Have you noticed that when you lay your head to rest, your body goes into “overdrive”? Your mind races, your joints ache, and if you’re like millions of people, your allergies strike. If you routinely suffer from itching, sneezing, or congestion at night, you might have a case of nighttime allergies and you shouldn’t go on living with it.
The cause of your allergies might come from your bedding itself. If that’s the case, you should consider switching over to hypoallergenic bedding for some much-needed relief. But how will you know if you need hypoallergenic bedding and what should you get?
Your Bed: The Ultimate Source of Allergens?
Ragweed, pollen, and pet dander are common triggers of allergies and what you know to avoid, especially during the day or when outside. But they can haunt you at night as well. These common offenders, along with dust mites and indoor mould can find their way into your bedroom via AC vents, your clothing and open windows.
Take dust mites for example: these microscopic bugs poop and shed proteins in your sheets (it’s unpleasant, we know) that trigger allergy symptoms. These particles can easily make their way into your bedding, including the mattress and sheet linens. If you’re allergic to any of these particles already and they make their way into your bedding, you’ll face a never-ending cycle of falling asleep and waking up irritated.
Surprisingly, some of the aforementioned particles such as ragweed have also been shown to demonstrate a higher level of activity at night. A 2016 study found that allergy-inducing pollen strains such as ragweed, were 60% more active than during the day - which certainly doesn’t help.
There are other ways your bed and bedding can trigger allergies, including being a “deposit” of your own skin oils, which can be an irritant. The takeaway? Your bed may be the trigger behind your most troublesome symptoms.
Signs of Bed-Related Allergies
First and foremost, you need to pay attention to your symptoms and when they’re most active. They can linger for hours after exposure to an allergen, but if they’re more noticeable at night or early in the morning, you might be allergic to your bedding or something in it.
A more obvious sign is an immediate onset of symptoms when you’re around your bedding and conversely, a rapid improvement when you’re away. Pay close attention to how they behave and the symptoms themselves.
Common Symptoms Associated With Nighttime Allergies
How Hypoallergenic Bedding Can Help
Your first line of defense against an allergy attack might be over-the-counter antihistamines (i.e. Benadryl, Claritin) or prescription medications for more severe symptoms. These medications can certainly be helpful during intense allergy episodes, but ultimately, you need to change your bedding if that is the source of your allergies. That’s where hypoallergenic bedding comes in handy.
Hypoallergenic bedding is covered with tightly woven material, which reduces allergy exposure by functioning as a two-way filter of sorts.
It prevents allergens that are already trapped inside the bed from getting out so as to not cause any symptoms. It also prevents dead skin cells from getting inside the bed, which starves dust mites and effectively kills them off (since starving dust mites can’t reproduce).
Hypoallergenic bedding also offers protection against allergies because they are naturally resistant to allergens. For example, memory foam pillows and synthetic polyester sheets are typically anti-microbial, meaning they’re resistant to mould and dust mites.
Cotton is also a potent hypoallergenic material and they’re easy to wash, meaning that you can cleanse residual allergens quickly. Ultimately, this combination of allergen-filtration and material resistance can reduce the congestion, sneezing, and itching that robs you of precious sleep.
Hypoallergenic Bedding Products to Help You Fight Allergies
- Westex Waterproof Hypoallergenic Bamboo Pillow Protector - This pillow protector is ideal for offering protection against liquid contact, but its soft, breathable fabric also offers protection against allergens. We recommend it for individuals who suffer from year-round allergies.
- Sleep Solutions Westex Quilted Stain Resistant Cotton Mattress Pad - This mattress protector consists of a 100% cotton shell and offers protection against stains, allergens, dust mites, and even bed bugs. It’s an ideal choice for full-spectrum protection against all the things you don’t want to soil your bed.
- Hypoallergenic Pillow, Nursery Décor for Infants with Multi Color - These decorative throw pillow covers are soft and colourful enough for the youngest members of your family to enjoy. More importantly, they’re hypoallergenic which means your kids can cuddle with them without having to deal with the sniffles.
Hypoallergenic bedding of this sort can go far to quell the annoying and relentless symptoms of allergies. With that said, they aren’t magical and you still need to practice some basic hygiene to keep allergens out of your room.
Hypoallergenic Practices for Sniffle-Free Sleep
- Vacuum your bedroom (especially if you have carpets) with a HEPA-filter vacuum
- Regularly wash bed linens in hot water to remove new dust mite particles
- Open your windows regularly to allow fresh air to circulate and remove pollen/dust particles
Hypoallergenic Bedding Can Help You Sleep Uninterrupted
If itching and sneezing keeps you up at night despite all your efforts, you may need more than antihistamines from the drug store.
Take a good look at your bed and bedding. Although you can’t see the microscopic particles in your mattress, duvet and pillows, you may be harbouring some unfriendly allergens that can make you miserable.
Consider switching over to hypoallergenic bedding. The right mattress and pillow covers as well as duvets will protect you from the occasionally unavoidable allergens that find their way into your room. By doing so, you’ll be able to put yourself and your allergies to bed - for good.
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