If you’ve ever been sick with a cold or flu (or if you’re a seasonal allergy sufferer), you know that figuring out how to sleep with post nasal drip can be difficult.
However, there are a couple of useful techniques that will help you get a good night’s sleep by relieving your worst post nasal drip symptoms — the stuffy nose, the sinus pressure, and the overproduction of mucus that drains into the back of your throat.
How to sleep with a stuffy nose, nasal congestion, and other symptoms of post nasal drip?
Implement A Sleep Hygiene and A Nasal Care Routine
If you’re lying awake all night, suffering from a cold, the flu, or maybe just your fall allergy symptoms, there’s a good chance that you’re losing sleep from the uncomfortable post nasal drip, the runny nose, and the persistent wheezing and coughing.
Your first reaction may be to head over to the pharmacy and pick up some over-the-counter meds (OTCs) and some vitamin supplements. And, although those may provide some temporary relief, there are some alternatives you may want to consider that will not only improve your sleep when you ill but also help you rest better on a daily basis.
Start A Sleep Hygiene Routine
OK, so you’re probably asking, “What is a sleep hygiene routine?”
A sleep hygiene routine consists of the things you do on a daily/nightly basis to help yourself prepare for a good night’s sleep.
For example, you may want to:
- Maintain a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
- Take some “quiet time” to relax or meditate and help relieve stress at the end of your day.
- Avoid television, smart phones, and other distractions just before bed.
- Take a warm shower or bath before bed to help you relax, and to wash away dust, pollen, and other debris that could contribute to post nasal drip and nighttime congestion.
- Add a nightly nasal rinse before bed to clear your sinuses of excess mucus, dust, allergens, or viruses that could lead to further congestion, inflammation, and even infection.
It’s also a good idea to change your bedding on a regular basis, making sure to switch out your pillow cases every few days. Dust, pollen, and other debris can accumulate in your sheets and on your pillow quickly and worsen your post nasal drip symptoms overnight.
Start A Nasal Care Routine
Nasal hygiene, along with personal hygiene, dental hygiene, and sleep hygiene should be important parts of your daily wellness routine.
We’re not talking about flushing your nose with a typical rinse bottle or an old neti pot. True nasal care is the practice of keeping your sinuses clean, clear, and moisturized to ensure your nose functions at its peak performance.
Using a nasal nebulizer to implement a proper nasal wash helps get rid of your post nasal drip symptoms quickly. By reaching deep into your sinuses with an ultra-fine spray, the nose cleaning machine is able to remove excess mucus and blockages causing sinus pressure more effectively than any average spray bottle.
As well, using a nasal safe moisturizer on a daily basis will help soften and remove thick mucus, soothe a stuffy and irritated nose, and provide all day comfort.
Sleep hygiene and nasal hygiene both play important roles in coping with post nasal drip, nasal congestion, and even sinus pain and headaches. By incorporating them into your daily/nightly schedules, you’ll find that it’s much easier to sleep with post nasal drip symptoms.
Additional Tips For Sleeping With Post Nasal Drip and A Stuffy Nose
Sometimes, we have difficulty sleeping even when we’re healthy and breathing properly. Add on a cold or seasonal allergies and suddenly it’s next to impossible to fall asleep and stay asleep. When you combine the stresses of daily life with post nasal drip and a stuffy nose, it’s no wonder we stare at the alarm clock until the early hours of the morning.
To help you breathe better and sleep better at night while suffering from your post nasal drip symptoms, here’s a few additional tips to implement into your sleep and nasal hygiene routine:
- Sleep on your side
- Keep the air quality clean
- Moisturize your sinuses on a daily basis
- Adjust the temperature, keep it cool
- Prop your head up with a pillow
- And, avoid alcohol and other foods and beverages high in histamine, especially at night.
For more information on post nasal drip, check out the following articles to learn about symptoms, duration, and treatments.
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