Natural alterations in blood flow due to pregnancy is also a common cause of congestion. Many people find that one nostril is clogged at certain times of the day, but the congestion switches sides at night. If only one nostril is clogged at night, it is likely due to alternate-side nasal congestion.
This is due to a normal process known as the nasal cycle. The reason for the cycle is unknown, but it is not a disorder. The congestion occurs when a turbinate a structure along the sinus wall that produces mucus becomes swollen in one nostril.
This blocks airflow on that side. Gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD is a condition that causes stomach acid to flow back up into the esophagus , the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach. Known as reflux, it occurs when the sphincter between the stomach and esophagus esophageal sphincter is weak and unable to stay closed.
Acid reflux can cause nasal irritation that can lead to congestion. People with GERD can experience acid reflux at any time of day. And hen you lie down and lose the help of gravity, stomach acid is even more likely to come up the esophagus.
This is why GERD symptoms, including nasal congestion, sore throat, coughing, postnasal drip , wheezing, and hoarseness, tend to be worse at night and first thing in the morning. Acid reflux due to GERD can cause nasal congestion. Reflux symptoms tend to get worse at night when you lie down. As a result, your nose may become more congested at night. Studies show that nasal congestion at night can have a big impact on sleep quality.
In fact, people with chronic sinusitis are three to nine times more likely to experience sleep disturbances with frequent nighttime awakenings. Try these tips to help reduce nighttime congestion and sleep better:. If a medical condition is causing your stuffiness, your healthcare provider may recommend additional strategies and medications to ease your symptoms and help you sleep. For example, allergies can be treated with antihistamines, nasal steroids, or immunotherapy. Medications such as antacids and proton pump inhibitors are commonly used to treat GERD.
You're not imagining that your nasal congestion gets worse at night. There are a few different reasons you could be experiencing this, and more than one may be at play. Some, like your sleep position, can be easily fixed. Others, like GERD, may need medical treatment. Your healthcare provider can determine the cause of your nighttime congestion, so you can get restful sleep.
Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Pathophysiology of nasal congestion. Int J Gen Med. Measuring and characterizing the human nasal cycle. They tend to live and multiply on mattresses, pillows, bedding, and furniture. Pet dander is another trigger of morning allergies, especially if your pet sleeps in your bed or bedroom. Indoor mold can also make allergy symptoms worse in the morning, particularly if your bedroom is within close proximity to a bathroom, or near the location of a mold infestation.
Nonallergic rhinitis can also trigger morning allergy symptoms like congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and coughing. Allergic rhinitis and nonallergic rhinitis cause similar symptoms. Rather, other irritants and factors trigger allergy-like symptoms. These factors include:. If you use scented shower gels, essential oils, or lotion before bed, these odors could irritate the blood vessels in your nose, leading to congestion and increased mucus production.
This can result in a sore throat, coughing, and runny nose. Nightly exposure to these irritants can cause you to wake up with allergy symptoms. Certain medications can also trigger nonallergic rhinitis in the morning. Sometimes, the blood vessels in the nose dilate as a side effect of some medication — such as ibuprofen, aspirin, sedatives, and medications to reduce high blood pressure.
When taken before bed, these medications can cause congestion and a runny nose in the morning. Acid reflux is when stomach acid back flows into the throat. Sleeping flat or on your back can worsen reflux and irritate your throat.
This can lead to a sore throat, postnasal drip, and coughing in the morning. Symptoms often improve as the day goes on. Hormonal changes due to pregnancy, menstruation, and the use of oral contraceptives can also cause nonallergic rhinitis. This is because a change in hormone levels can increase mucus production and trigger changes in the mucous membrane, resulting in nasal congestion, a runny nose, and sneezing.
If you have a short period one or two weeks of waking up congested, it could be because of a cold attacking the lining of the nose.
Symptoms of a cold, which appear gradually, include: a blocked or runny nose obviously , a sore throat, headache, muscle ache, cough, sneezing, a raised temperature, pressure in your ears and face, and loss of taste and smell.
Really cold or hot weather, humidity, or being in very smoky environments can all cause you to wake up with a stuffy nose. Avoiding these circumstances will stop the blocked nose, says Dr Pastides. Being pregnant causes a whole host of bodily changes, one of which is inflammation of the nose lining due to hormones. If you suspect this might be the case, speak to your GP about it.
Nasal polyps are painless, fleshy swellings that grow inside your nose. Symptoms are similar to a common cold — blocked nose, runny nose, constant need to swallow, reduced sense of smell or taste, nosebleeds and snoring — however while colds tend to disappear after a week or so, symptoms of polyps will not clear until the issue is treated. If you suspect you might have polyps, speak to your GP who should be able to offer a steroid nasal spray to shrink the growths.
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