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Get Better Sleep this Allergy Season

Spring is in the air and we want breathe it all in—the blossoming trees, the blooming flowers, the pollen….oh, the pollen.

Yep- it’s that time of year again. So many of us are sniffling, wheezing, sneezing and just generally miserable—right at the time that the air is growing warmer and the birds are singing and we wish we could just enjoy it!

Allergies can really mess up this season of renewal. It just doesn’t seem right when you want to wake up early, refreshed and ready to enjoy each new spring day with vigor, and instead each night is restless and miserable and you wake up feeling awful and cranky.

Mornings after a bad night’s rest are the absolute worst times for most allergy sufferers. Allergies and sleep do not always go together well.

But don’t let allergies ruin your sleep and your spring! Take heart—there are lots of things you can do to rest better this allergy season.

  1. Flush your sinuses with a saltwater rinse or saline spray before bed. Salt water is a natural detoxifier—think of the sea and how it heals up scratches and scrapes! You can make your own salt water and snort it, but it is more gentle to use a small bulb syringe to squirt the water up your nose. Or you can just buy nasal spray in your local drug store. Rinse twice for each nostril. And don’t be freaked out if the salt water comes out your other nostril or into the back of your mouth—it’s all connected. It sounds weird, but it works! Allergens, dust and mold can get trapped in your nasal membranes and this technique, done gently, helps wash them away. It can help you avoid a nasty sinus infection, too.
  2. Eucalyptus, lavender and peppermint essential oils can help a LOT. They are natural antihistamines and very soothing. Try using a defuser in your room, rubbing a few drops on your skin or bathing with a few drops of oil in the water.
  3. Benedryl is awesome. It mitigates symptoms like runny nose, itchy throat and sneezing and it makes you drowsy. But because it typically lasts 4-6 hours, it can wear off in the middle of the night, which is a bummer. You can take over-the-counter antihistamine drugs like loratadine and fexofenadine without sleep detriment, but stay away from over-the-counter decongestants. They’ve been known to cause insomnia.
  4. Shower before bed and use a dryer-dried towel and dryer-dried pajamas to keep pollen off you and out of your bedroom as much as possible.
  5. Pollen is usually emitted between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. So close your windows at those times—probably the night before—and wait to exercise outside until later.
  6. During allergy season, wash clothes and bedding more often to stay on top of allergens. Research has shown that hot water is most effective at removing them. And use the dryer instead of hanging wet laundry out on a line.
  7. Drink herbal peppermint tea before bed. You’ll be amazed at how much your nasal passageways thank you!

Sleep tight, Urbanites!