If hay fever keeps turning bedtime into a nightmare, there are a few simple things that could help stop it taking over your whole night.
For a lot of people, spring allergies are annoying enough during the day, but it is when the lights go out and everything goes quiet that the symptoms can suddenly feel ten times worse.
One blocked nostril, one scratchy throat and one stream of sneezes later, and the idea of a decent night’s sleep is pretty much gone. The frustrating part is that this is usually the exact point when you need rest the most.
That is where the practical stuff comes in that can really help your discomfort come in to help you get your bedtime rest back on track.
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Washing your face when you get home, keeping windows closed during the day and trying the right over-the-counter treatment can all make a difference before you even get under the covers. They sound basic, but when your sleep is on the line, small changes are usually the first things worth trying.
According to Dr Hugh Coyne, co-founder of Coyne Medical, spoke to Press Association and said there is a reason evenings can be so brutal for hay fever sufferers.
He said: “When people go out during the day, they will be exposed to pollen and other allergens that they’re sensitive to, so when they come home in the evening they might still have pollen on their skin and/or in their nasal passages”
“This might cause them to have a lot of hay fever symptoms in the evenings and when they get into bed.”
He says the air cooling in the evening can also trigger what is known as a pollen shower. He explained: “A pollen shower is when pollen descends from a high level towards the ground when the air cools in the evening”
“This can sometimes cause quite an intense exposure of pollen for people when they return home from work in the evening.”
“So, these hay fever symptoms aren’t being triggered by more pollen in the air, but because the pollen is descending from a higher altitude.”
That helps explain why bedtime can suddenly become such a struggle. A runny nose can trickle down the back of the throat and make you cough, irritated eyes can feel even more noticeable in the dark, and blocked nasal passages can make breathing harder once you are lying down.
Coyne also warns that inflammation in the throat and nasal passages can make snoring more likely, too.
Plus, once sleep starts getting disrupted, the knock-on effect is not exactly minor. Coyne also said: “People’s day-to-day physical and cognitive performance can be impacted if their sleep is shortened or their sleep is disrupted, which can have impacts on their work, relationships and ability to exercise”
As for how to get started, his advice is: “When you come home after being outside and being exposed to pollen all day, wash your face and consider using a saline nasal rinse to try and wash out the pollen from your nasal passages.”
He also suggests shutting windows during the day to reduce exposure indoors.
Antihistamines, steroid nasal sprays, and antihistamine eye drops can also help calm things down before bed.
In addition, if hay fever is repeatedly wrecking your nights, it is probably time to stop just putting up with it. Coyne advises: “If hay fever is disturbing your sleep, contact a healthcare professional…Try the simple interventions first, but if the issues persist, consult a pharmacist, a physician associate or your GP.”
Ben Williams