Have you ever woken up in the morning and feel that your nose is so clogged up that it?s often hard to breathe?
This is usually caused by allergens you are exposed to when trying to get a good nights rest. These allergens cause an overreaction to your immune system and your body reacts by sending antibodies to tag these incoming intruders. These antibodies release histimine, which constricts the tiny blood vessels in and nose causing you to over produce mucous. This leads to congestion in your nose and why you can?t seem to easily breathe, it is also the cause pressure headaches. There are many allergens that cause this reaction, but have no fear because they are all easily preventable.
1. Pollution ? This is a common allergen especially if you live in a city. The gases that come from traffic can leak through a building?s cracks and windows. At work it?s sometimes hard to clean the air, but at home you can make sure to change your central air filters every few months and get an air purifier that will effectively clean the air inside your home.
2. Pollen ? Most common during warmer months because of all the trees and plants recovering from winter hibernation, pollen can travel far and wide and often enters the home through windows or attached to clothing and hair. Cleaning clothes and shutting windows when possible will suffice to reduce the flow of pollen into the home. Again, making sure to replace those home filters will also be an essential first line of defense from keeping pollen from getting in.
3. Dust ? One of the most common types of allergens and hardest to view. Dust often accumulates around carpets, beds and other furniture. To reduce this indoor pollutant, make sure to wipe your feet outside before entering you home and clean the inside of your home regularly.
4. Mold ? If your house gets damp easily, chances are mold is present as well. Mold can be found near windows, cracks and crevices in bathrooms. Mold releases spores which are lung irritants and allergens. Regular cleaning with bleach, especially in warm damp places, will make sure that mold doesn?t have a chance to grow. Also making sure that your bathrooms and other damp areas of your home such as a basement are well ventilated and dry will help stymie mold growth and the release of their spores.
5. Pet Dander -If you live with cats and/or dogs, you might see all their hair particles floating around your room as we speak. Riding on those floating hair follicles is dander or dry skin particles. These skin particles are the real culprit and often spread throughout a home. Even if you keep your pets away from your room, the dander will find its way in. Dusting and vacuuming often will help reduce the accumulating pet dander , but making sure you bathe and properly groom your pet will also go far to reducing the spread of pet dander.
6. Dry Air ? Air with little moisture can cause congestion due to our bodies increasing mucus production to compensate for the dry air entering your lungs. This often occurs in an air conditioned environments and humidifiers often do the trick to help add moisture back into the air and help your lungs efficiently transfer O2 to your blood.
7. Common Cold ? Colds and congestion often go hand in hand, since the body is going into overtime to get rid of unwanted pathogens. Once the cold is rid of your body, the immune response will return to normal levels, ending the congestion.
8. Tobacco Smoke ? The cigarette smoke often damages our blood vessels which leads to increased leakage of fluid. We all know smoking is bad for us, but it can also be reason you are waking up congested. The smoke whether first or second hand, can result in weakened air pathways. The body will often compensate by increasing fluid production further hampering a restful night?s sleep.
9. Physical Obstruction ? This can occur if there?s an injury to the nose or polyps forming within the nose. Depending on severity, surgery may be needed otherwise nasal strips can help relax the nose for better nighttime breathing.
10. Pregnancy ? Levels of hormones like progesterone begin to rise during pregnancy which increases blood flow throughout the body. Nasal passages can be affected and prone to swell and restrict air flow. Some fixes like home remedies and elevating your head can reduce the blockage in the nasal passage to allow for a more restful sleep.
Let us know. Is there anything else causing you to wake up congested?
