Can't sleep because of allergies?

Allergies occur in our bodies when our immune system negatively reacts to a foreign substance. Our immune systems will produce antibodies, and these antibodies will identify some allergens as harmful, even though they aren’t really. 

When you come into contact with some allergens, your immune system's reaction can cause your skin, sinuses or digestive system to become inflamed. Common allergens are pollen, animals, food, mould, and even medication.

And while allergies can be a pain during the day, for many, they're even more of a hassle at night, when tossing and turning from allergies can also disrupt your sleep.

Allergy symptoms

Your symptoms will depend on which allergen you encounter. Each allergen will trigger different symptoms, ranging from mild to severe. Hay fever is the most common kind of allergy people will have. Knowing what the symptoms are will help you work out how best to address the problem, and help you get back to having a good night's sleep again. 

Hay fever symptoms

  • Sneezing

  • Itchy nose and eyes

  • Runny or blocked nose

  • Red and sore eyes

How to sleep with a blocked nose

Having a blocked or runny nose is one of the most common symptoms people receive when they get allergies. Allergic rhinitis is an allergic response from your immune system that causes sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, and itchy eyes. Allergic rhinitis usually comes from seasonal allergens like pollen and grass. But year-round allergens like animal fur and dust can also cause these reactions.

Elevate your head

Congestion is usually worse at night because lying down makes it harder for your sinuses to drain. When the mucus pools in the head it makes it harder for you to breathe and sleep, and can leave you with a sinus headache in the morning. Try elevating your head with some pillows to help you sleep a bit easier.

Invest in a humidifier 

A blocked nose can feel sore and dry. A humidifier will moisturise the air, which will help combat excessive dryness in and around your nose. You can even add essential oils which will not only help your nose but will also help you feel more relaxed. You can try adding peppermint, eucalyptus or lavender to your humidifier.

Take any required medication and keep supplies close-by

Taking cold and flu or allergy medicines that have decongestant ingredients can make it easier for you to breathe. Clearing your airways will make it much easier to fall asleep and you will feel much more comfortable. 

Keeping tissues, water and medicines by your bed will help you combat a blocked nose throughout the night. The less you have to get up, the easier it will be for you to stay asleep.

Shower before bed

Having a hot and steamy shower before you go to bed will not only relax you, but can also loosen the dried mucus in your nose and help your nose drain before bed. This will help reduce pain and congestion, hopefully helping you fall asleep faster and stay asleep throughout the night.

Best sleeping position for sinus drainage

Gravity and blood pressure actually play a large role when it comes to sinus issues. During the day, you’re usually standing and sitting up, circulating blood through your body. Your blood pressure and the forces of gravity can actually influence how easy it is for blood to get to your head and sinuses. Being vertical throughout the day allows gravity to drain your sinuses down into your stomach.

So when you lay down, more blood flows to your head and sinuses. This leads to increased congestion, pressure and even pain. Now that gravity can’t help you drain your sinuses, this increases your chances of feeling those problems even more.

Sleeping with your head elevated or propped up gives you the best chance at reducing these issues. As high as you can get your head while still being in a comfortable position is what you should be aiming for, to then allow gravity to give your sinuses a helping hand.

Sleep apnea and sleep-disordered breathing

A blocked nose and congestion can also increase your chances of developing sleep-disordered breathing. Sleep-disordered breathing is when your breathing stops and starts throughout the night, often making you snore quite loudly when you are breathing. When you have difficulty breathing through your nose you become more likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep-disordered breathing can lead to other health complications, including daytime fatigue, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. CPAP machines can often be used to help treat sleep apnea.

Key takeaways

Allergies can come from many different forms. Not every allergen is going to have the same effect on everyone, so it’s important to know what symptoms to look out for.

It can be difficult to learn how to sleep with a blocked nose, but trying some simple steps can help ease the pain and make you feel more comfortable. Taking appropriate medicines before bed, having a steamy shower, and investing in a humidifier are all things that will help you sleep easier with allergies.

The best sleeping position for sinus drainage is just making sure you have your head as raised as you can. The more you let gravity drain the mucus from your sinuses and down into your stomach, the better you will feel. Some people even sleep leaning back on a couch if they are really struggling to sleep lying down.

Allergies can negatively affect other parts of your sleep health. While allergies shouldn’t create any other major problems, it’s important to know about problems like sleep disordered breathing and sleep apnea, so you know what to look out for if you find yourself facing any similar sleep problems.

IF YOU’RE EXPERIENCING PERSISTENT DISRUPTIONS TO YOUR SLEEP, CONSULT WITH A PHARMACIST OR TRUSTED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.

Any advice provided in this content is of a general nature and does not take into account your objectives, health or needs. The information in this post is not intended to substitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be exclusively relied on to diagnose or manage a medical condition. You need to consider the appropriateness of any information or general advice we give you, having regard to your personal situation, before acting on our advice or purchasing any over-the-counter sleep product.


Peter Shakespeare