Sleep Better During Allergy Season

Helpful Tips to Sleep Better During Allergy Season

Although in most parts of the country the weather is not reflective of the season yet…spring has already sprung!  The spring season officially made its debut on March 20^th, and with it came the promise of longer days, spring flowers, green leaves and allergies!

If you are one of the millions of people that suffer from seasonal allergies, this change of season is only bittersweet!  As much as we love the warmer weather and the chirping of the birds, we are not so fond of the health related hit we take each and every spring.  Experts are predicting a heavy hitting allergy season this year, worse than normal, so we need to do whatever we can to minimize our symptoms and help us breathe a little easier.  For most of us, the night time hits us the hardest with symptoms that make us uncomfortable, irritable, and unable to sleep and get the rest needed to function properly. So, here are some helpful tips to sleep better during allergy season.

Use a Dehumidifier

Is your bedroom too humid?  Check your home humidity levels and make adjustments where needed.  Moist and warm air is the perfect environment for mold, dust mites and bacteria.  Keep humidity levels between 30-50% for ideal sleep and if you don’t have one attached to your household HVAC system, use a portable dehumidifier in your bedroom to help control your environment.

Keep a Clean & Tidy Room

A dusty environment can only make seasonal allergies worse.  Declutter your sleeping space so that dust can be wiped up easily and regularly.  If a spring clean is needed, take care to use natural products to help reduce chemicals and pollutants.Wash bedding in hot water frequently, a minimum of once a week, to remove pollen, dead skin, dust mites and grime.  This will help you breathe easier and help minimize buildup.  Even better, know when your mattress and pillows might need replacing to ensure that dust mites get the boot!  It also helps if you vacuum your sleeping space regularly…especially if you have pets and carpeting…so you can remove as much dander and dust as possible.   Finally, look into introducing plants to help improve indoor air quality in your bedroom.

Take a Shower Before Bed 

By the time we go to sleep, we have a whole days buildup of dust, pollen and particulates on our skin, hair and clothing.  When changing into our night clothes, put your day clothes in a hamper outside of your bedroom, and take a shower before jumping into bed to remove any allergens that are attached to you from your day’s events.  The steam from a “before bed” shower can also open clogged nasal passages and help you breathe easier while you sleep.

Avoid Alcohol

Did you know that drinking alcohol can heighten hay fever symptoms?  Particularly for women, the consumption of alcohol can make allergy symptoms feel a whole lot worse, while also making your sleep less comfortable and disjointed.  So, skip the night cap and opt for a warm cup of herbal tea!

Kick Your Best Friend Out!

 We all love to cuddle up to our pets.  They are warm and loveable and can even do wonders to reduce our stress levels.  But when it comes to allergies, their fuzzy fur and dander can wreak havoc on our breathing, not to mention hold onto a whole lot of dirt, dust and pollen from their daily frolics.  At night, it’s best to keep them off the bed, and although we might miss them during allergy season, out of the bedroom entirely so that we can get a better nights rest.

With these small efforts, you can help make your sleeping quarters your symptom-free sleep sanctuary and sleep better during allergy season.