Hay-fever season is back, and with approximately 26% of the UK suffering, trying to get to sleep at night with common hay-fever symptoms is proving difficult for the UK.
Dr Daisy Mae, a sleep expert with 20+ years of experience working with Bed Factory Direct, has discussed how to help reduce the symptoms at night, aiming for a better quality of sleep.
- Purchase an air purifier
“Even at night, dust and pollen remains in the air. It would be worth buying a ‘silent’ air purifier, so that the noise doesn’t keep you up at night.
This can help minimise the impact of allergies and hay-fever. If you can, turn it on just before bedtime so that it starts taking out the allergens before you get into bed, and clears the air ready for you to settle.”
- Wash your clothes
“If you spend the whole day outdoors, then your clothes would’ve picked up a lot of different smells and substances. While washing your clothes may be the last thing on your mind, doing this will help get rid of any pollen and allergens as you come into the house, stopping it from going into your furniture.
Be sure to not rub your eyes and hair while you’re doing the washing, as pollen molecules may get trapped among hair and skin fibers.
On the plus, this is the perfect weather to get lots of washing done quickly!”
- Inclined bed therapy
“Inclined bed therapy has been used to combat numerous sleeping issues, such as sleep apnea. However, it’s also a practice that can be used to combat allergies, specifically, hay-fever.
You’ll need to place a few cushions or pillows under your neck and head before you sleep, and elevate your head to around 10 to thirty degrees. This will help your body drain any mucus from your sinuses a lot quicker thanks to gravity which results in clearer airways prior to bedtime. This should help with your breathing if one of your symptoms is a runny nose.”
- Hoover your mattress
“Hoovering your mattress is something that often gets put to the back of the list, or forgotten completely. By whipping out your Hoover and getting it on your mattress, you’ll massively reduce the amount of dust and pollen particles that you bring in from outside and ensure that they’re limited in the bedroom.
If you have a hoover with a HEPA; a higher energy particulate filter, then this will remove microscopic traces of dust more efficiently. Something to look out for if you’re in the market for a new Hoover.”
- Hypoallergenic bedding
“Hypoallergenic bedding is worth investing in if you’re someone that suffers with hay-fever. It uses hollowfibre rather than feather alternatives, and reduces the chance of pollen and dust build up at night-time by preventing pollen, house dust and other allergens getting trapped inside the bedding.”
