How to Reduce a Stuffy Nose at Night: Tips and Home Remedies (2024)

Nasal congestion occurs when the tissues lining your nose swell up. This can happen for many reasons, including the common cold, allergies, or sinus infection.

A stuffy nose can keep you from getting the sleep you need to heal from illness or infection. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to relieve stuffiness and sleep better.

This article offers tips for what you can do during the day, in the evening, and at bedtime to soothe symptoms and ease into better sleep.

How to Reduce a Stuffy Nose at Night: Tips and Home Remedies (1)

What to Do During the Day

What you do during the day can affect your stuffy nose at night.

Resist the Urge to Blow Your Nose

Blowing your nose might be your first impulse, but you may want to reconsider. Research suggests it causes pressure that could propel mucus from your nose into your sinuses. Try dabbing at a runny nose instead. And when you blow your nose, do it gently, one nostril at a time.

Stay Hydrated

Drink plenty of water and other clear fluids. Good hydration helps loosen and thin mucus.

Eat Spicy Foods

Eating spicy foods that contain capsaicin, like hot red and chili peppers, may provide quick, temporary relief from a stuffy nose.

Say No to Caffeine and Alcohol After 2 pm

Both caffeine and alcohol can have a drying effect on the sinuses. Also, caffeine interferes with sleep. And the closer to bedtime you drink it, the more likely it is to cause sleep problems.

Take a Decongestant (Cold and Flu Medicines)

Decongestants can help shrink membranes and open the nasal passages. These medicines are good in the short term but are not a long-term solution. Never give decongestants to children under 2 due to the risk of serious side effects.

7 Home Remedies for Stuffy Nose

Try an NSAID

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), or aspirin, may help relieve inflamed sinuses.

Use Menthol Lozenges

Lozenges can soothe a sore throat, but menthol lozenges may also improve the sensation of airflow in the nasal passages.

Use Nasal Spray

Over-the-counter (OTC) nasal sprays can help ease stuffiness. Be sure to follow package instructions. Unless a healthcare provider advises otherwise, you can use them for three days on and three days off. Some can make congestion worse. You can also get prescription-strength nasal sprays to treat allergy symptoms.

Use Acupressure

Acupressure is a form of pressure point manipulation similar to acupuncture but without the needles. Applying pressure to specific points may help reduce sinus congestion. Sinus pressure points include:

  • Both sides of the nostrils
  • Between the bridge of the nose and the inner corners of the eyes
  • Between the eyebrows
  • Base of the skull where the neck muscles meet the head
  • Back of the hand between the thumb and index finger

Use your thumb or index finger to massage the acupoint with deep, steady pressure. You can use a circular or up-and-down motion for 1-2 minutes.

Keep Pets From Your Bedroom

If you have pet allergies, try keeping them out of your bedroom. Limit them to a specific part of the house and consider using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Remember that dander can stick around up to 20 weeks after removing a cat.

What to Do During the Evening

There are also a few things you can do to help a stuffy nose in the evening hours.

Eat Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken soup won't cure what ails you, but it's a popular home remedy and comfort food for good reason. The warm liquid helps keep you hydrated, which can help thin mucus. And the steam can temporarily open up your stuffy nose.

Drink Hot Tea

Like chicken soup, hot tea can break up nasal congestion and help relieve other symptoms of cold and flu. You might also consider adding a little honey to your tea. Research suggests that honey can help improve symptoms such as cough due to upper respiratory tract infections.

Take a Hot Shower

Run the shower and let the bathroom get good and steamy. Linger long enough to loosen mucus and open air passages.

Try a Facial Steam

Boil a pot of water and pour it into another pan or bowl. Place a towel over your head and bend over the pan to inhale the steam. Alternatively, soak a washcloth in hot water and wring it out. Apply it to your face and let the warmth loosen your nasal passages.

Gargle With Salt Water

A simple salt water gargle can help break up mucus from post-nasal drip and soothe sore throat.

Use a Saline Rinse

Many people use a saline rinse to ease congested or dry nasal passages. Using products such as neti pots, syringes, squeeze bottles, and battery-operated devices is generally safe and effective.

With a neti pot, you can get the saline up one nostril while draining it out the other. It's important to use a neti pot correctly. That means using only distilled, sterile, or previously boiled water. Using water from the tap can allow bacteria and other organisms to enter your nasal passages, leading to serious, even fatal, infections.

Try a Corticosteroid Nasal Spray

Prescription and non-prescription corticosteroid nasal sprays can clear nasal passages and help you breathe easier. They're typically used daily, which can take up to two weeks to work. Brands include Flonase (fluticasone furoate) and Rhinocort (budesonide).

What to Do Right Before Bed

As you get ready for bed, there are a few more steps you can take to minimize symptoms of congestion during the night.

Elevate Your Head

Congestion is generally worse when lying down, so you might want to adjust your sleep position. Try elevating your head with a wedge pillow or sleep in a semi-upright position.

Keep Your Bedroom Cool and Dark

Basic sleep hygiene requires a cool, dark bedroom, so check your thermostat before turning in. If too much light comes through the windows, consider getting blackout curtains. It can also help to remove electronic devices that emit light.

Take an Antihistamine

You can use antihistamines, such as Claritin (loratadine) or Benadryl (diphenhydramine), for symptoms of nasal allergies. In some cases, they can make mucus thicker and harder to drain. Don't give antihistamines to children under 2 due to the potential for serious side effects.

Use a Humidifier

Set up a humidifier in the bedroom to help prevent nasal passages from drying out. Clean it regularly to keep it free of bacteria and to avoid mold.

Diffuse Essential Oils

Research suggests that aromatics with menthol, eucalyptus, or camphor can relieve cold symptoms and promote better sleep.

Apply a Nasal Strip

Adhesive nasal strips, such as Breathe Right, can help keep your nostrils open through the night so you can breathe easier. As a bonus, they can also help cut down on snoring.

Apply a Menthol Chest Rub

A menthol chest rub (Vicks VapoRub) won't clear congestion but can help you breathe more easily. That's because when you breathe in menthol vapors, the insides of your nostrils feel colder, giving the sensation of open airways. And easier breathing can help you sleep better.

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

Your stuffy nose may be due to the common cold, flu, or sinus infection. If so, it should clear up within a week. See a healthcare provider if a stuffy nose lasts more than three weeks or if you also have:

  • A head injury
  • Swelling of the face
  • Blurred vision
  • Throat pain
  • White or yellow spots on your throat or tonsils
  • Nasal discharge from only one side
  • Discharge that smells bad or is a color other than white or yellow
  • Cough lasting longer than 10 days
  • Cough that produces yellow-green or gray mucus
  • Fever

Summary

Often a sign of cold, flu, or allergies, a stuffy nose usually clears up within a week or two. In most cases, it's not a cause for concern. But when congestion keeps you from sleeping, it's hard to recover.

There are things you can do to reduce a stuffy nose at night. Even a few simple steps, like elevating your head and using a humidifier, might help you sleep better. If there's no improvement within a few weeks, seeing a healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment is best.

How to Reduce a Stuffy Nose at Night: Tips and Home Remedies (2024)

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