Congestion, headache, runny nose, — these are just some allergy symptoms that can affect your everyday life if they’re not treated with the proper care. Perhaps one of the most invasive symptoms that becomes a nuisance to everyday life is the overall feeling of fatigue that allergies bring about. Also known as “brain fog,” this fatigue can make it hard to focus on normal daily tasks, such as work or school, and can also have you feeling irritable or lazy.
What Causes This Fatigue?
When you have an allergy to something, what’s really happening is that your immune system is creating antibodies to fight an unknown object (the allergen) and releasing histamines while doing so. This causes the allergy symptoms we know all too well — sneezing, watery eyes, itchy nose. It’s no wonder that most people experiencing allergy symptoms get very poor sleep when all this inflammation causes nasal congestion. Congestion makes it very difficult to breathe, especially when lying down, which can really affect your ability to get a good night’s sleep. Waking in the morning you may feel like you didn’t sleep at all. This lack of sleep is important to address, which means tackling your allergies head on.
Finding the Culprit
While many people talk about seasonal allergies, such as an upsurge of pollen in the Spring, most allergies are caused by things that can be found right in your bedroom. Pets, dust, and mold are all likely culprits of your allergies, so it’s important not to bypass these sources. Finding out what you’re allergic to is the first step to limiting that element from your life, leaving you with fewer, or no, allergic reactions. Make a list of the likely culprits and begin to eliminate them one by one from your daily life, recording your symptoms as you do so. If you’ve gone through the process of elimination and still can’t figure out what you’re allergic to, you may want to consider visiting an allergy specialist in NYC. Several simple tests are performed by these specialists to quickly find the source of your discomfort.
What to Do Next
After you’ve found the culprit or cause of your allergy symptoms, there are many things you can do to lessen your allergic reactions and get you back to having a good night’s sleep.
First, you should limit your exposure to your allergen(s) as much as you possibly can. You may also want to hire a professional cleaner to do a deep clean of your home, as mold and dust are likely culprits.
If pollen in the air is an issue or it simply can’t be avoided, your allergy specialist in NYC may provide you with the proper medication to help you cope with your specific allergen. They may also suggest taking a specific over-the-counter allergy medication that you can obtain at your local pharmacy.
In addition to medication, your allergy may require allergy shots. Allergy shots are a form of immunotherapy that desensitize your body to the allergy by introducing the allergen to your body slowly but surely. A certain amount is introduced, but not enough to cause an allergic reaction. This allows your immune system to get used to the allergen, building up an immunity to it altogether.
Another option to maximize good sleep while fighting off allergies is to consider nasal strips before bed. Nasal strips are applied to the outside of the nose and are kept on while you sleep. These strips help to open up your nasal passageways, increasing the airflow and therefore your ability to breathe.
Sleep is one of the most important, rejuvenating things we do each day and getting a good amount is vital to our health. A lack of sleep can leave you feeling depressed, cloud your judgement, and affect your daily mood and choices. If your sleep is severely affected by your allergies, it’s important that you address them immediately. Dr. Shukla, a lead allergy specialist in NYC, can help assess your allergies and provide the proper solution or treatment to get you back to a healthy, fulfilled life. If you’re tired of living with a cloudy head, give us a call today at (917) 924- 6383 or visit us on online to find out more about our services.
