Sleep deprivation is no fun. It becomes old quickly (okay, pretty much the first night), leaving you feeling groggy and tired. All sorts of conditions, such as mental health disorders, certain medications, and medical conditions, can cause sleep issues. However, allergies can cause sleep problems, too.
There’s a clear link between allergies and sleep quality and issues. Allergic symptoms can throw a wrench into sleep, preventing you from getting high-quality and restful sleep. In this blog, we’ll explore allergies, how they affect sleep, and what you can do to make a positive change.
Understanding Allergies
An allergy is your immune system’s reaction to a foreign substance it recognizes as harmful. It could be pollen, pet dander, some sort of food, or even pasture grass. Generally, the substance, called an allergen, is completely harmless.
However, since your immune system views it as harmful, it takes action every time you’re exposed to it. Your immune system produces antibodies, blood proteins that counteract a specific antigen. These antibodies toss a red flag whenever you’re exposed to the allergen, triggering an immune response that produces symptoms you recognize as an allergic reaction.
How Can Allergies Affect Sleep?
Allergies can cause a host of problems that affect your quality of sleep. Firstly, you might find that you struggle to fall asleep, a condition known as insomnia. The itchiness, sneezing, coughing, and runny nose can make it difficult to become comfortable enough to slip into sleep.
On top of that, allergies can affect your quality of sleep. The symptoms can make it difficult to breathe, which can cause you to wake up frequently throughout the night as you struggle to breathe comfortably.
Nasal congestion, a common symptom of allergies, can lead to sleep apnea, a disorder that causes breathing to become shallow or repeatedly stop while sleeping.
With all of these combined, getting peaceful and restful sleep can be nearly impossible. You may find yourself struggling to fall asleep and stay asleep, resulting in fatigue and grogginess the next day. If you have chronic allergies, the cycle can become vicious, causing you to rapidly accumulate sleep debt.
Sleep and Health
Unfortunately, that lack of sleep due to your allergies won’t just leave you feeling groggy and tired. It can also open the door to serious health problems. Sleep deprivation and deficiency have been linked to various serious health issues, including diabetes, depression, obesity, stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, obesity, and high blood pressure. It can even raise your risk of injury.
So, if you’re experiencing sleep deprivation due to your allergies, it’s important to take action.
Solutions to Sleep Disturbances Due to Allergies
If you’re experiencing sleep disturbances due to your allergies, you have a couple of options, including allergy treatments and allergy immunotherapy, a natural allergy medicine that provides long-term symptom relief.
Allergy Treatments
If you regularly deal with allergies, you probably have a stock of allergy treatments, including antihistamines, decongestants, and similar products. These are great for quick relief, allowing you to kick the symptoms to the curb and potentially get good sleep for a day or two.
However, their effects only last so long. Most products only offer relief for 24 to 48 hours, although there are a few that can alleviate symptoms for up to 72 hours. So, you’ll probably need to continue taking them repeatedly as they wear off to continue the symptom-free lifestyle.
Allergy Immunotherapy
If you prefer natural allergy medicines or want something that lasts longer, allergy immunotherapy (AIT) can be an excellent and highly effective option. It uses the allergen itself to desensitize your immune system to a particular allergen. It’s a more natural and long-lasting solution than other options on the market.
It works by delivering a small, incrementally increasing dose of the allergen in one of two ways: under your tongue via a tablet or drop or under your skin via an injection. The delivery method gives your body a dose of the allergen, giving your immune system an opportunity to begin building a tolerance.
The process takes time, but with consistent doses, you may begin to notice significant improvements in your allergy symptoms. Most people begin to notice improvements in the first year, although the best improvements usually show up in years two and three.
Many find that they become less dependent on medication, given that AIT can significantly reduce symptoms. If your symptoms are affecting your sleep, you may find that you get better sleep, even without having to take regular allergy medications.
Wrapping Up
Poor sleep quality can stem from multiple factors, including allergies. Allergic symptoms, such as sneezing, coughing, itchiness, and runny nose, can lead to a night of fitful sleep. You might spend the entire night tossing and turning, trying to find a comfortable position that alleviates your symptoms and allows you to fall into a restful slumber.
While allergy treatments can offer temporary relief, allergy immunotherapy is an excellent option for those who want a more natural, longer-lasting solution. Of course, if you’re considering allergy immunotherapy, remember to chat with your healthcare provider first. They can help you determine the best AIT treatment program for your needs based on your budget, preferences, and medical history.