause sleep disruptions. By using the Sleep Tracker with the Eight App, you'll be able to see how long you were up at night because of allergies and how much you tossed and turned. You can use that data to know how often you should be trying the above tips.

With all the pollen in the air, the warmer months can be challenging enough during the day for many people with allergies.  Make things easier on yourself by following these sleep tips!