5 Reasons Allergies Are Worse at Night and What You Can Do

When you have seasonal allergies, your allergy symptoms might make it nearly impossible to sleep. Exposure to pollen or other allergens, lying down to sleep, and using a humidifier can all be reasons why allergies may worsen at night. Here's what to know about nighttime allergy symptoms, how they affect sleep, how to treat them, and when to see a healthcare provider.

Causes for Nighttime Allergy Symptoms

If you have trouble with your allergies at night, it could be due to allergen exposure at bedtime. Experiencing nighttime allergy symptoms may also be based on your sleeping position or humidifier use.

1. Having a Room With Dust or Mold

Your allergies might feel worse at night when you add indoor triggers into the mix. "A lot of people are allergic to things in their bedrooms," Purvi Parikh, MD, an allergist and immunologist with NYU Langone Health and clinical associate professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, told Health.

For example, mold may grow in the walls of older houses or after water damage, leading to allergic reactions if it is not eliminated.

2. Lying Down

Gravity is not your friend regarding your bedtime allergies: Lying down can worsen your symptoms.

"When you lie down, basically everything in your nose starts dripping down your throat," said Dr. Parikh. Due to the anatomy of the nose and throat, that can lead to more or worse coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing than when you're standing upright, added Dr. Parikh.

3. Sleeping With a Pet Nearby

Another common allergen making things worse in your bedroom could be pet dander—dead skin cells shed by mammals. Pet dander remains in the air longer and can accumulate on your carpet or comforter.

4. Tracking Pollen Inside

If it's not the indoor allergens making your symptoms worse, it could be the pollen you unknowingly brought inside. Also, if your pet is allowed to explore the outdoors, they'll likely pick up some pollen during their adventures that they could take to the bedroom.

5. Using a Humidifier

Humidifiers can be helpful for dry sinuses, but they can contribute to other causes of worse allergy symptoms at night. Dust mites need moisture to grow, so a humidifier helps add that moisture to the air. Also, mold spores produced in a humidifier may end up in the air if you do not clean or change the filter.

How Allergies Impact Sleep

Even if you have daytime allergies and no issues with nighttime allergies, allergies can still impact your sleep. Symptoms like sneezing and sniffling can make getting a good night's rest difficult. There are also links between allergies and:

• Daytime sleepiness
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Insufficient sleep
• Restless sleep
• Sleep medication use
• Snoring

For some individuals, the medicines they take to get allergy relief may affect how they sleep. Some over-the-counter (OTC) medications, including select antihistamines and decongestants, can be responsible for sleep disruption.

Sleep Apnea and Allergies

Allergies do not cause obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but they can increase symptoms in patients who already have this disorder. OSA is a common sleep disorder where you experience complete or partial airway collapses. These collapses are linked to oxygen saturation decreases.

Since allergies can cause nasal congestion, it can lead to brief periods of snoring and not breathing—which are both symptoms of OSA. As a result, a person may develop worse symptoms of the sleep disorder over time.

Types of Allergies That Get Worse at Night

Dust mite allergies are typically worse at nighttime. That's because you may be exposed to the mites when lying down. They can make their home in your pillows, mattress, or box springs.

People with allergies to certain types of pollen might have more issues with nighttime allergy symptoms. Grass, ragweed, and tree pollens are typically elevated during cooler nights.

Time of Day That Allergies Peak

A person may have more issues with allergy symptoms during certain parts of the day, depending on their allergy type. Individuals with pollen allergies, for example, may be sneezing and blowing their nose:

• After it has rained
• In the morning hours
• On a warm, windy day

How To Calm Allergy Symptoms at Night

The following tips can be helpful based on the cause of your worsened nighttime allergies:

• Dust or mold in the bedroom: Ditch carpeting or vacuum it frequently, use dust mite covers for mattresses and box springs, and consider an air purifier.
• Humidifiers: Consider leaving your humidifier off or cleaning it regularly if you plan to use it.
• Pets: It's always an unpopular suggestion, said Dr. Parikh, but she tells patients to stop allowing their pets in their beds. Instead, find a different place for your pets to sleep outside of the bedroom.
• Pollen: Pollen can linger on your skin, hair, and clothing, explained Dr. Parikh. Before bed, shower and put on clean PJs when outdoor allergies are bothersome. Also, sleep with the windows closed to minimize how much pollen enters your sleeping area.
• Sleeping position: Propping yourself with extra pillows might help ease congestion and post-nasal drip while you sleep.
  

When To See a Healthcare Provider

Sometimes, your allergy symptoms require help from a healthcare provider. You'll want to see an allergist if you have:

• Allergy symptoms most of the year
• Allergy symptoms not well-controlled with OTC medications or that interfere with daily functioning and quality of life
• Chronic sinus infections
• Frequent nasal congestion, sneezing, or wheezing
• Trouble breathing
• Undesirable side effects from OTC allergy medications

Also, allergies can make you feel fatigued due to disrupted sleep. This fatigue may be a sign of untreated or under-treated allergies. See an allergist to confirm your allergies are the actual cause of your fatigue, as fatigue can also be a symptom of other health conditions like anemia, heart disease, or mental health disorders.

A Quick Review

Allergen exposure, lying down, and humidifier use can all be why your allergies worsen at night. What's more, allergies are linked to sleep problems in general, including sleep apnea. There are many ways to get allergy relief at night, like moving a pet to another room to sleep or using an air purifier.

Consult an allergist for bothersome nighttime allergy symptoms or if you have concerns about your symptoms.