Q. Why does my nose block pretty much every night before I go to sleep?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
It’s likely that your nightly blocked nose has something to do with nasal congestion or inflammation. Nasal congestion happens when the lining of your nasal passages becomes swollen or inflamed due to irritation from allergens, cold weather, dust, pollen, and smoke. When this happens, it causes a buildup of mucus in your nose – which can give you that 'blocked' feeling before bedtime.
Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of experiencing this nightly annoyance:
1) Avoid allergens and irritants - Try to limit contact with any substances that may cause an allergic reaction like pet dander and strong odors. Since smoke is a common trigger for nasal congestion in many people, it's best to avoid being around secondhand smoke as well.
2) Invest in an air purifier - If you live in a city with high levels of pollution or if your home is often filled with dust and particles from outside sources (such as humidity), using an air purifier can help keep those irritants out of the air while you sleep.
3) Use a neti pot - This simple device can help flush away any mucus buildup by pouring warm saline solution through one nostril and letting it drain out the other side. Doing this once or twice daily before bedtime could make a big difference!
4) Try steam treatments - Filling up a bowl with hot water followed by leaning over it while covering yourself along with the bowl beneath an angled towel will create inhalable steam coming off the liquid surface below You'll be able to breathe freely again much more quickly after doing so! Plus, some aromatherapy oils added beforehand could make all the difference for better quality sleep afterwards!
Finally - don't forget about getting plenty of restful sleep each night because having enough relaxation time throughout each day has been found to improve overall immunity too! So go ahead—put these tips into action tonight for clearer breathing tomorrow morning!