How Allergens Affect Your Sleep

CONTENTS

• How Allergens Affect Your Sleep
• What are the Common Allergens and How to Prevent Them?
• How to Prevent Allergens

How Allergens Affect Your Sleep

You get into bed and ready for a good night’s sleep, only to discover that your nose isn’t working properly. As you switch your sleeping positions in an attempt to find a comfortable sleeping posture that permits healthy breathing, that dread post-nasal drip - a buildup of thick, sticky mucus at the back of the throat - begins to accumulate, causing coughing and throat clearing. You feel even more unpleasant the longer you cough and attempt to breathe through your blocked nasal passages.

So, for the people who are sleeping with allergens, sleeping can turn into a real circus act. Tossing and turning all night, bedwetting, snoring like a chainsaw, and even full-on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

What are the Common Allergens and How to Prevent Them?

Dust Mite

These tiny creatures are eager to make you sneeze and scratch all night long. They love to live in your carpets, upholstered furniture, and bedding. It feels like they are having a party when you’re trying to get some sleep.

Pet Dander

Your furry friends may be the culprit that leaves a dander trail that is keeping you awake at night. They seem to be working together with the allergies to prevent you from obtaining the restful sleep you so well deserve.

Mold or Mildew

Your mattress can get mold or mildew because of weather, bedwetting, or any other spill accidents. Of course, you can remove it if the infectious area is not too big.

Pollen

When pollen gets in the eyes or skin is breathed, some people can experience allergic reactions. The immune system may identify pollen as a dangerous material when it enters the body and create antibiotics to ward it off. Chemicals like histamine may be released as a result, resulting in symptoms including congestion, watery eyes, sneezing, and itching. When pollen is present, the immune system of an allergic person overreacts, causing symptoms similar to hay fever or allergic rhinitis.

Cotton Fiber

Cotton fibers are the tiny, cunning demons that have a tendency to practically go under your skin when it comes to allergies. They have a way of setting off your immune system, making it go crazy and launch a full-scale attack on these helpless tiny strands.

Bed Bugs

It's true that some people may experience allergic reactions to bed bugs. Bed bugs inject saliva into the skin when they bite, which in susceptible people can cause an allergic reaction. In the event that you believe you are having an allergic reaction to bed bug bites, it is imperative that you get medical help.

How to Prevent Allergens

Regularly Cleaning

Since you spend a third of your time in bed, it’s critical to ensure that there are no allergies hiding in your sheets and pillowcases. Choose hypoallergenic bedding, and wash your sheets in hot water on a regular basis to eradicate any dust mites that could have settled in.

Dust and vacuum your bedroom regularly, being especially careful to get beneath the bed and behind furniture, which are frequently missed spots. Additionally, to make sure you’re breathing in clean, allergen-free air, remember to clean or change your air filters.

An Air Purifier

Think about investing in an air purifier for your bedroom. Allergens are effectively captured and eliminated from the air by these nifty devices, enabling you to breathe only pure, clean oxygen while you drift off to sleep.

Keep Your Pet off the Bed

Let’s talk about the pet, or should I say the pet in the room? It’s time to establish some limits if your animal buddies enjoy sharing your bed. To get rid of any remaining pet dander, try to keep them off the bed as much as you can and give your mattress a good shake or vacuum.