How to Sleep with Hay Fever at Night

Embracing the joys of summer sleeping – from sunny mornings to finding that perfect fan setting – can be delightful, yet allergies pose an extra challenge! With an intense pollen season ahead and early spikes in pollen worldwide, mastering how to sleep with hay fever ensures you’ll enjoy a restful night’s sleep despite these seasonal nuisances.

Many of us know the regular inconvenience of itchy eyes and sneezing fits, but in truth, hay fever can affect anyone, anywhere. The NHS estimates there are 13 million hay fever sufferers in the UK alone, in fact.

Luckily, there are lots of simple and affordable ways you can dampen the impact of hay fever to ensure you have a great sleep.

Why is hay fever worse at night?

Hay fever can feel worse at night because, during the day, warm air rises and takes pollen with it. When the air cools down at night, it brings the pollen back down. This can make it trickier to relax and fall asleep, as those pesky allergy symptoms can become more noticeable. According to Allergy Cosmos, the majority of pollen falls to the ground in rural areas around 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.

How to sleep with hay fever

When it comes to tackling hay fever, prevention is better than cure. Therefore, it’s a good idea to check the weather and pollen forecast from the MET Office to prepare yourself before going outside or opening your windows. You could also take some antihistamine tablets to prevent your symptoms from becoming uncomfortable or painful. But if you’re particularly prone, here are some tips to stop hay fever and help you sleep peacefully:

Daytime tips to prevent hay fever

Wear wraparound sunglasses to limit exposure to the eyes.
Throw a spare sheet over your duvet in the morning to create a pollen barrier. Take it off each evening, and the duvet you sleep under should be pollen-free.
Keep windows and doors shut when possible to prevent pollen coming in from outside, especially during the daytime in the summer as this is when pollen levels are high.
Wash your bedding once a week at 60°C to kill pollen. Change your sheets more often if you are still struggling with hay fever.
If possible, keep pets out of the bedroom. Pet hair and dander can irritate your hay fever at night.
Keep your room clean and tidy, and wipe surfaces from build-up dust and potential pollen particles.

Tips to help hay fever at night

7. Try going to bed earlier. Symptoms of hay fever are usually worse later at night and early in the morning, so having an early night can help to avoid hay fever at its worst.

8. Take evening showers to remove pollen from your hair and body that you may have collected during the day.

9. Half an hour before bed, take an antihistamine to calm symptoms.

10. Rinse your eyes and nose with fresh water before bed to get rid of any pollen sitting on your face.

11. Before bed, rub Vaseline or petroleum jelly outside of your nostrils to trap pollen so you don’t breathe it in.

12. If your hair is long, tie it back or wear a silk bonnet to stop pollen from falling from your hair into your face or getting on your pillow.

13. During the night elevate your head with at least two pillows to reduce congestion and make it easier to breathe through your nose at night.

14. Consider investing in an air purifier to keep pollen at bay and clear the air of any triggers. Additionally, adding certain plants to your home can act as natural air purifiers and help you sleep better.

Foods that help stop hay fever and treat symptoms

To help stop hay fever, or treat symptoms, some foods can help, including:

Foods rich in vitamin E like eggs and oily fish. These are said to reduce the risk of getting hay fever in the first place as vitamin E is an immune-system booster.
Eating spices such as garlic, ginger and chilli can also help as they are high in vitamin C which has been linked to improved lung function through the antioxidant quercetin.

Other foods high in vitamin C can reduce symptoms and increase your immunity, such as citrus fruits, strawberries, sprouts, potatoes and tomatoes.
Anti-inflammatory foods including leafy greens, fatty fish, turmeric, ginger, or fruits such as blueberries and purple grapes help to reduce hay fever.
And finally, probiotic foods can help your gut health, which in turn can help to ease allergies and hay fever. These include pickles, miso, kefir, yogurt, kimchi and some cheeses like mozzarella and cheddar.

Certain foods do make symptoms of hay fever worse due to their production of mucus within the body. So avoid dairy products, sugary foods, and starchy foods before bed to reduce the likelihood of making symptoms worse.

You should also avoid alcohol at all costs when it comes to getting good sleep during hay fever season. In addition to having dehydrating effects, which will dry out your respiratory system, alcohol also stimulates the production of histamine within your body. This is the same chemical that is produced during an allergic reaction, causing inflammation. So, your nightly tipple could be causing your hay fever to flare up ten times worse.

Treating hay fever

No matter how much you try to avoid pollen, sometimes it’s inevitable that you’ll suffer from symptoms. Anti-inflammatory nasal sprays are great for reaching the problem area directly, as well as eye drops for soothing and clearing your eyes. Alternatively, you could try the old steaming trick; place a towel over your head with your face over a hot bowl of water. Add some Vicks drops to the water to really open up your nasal passages.

Summer sleeping can be delightful, but hay fever can pose an extra challenge. With a severe pollen season ahead, mastering how to sleep with hay fever ensures you enjoy restful nights despite the allergies. Thankfully, there are many simple and affordable ways to reduce the impact of hay fever, from keeping your environment pollen-free to eating the right foods. By following these tips, you can minimise your symptoms and look forward to uninterrupted sleep throughout the season.