Impact of Allergies & Implications of Sleep Disruption
I see people undermine the impact of allergies on their system all the time, for example referring to them as annoying or inconvenient.
Often, they don’t recognize that when sleep takes a hit because allergy symptoms create discomfort, there are cascades of wellness impacts. Some examples are:
- increased anxiety,
- lowered immune response,
- reduced focus, and
- more difficulty processing emotions.
If you don’t sleep well, it contributes to cycles of decreased wellness on physical and emotional levels.
As an herbalist who is writing this blog for folx who tend to give lots of care to others I want to help you think through implications for your sleep as relates to allergies because allergy care is a great example of something that gets thrown by the wayside as you show up for others!
Allergies can tire you out in ways that may make you too tired to sleep well. Yes, that’s a real thing!
- Allergies are an overactive immune response, and they can tire you out!
- Allergy symptoms also make it difficult to sleep! But it’s not the kind of sweet, drowsy or dreamy, relaxed, and ready-for bed that we long for to have good sleep.
- There are links between sleep and physical-emotional wellness, so protecting sleep during allergy season isn’t just a self nicety. It’s an act of seasonal care that honors the fuller possibility of your wellbeing.
How You Tend to Sleep May Need Adjustment During Allergy Season
If you’re like a lot of my readers, you regularly show up for others, and you may not set aside time to think about how your needs change from season to season. Sleeping well during this season may include efforts to reduce allergy exposure before bed time.
As a practitioner who works with herbalism, I wrote this post to offer some simple ways you can care for your sleep during allergy season. If these don’t work or you find you need more support, I want to encourage you to seek care from a health care or holistic provider (such as an herbal practitioner, naturopathic doctor, nutritionist, or acupunturist) because while allergies may seem like just a nuisance, in reality, there are big impacts, and you deserve good sleep!
Varied Strategies to Manage Allergies Can Support Your Rest
In addition to the fact that you may like certain strategies more than others, a multi-prong approach is more likely to reduce the load on your system from allergens.
Strategy 1: Reduce Allergens
You know how you can see dust particles in the air when the sunlight streams in? Well, similarly, allergens can be minuscule and linger in the air, especially when pollen is released. You want to remove as much of that as you can when you come in from outside, as well as reduce allergies in your home. Here are some things you can do.
There are various ways to remove allergens from your body and your home, which will help your system be more at ease. A system that is at ease has a better time with rest!
- Change your clothes and shower as soon as you come in from outside.
- Use an air purifier in your home– it really can make a difference!
- Switch from toxic cleaning products and chemicals to more natural-based ones.
- Even if it’s pollen that’s irritating you, the fewer irritants your sensitive membranes need to manage, the better.
- Wash bedding frequently and use allergen-blocking covers for pillowcases and mattresses.
- Again even if it’s seasonal allergies you’re dealing with, if you’re also allergic to dust mites and other allergens, you want to limit the load on your system.
Strategy 2: Address Sinus Congestion
Easing sinus congestion before sleep can assist you in breathing more easily and potentially sleeping more soundly!
There are various ways to ease stuffy sinuses. Below are five options that are generally accessible.
Shower steam can be one of the quicker ways to loosen sinus congestion.
1— Perhaps the quickest way is to head to your bathroom! Steam it up and stand in the shower for a few minutes to moisten and loosen up congestion.
Using essential oils in a diffuser can be very helpful when your sinuses are stuffy.
2— Diffusing essential oils, specifically peppermint, lavender, or eucalyptus. Please also read my blog on Safety and Therapeutic Notes about essential oil use because there’s much to learn and benefit from.
Steam inhalation from a pot and a drop of essential oil
3— Use steam inhalation with a pot and essential oils. This combines the first two tools of steam and essential oil inhalation. Read my blog on Safety and Therapeutic Notes about essential oil use, especially since both these essential oils have safety precautions for children
- Pour boiled water into a large bowl on a tabletop, where you can sit
- Add 1 drop of essential oil of eucalyptus or peppermint.
- Being careful not to burn yourself, place your face over the steam and cover your head with a towel, creating a tent over the bowl
- Gently inhale the steam for a couple of minutes, minding the heat and ensuring it’s not too intense for your face.
Neti pots can help sinus congestion in a number of ways.
4— Try using a neti pot, a tiny pot with a sprout placed in the nostril to irrigate it.
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- Saltwater will help moisturize your mucus membranes
- Rinsing clears the sinuses
- It can remove irritating debris
- Sterile water (not tap water) should be used
- Neti pots need to be cleaned well before each use
If you’re less familiar with using a neti pot, here is a website that offers some context on this practice. For information on how to use a neti pot, Banyon Botanicals has a potentially useful video. Lastly, this blog post offers details on cleaning and use of net pots. (I am not affiliated with any of these sites and do not receive compensation for the links I’ve provided. Just trying to offer helpful context and learning. If you know of a resource to share on this practice, please send it my way!)
Horseradish can be powerful at thinning mucus and helping to clear nasal passages.
5— A food-based remedy that combines a powerful root and sweet honey may be helpful. Combine grated horseradish with honey and apple cider vinegar to taste and enjoy it on crackers.
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- My favorite!
- Thins mucus.
- You can play with the amount of each ingredient to your taste, though you’ll want the horseradish somewhat strong to work its magic!
Safety note for children– honey is not recommended for children under 2 years old.
Strategy 3: Botanical & Nutrient Support to Reduce Allergic Reactions
Don’t just take any herb you’ve heard is good for allergies! You’ll want to know what an herb’s specific actions are, if there are parts of the body it tends to work on, and match it to your particular allergy picture and system’s needs.
Often times it makes sense to work with more than one herb for a formula that addresses a multifaceted issue, such as inflammation + respiratory needs. But also sometimes it makes sense to start simple with one herb and determine where things need to go from their.
I have a list below of some herbs you can research, but first, it’s essential to understand that plant remedies work differently than allergy medication.
Please read the disclaimer below this blog post.
Unlike medication, herbs usually need to be taken several times a day at minimum and often over several months to achieve their full benefits.
Taking herbs several times a day may seem inconvenient, but I have found that once someone develops a relationship with herbal remedies, it gets easier to take them regularly.
Two reasons herbal remedies may be something to consider is that they:
- can reduce allergic responses in the body, and
- instead of suppressing allergic responses, herbalism for allergies may expand the body’s capacity to manage exposure to allergens.
For example, herbs can help strengthen mucous membranes and support the immune and respiratory systems, all of which are impacted by allergies.
Allergies often cause inflammation in the sinuses, nasal passages, ear ways, and throat. This is sometimes referred to as allergic rhinitis, and some herbs can help reduce that inflammation, thus offering some relief.
If you’re able to work with botanical remedies and the above strategies to reduce allergens leading up to bedtime, you can create more comfort and hopefully less disruption of sleep!
An herbal approach to allergies isn’t just about reducing symptoms. Managing allergies with herbs and other interventions can help your system be more at ease when it’s time for sleep.
Some examples of herbs you can research or talk about with an herbalist/practitioner:
- nettles, which may reduce the inflammation of allergies and may help with the intensity of sneezing and coughing
- mullein and yarrow to support respiratory wellness
- goldenrod, which can be helpful for hay fever, cat allergies, sinus and lung congestion, sneezing and/or if your eyes are watering and burning
- holy basil/tulsi that can aid allergies, allergic rhinitis, and a dip in mood
Remember that the above list isn’t an exhaustive one for herbal remedies, nor can a list of herbs suffice to safely and effectively work with herbalism.
I’m not providing specific doses and recommendations here because it’s very individualized and will also depend on any medications you’re taking and aspects of your health picture.
My hope is that this post will help you envision how herbalism can mitigate allergic symptoms so you can rest better, as a starting point for further research or connecting with a practitioner who can guide you. Ideally, you’d have a formula that meets your specific allergy needs and your larger wellness picture!
Notes About Supplements, Food, and Medication
Working with a nutritionist can be helpful in that your food/nutritional landscape can impact your reactions to allergies.
Some nutrients can help your system become less sensitive to allergic reactions. Vitamin C, MSM, and Co-Q10 are anti-inflammatory, and vitamin C may help break down histamine. Talk with a healthcare provider, such as a nutritionist or your PCP about these.
You can research and talk with a practitioner, such as a nutritionist, about specific supplements for you. Deciphering if you could benefit from supplementation and which ones aren’t cut and dry!
Certain foods can be a factor in your histamine responses.
Lastly, some people may need medication. Sometimes allergies are severe, you may want to continue with or consider immediate medical interventions, which you can explore with a healthcare provider. Additionally, some people may want to consult both a health care provider and someone who can work with other modalities.
Sleep When Experiencing Allergies
I consider sleep as surrender and solitude for our physical-emotional restoration. This is part of the reason I like to teach folx who show up for others how to show up for themselves. You get to have good sleep, even during allergy season!
Allergies interfering with sleep conjure up a question of how to reclaim harmony between oneself and all that surrounds you.
Acts of care to reduce allergic response is a way of inviting home from both within and in our surroundings.
The allergic response is your immune system trying to keep you safe, and it sometimes works harder than it needs to. So when you quell what you can, you are reclaiming something that helps you coexist with your surroundings. Securing your sleep is almost like a cessation from overworking.
I hope to inspire you to think about allergies and their relationship to—or hindrance of—sleep. You don’t need to do everything, but finding what works for you can bring you closer to better rest, which goes far!
I wrote this post because it is one of many factors that impact sleep. I see the first strategy above on reducing allergens as a proactive example of taking care of what may impact sleep before bedtime, akin to the difference between putting yourself to sleep instead of ‘Going to Sleep.’ It’s partly about intentionality.
Since I don’t specialize in allergies, please check out my post on finding an herbal practitioner if you want to work with someone on this.
And if you’re ready to focus on your sleep and self care, and the topics of managing stress and anxiety during the day to improve sleep at night interest you, check out my sleep program.
Wish you sweet sleep in every season! 🙂
-Quai
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Disclaimer
Hey, reader friend. I’m an herbalist who put this blog together to support people to learn about herbalism along with self explorations to take care of themselves. While I offer you a starting place to learn about herbs and remedies to support your sleep and overall wellbeing, the above content and all blogs on this site are not medical advice. Please further research and/or consult an herbalist about specific use. While botanical remedies can be invaluable resources, there is much to learn about effective and safe work with herbs. This blog is intended to be a starting point and inspiration for you to discover possible plant-based remedies and inspire you to explore how you can improve your self care. Still, it cannot offer the level of nuanced assessment needed to determine how and which herbs, doses, and remedy forms may match your unique needs.
Everyone’s system is a little different. Even though there are herbal properties that we match to ailments, you will have additional considerations such as allergies, contraindications and what herbalists refer to as energetics. Humans and plants have energetic qualities. Matching your energetic needs to a plant’s energetic qualities will create a more remarkable herbal remedy for you! In my program, Rest of Life, I walk people through identifying their own energetics. You may want to consult an herbalist or learn about this topic for creating your own remedies.
