Why Do Allergies Get Worse At Night? [CAUSES EXPLAINED]

Around 8% of U.S. adults get seasonal allergic infections (rhinitis) each year, and the allergy symptoms are very uncomfortable. Things are even worse at night, which significantly interferes with your sleep or night schedule. If you or your loved ones are suffering from these allergy symptoms, one question that crosses your mind is, "why do allergies get worse at night?"

Allergies worsen at night due to allergens, like dust mites, in the bed. The nose and throat during lying down position also worsen congestion, leading to more or worse coughing, wheezing, and breathing difficulties. Allergies also get worse because of the pollen trapped inside.

If you feel congested, have respiratory issues, or start sneezing as soon as you climb into bed, you probably suffer from nighttime allergies. These symptoms can prevent you from getting adequate and comfortable sleep. Read on to uncover more about nighttime allergies, why they occur, and the remedies.

What Are Night Time Allergies?

Allergies are the body's reaction to foreign substances such as dust, pollen, molds, animal dander, latex, certain foods, and insect stings. Night time allergies are allergies that occur at night. Some of the symptoms of nighttime allergies are; coughing, sneezing, eye irritation, nasal congestion, and throat scratchiness.

Why Do Allergies Get Worse At Night? 5 Reasons

Allergies at night are a result of body positioning and foreign components in the air, bedding, and general surrounding. We will have a look at that in detail below. That said, here are the top five reasons why allergies get worse at night.

Lying down worsens congestion

Everything in your nose starts dripping down your throat when you lie down because of gravity. Due to the anatomy of the nose and throat, gravity can lead to more or worse coughing, respiratory issues, and wheezing. You can resolve these issues by propping yourself up with some extra pillows.

Dust mites and mold

Your allergies may feel worse at night because your bedroom has lots of dust mites and mold. These are the most common allergens or allergy triggers. The buildup of dust mites or mold in your bedding or around your room worsens your symptoms when sleeping. Frequent cleaning and vacuuming will help eliminate these allergens.

Sleeping with pets

Another common reason allergies worsen at night is sleeping with your pets in bed. The danger from your pets accumulates on your carpet or bedding. Using your furry companions as cuddle buddies also trigger your allergy symptoms because of their fur. As hard as it may be, you will benefit from not allowing your pets in your bed.

Insects like cockroaches

Insects are also significant allergens and among the most dangerous. For example, cockroaches and other flying insects can get into your bedroom through your windows and worsen your symptoms. Insect allergens will make you vulnerable to other infections like sinuses.

Exposure to latex

Continuous exposure to latex also triggers allergic reactions. This mainly happens when your mattress consists of latex. However, this will not happen to everyone except individuals with latex allergies.

One more thing: You can easily forget about your symptoms when busy during the day. This gives the illusion that you are now better when you are not. Many people don't bother to get remedies and stop the problem. When night time comes, the symptoms feel worse. The cycle repeats as the days go by.

How Do I Relieve My Allergies at Night and Morning?

As your allergies get worse at night, don't sit and panic helplessly. You can do a few things to relieve the symptoms, whether at night or in the morning. Here's what to do.

Regular cleaning and vacuuming

Cleaning your room and vacuuming your carpet and mattress relieve your allergy symptoms. Cleaning will eliminate the dust mites and mold that trigger allergy symptoms. It also gets rid of pollen stuck on your carpet and bedding. While cleaning, always dust hard surfaces at least once per week.

Changing your clothes and shower

Pollen is one of the most common allergens that get stuck on your clothes and skin. By changing your clothes, you can avoid bringing the pollen into your bed. Taking a shower also gets rid of the pollen stuck on your body, which significantly relieves your symptoms.

Remove your carpet from your bedroom

Carpets host a lot of allergens like dust, mold, pollen, and odors. If you are prone to allergic reactions, remove the carpet from your room and replace it with hardwood or tile floors.

Use a dehumidifier

A dehumidifier will reduce the humidity levels in your bedroom to below 50%. This helps kill dust mites, which are common allergens.

Take antihistamines

Taking antihistamines in the morning or before bed relieves your symptoms. You can purchase them over the counter or ask for a prescription.

Do Allergies Get Worse at Night? FAQs

Allergies can keep you up all night. Therefore, many people seek answers to allergy-related questions to stay safe. Below are some of these questions and their answers.

Why Do Pollen Allergies Get Worse at Night?

Pollen grains worsen at night because of congestion and collaboration with other allergens in your room. Their symptoms include sneezing, running nose, scratchy throat, coughing, and eye irritation.

Pollen is one of the most common allergy triggers that affects millions of people all over the world; they are also known as spring allergies. Your pets can drag pollen from outside into your house or bedroom. The pollen particles can also settle on your skin, hair, clothes, or shoes. As mentioned earlier, you risk worsening allergic symptoms if you do not wash your clothes or shower before bed.

Why Do My Allergies Get Worse at Night and Morning?

Many people report that their allergy symptoms worsen at night or in the morning. There are many reasons this happens. Some of the reasons include;

• Presence of allergens like pollen and dust mites in your room or bed
• Dander from pets
• Mold around your room
• Odor in your mattress or bedding
• Insects

Do Allergies Make You Tired?

Tiredness is a common symptom of allergies. When your allergies keep you up at night, the lack of sleep results in tiredness. That means allergies can make you tired. Again, when your body senses an irritant or allergen, your immune system releases chemicals to fight off the irritant.

The more your body gets exposed to allergens, the more your immune system has to work to fight them off. This causes tiredness. More so, the chemicals that fight your allergies may cause swelling of your nasal tissues, worsening your symptoms and preventing you from getting enough sleep.

Do Allergies Interfere With Your Sleep?

Yes, allergies can interfere with your sleep. Symptoms like nasal stuffiness, sneezing, coughing, and eye irritation keep you alert and uncomfortable at night. It is even worse when there are allergy triggers in your bed. Sometimes, even when you do not have allergens in your room or bed, the chemicals your immune system releases to fight your allergies can affect your sleep. These chemicals worsen your symptoms before improving your condition.

Conclusion

Allergies are your body's reaction to foreign substances like pollen, molds, latex, insect stings, dander, and certain foods. These substances trigger symptoms like coughing and nasal congestion. The symptoms worsen at night when there are allergy triggers on your bed or around your surroundings. These symptoms range from mild to life-threatening and can interfere with your sleep.

Having answered the question, "why do allergies get worse at night?" Feel free to protect yourself and your loved ones. Pass this valuable information to them to have a look.

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