How to Stop Hay Fever Ruining a Good Nights’ Sleep
13 May 2024
We all love summer days; the warmth and the long evenings spent in the sun. Yet for many who suffer from hay fever, the season comes with the addition of even longer nights, restlessly spent sniffling and sneezing. If summer finds you tossing and turning, take solace in knowing you’re not isolated in your struggle. In fact, a quarter of people in the UK – that’s 16 million individuals, suffer from hay fever.1
There are a few different things you can do to help, though. Read on to discover our top tips for mitigating the effects of hay fever at night to have a blissful sleep, even at the height of summer.
Why does hay fever get worse at night?
Simply put, the pollen count at night intensifies. Dr Lindsay Browning, Sleep Ambassador at And So To Bed, explains how hay fever can be worse at night as pollen rises during the day and lands onto surfaces such as our bedding and clothes as the air cools. Moreover, many individuals who suffer from hay fever are also allergic to other irritants such as pets and dust mites. These dust mites flourish in humid environments and predominantly thrive in sheets, pillows, mattresses, and bedroom carpets, exposing you as soon as you lie down to sleep.
And for most people, simply lying down is enough to exacerbate hay fever symptoms, due to mucus leading to nasal congestion.
How to reduce hay fever symptoms at night
- Plan Ahead: It’s beneficial to keep a record of when your symptoms are at their peak to understand if specific times of day affect you more than others. Moreover, regularly checking the pollen counts in your area can help you to prepare for likely conditions.
- Create an Optimal Sleep Environment: Ensuring you have the right setting for sleep can make a significant difference. For instance, choosing hypoallergenic materials for your mattress and bedding will significantly reduce the likelihood of pollen and dust mites and flourishing in your bedroom. At Vispring, our mattresses are made from the finest natural materials to ensure they’re comfortable even if you’re sensitive to allergens. Take a look at our range here.
- Maintain A Clean Space: Regularly clean and tidy your room to keep it dust-free.
- Wash your bedding: Washing your sheets once a week at a 60°C cycle will kill pollen particles.
- Trap Pollen: Dabbing a small layer of petroleum jelly or coconut oil around your nostrils can act as a barrier to trap pollen particles before you breathe them in.
- Sleep Separately From Your Pets: As comforting as it may be, letting your furry friends jump into your bed and cuddling with them at night can exacerbate hay fever symptoms. Pet hair and dander, composed of minute dead skin cells naturally shed by animals, are common allergens.
- Keep Pollen Out: Shut your windows and doors to prevent pollen particles infiltrating your home, especially during summer when the pollen count is high. Using a wall-mounted or floor electric fan will circulate the air to help you to stay cool.
- Elevate Your Head While Sleeping: Dr. Lindsay Browning advises, “You might want to try propping your head up with an extra pillow and shifting your sleeping position so you’re slightly more seated. This will bring gravity back into the mix, allowing excess mucus to drain and not pool and lessening the irritation.”
- Use An Air Purifier: They help to improve sleep for those who suffer from allergies by filtering our allergens present in the room’s air.
- Clear Your Sinuses: Using essential oils, such as eucalyptus, can help to clear your sinuses and allow you to breathe more easily. Simply put a few drops on your pillow, or use an air diffuser.