Be Careful of What You Eat, Breath, and Touch: Allergies Can Cause Insomnia –
Allergies can destroy your perfectly good day. Eating foods that you are allergic to or exposing yourself to dust and pollen can surely make you suffer from day and night.
Allergies from pollen, pets, and dust affect 20 to 50% of Americans. These allergies cause common symptoms such as runny nose and sneezing that causes difficulty in sleeping or insomnia.
What are the different things that can cause allergies? Let’s cite the different factors that can lead to allergy and difficulty sleeping.
Food
Allergies from food can cause insomnia. This insomnia is also known as food-allergy insomnia.
Children and adults can suffer from food-allergy insomnia. About 15 million people in the United States suffer from losing sleep because of the food they ate. 9 million of these affected individuals are adults while 6 million are children under 18 years old.
Increased blood sugar levels because of food allergies cause you to stay awake during the night. When you consume something that you are allergic to, the body fails to properly digest it. As a result, the undigested proteins go through your intestinal wall where the immune system identifies these as foreign bodies. Your body reacts by releasing cytokines as well as antibodies known as IGA and IGG to attack these foreign bodies and cause inflammation.
The inflammation travels courses through your body until cytokines disrupt your nervous system. Once your nervous system is affected, you may experience anxiety and depression causing insomnia.
When you eat foods that you are allergic to, the body produces cytokines and antibodies that cause inflammation leading to insomnia.
Pollen
Pollen allergy is another cause of insomnia. When you breathe something you are allergic to like pollen, allergic rhinitis can occur.
Seasonal allergic rhinitis also called hay fever occurs in the summer and spring. During these seasons, pollen is transferred from plants by the wind, insects, birds, or other animals, causing the pollen to scatter everywhere. This can cause misery and suffering to people with pollen and seasonal allergies.
Allergies to pollen create problems in your nasal and sinus passages like itching, congestion, and swelling. These problems can prompt difficulty to breathe during the day and more during the night. The post-nasal drip leads to constant coughing and throat clearing that can interrupt your sleep.
Since pollen allergy can cause nasal and breathing problems, you can experience coughing and throat clearing that can lead to insomnia.
Pets
Allergies from pets can also trigger insomnia. Your pet’s dead skin, as well as its fur, urine, and saliva, are considered indoor allergens.
Allergic reactions from pets can result in the production of histamine. Histamine produces irritation and swelling of your upper airways. It can also cause complications in breathing that lead to difficulties in sleeping and insomnia.
Your pet can cause allergies that lead to swelling and irritation of your upper airways and breathing complications that can end up in insomnia.
Dust Mites
Allergy from dust mites is another risk factor for insomnia. The Poor Sleep is Highly Associated with House Dust Mites Allergic Rhinitis in Adults and Children study concluded that people who have allergies to house dust mites experience difficulties falling asleep.
100,000 up to ten million dust mites can live in an average mattress. These insects breed and multiply quickly. Their waste matter contains protein that causes allergy.
Allergy from dust mites or perennial allergic rhinitis can cause serious disturbance to your sleep. It can cause you to sneeze and cough constantly which will hinder you from falling asleep at night.
Perennial allergic rhinitis can cause insomnia because of constant sneezing and coughing.
Mold
Mold can also cause allergies that hinder you from having a good night’s sleep. You can get allergies from mold hiding in damp areas like your bathroom, basement, laundry room, and carport.
Allergies from mold can trigger respiratory issues that can lead to skin irritations, wheezing, and coughing. Like a food allergy, once you inhale mold spores, the body recognizes these as foreign objects and develops antibodies to fight them. Developing antibodies prompts your immune system to react. This reaction can trigger the release of histamine that results in sneezing, shortness of breath, and severe asthma leading to insomnia.
Mold allergy can also lead to a severe asthma attack, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest which can cause insomnia.
Household Fragrance
The scent coming from household products and fragrances can trigger allergies resulting in difficulty in sleeping.
Fragrances coming from soaps, air fresheners, and toilet cleaners can trigger symptoms of allergies such as nasal congestion, runny nose, post-nasal drip, and sneezing. These symptoms can make you feel uncomfortable, making it difficult for you to get to sleep at night.
Allergies from scents and fragrances also result in the inflammation of the mucous membrane that lines the nasal passages. Once the lining swells, it disrupts the proper flow of oxygen into your body and lungs, making you gasp for air. Gasping for air can keep you from falling asleep.
Household fragrances bring about allergies. It can result in the swelling of your mucous membrane causing difficulty in breathing, sneezing, and nasal congestion leading to insomnia.
Allergies Should Be Treated Immediately
You can get allergies from simple things such as food, pollen, pets, dust mites, molds, and household fragrances. These allergies can lead to uncomfortable symptoms that cause difficulties in sleeping. If you suspect that you have allergies and you are experiencing insomnia, see a physician or a sleep specialist immediately. Have an allergy screening to identify your allergies and get the best treatment for allergies to avoid resulting in insomnia.