How to Sleep Well with Sinus Troubles

Co-authored by Marc Kayem, MD

Last Updated: September 30, 2022 References

Satisfying sleep can be elusive if you have sinus troubles. Fortunately, there are several solutions. Use decongestants and pain-relieving medicine to help you fall asleep. Prop your head up with extra pillows to allow your sinuses to drain. Place a humidifier near your bedside to prevent your sinuses from clogging during the night, and drink a tall glass of water before bed. Work with your doctor to find solutions to your sinus troubles if necessary.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Finding an Effective Bedtime Routine

1
Stay hydrated. Getting lots of water helps keep your mucus thin and prevents sinus congestion. Try to drink a large glass of water just before bed. Place a water bottle or cup of water by your bedside so you can drink more if you wake up with more sinus trouble in the night.^{[1]
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Harvard Medical School
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- Feel free to have a cup of decaffeinated tea if it makes you feel better, but stay away from coffee and other caffeinated beverages.^{[2]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Marc Kayem, MD
  Sleep Specialist
  Expert Interview. 24 October 2019.}
2
Take a hot shower. The steam produced by the shower will relieve the pressure and congestion in your sinuses. Once the mucus has been loosened and thinned, you can blow your nose more easily. This should keep you comfortable, at least temporarily. Head to bed as soon as possible after taking a hot shower.^{[3]
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- Do something to relax before bed. If you can find something peaceful that calms your mind and reduces your stress, you’ll have an easier time falling asleep.^{[4]
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  Expert Source
  
  Marc Kayem, MD
  Sleep Specialist
  Expert Interview. 24 October 2019.}
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3
Do a nasal irrigation. A nasal irrigation is similar to commercial saline sprays, but it uses a larger amount of saline and more effectively rinses mucus from the nose. It is easy and affordable to make your own nasal saline solution at home to relieve sinus pressure. Just mix ½ teaspoon of non-iodized salt, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, and two cups (473 milliliters) of lukewarm water.^{[5]
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- Fill a bulb syringe or neti pot with some of the solution.
- Lean over your bathtub or sink and tilt your head. Place the tip of the bulb syringe in the upper nostril.
- Squeeze the bulb of the bulb syringe or pour the solution from the Neti pot. The solution will run out of your lower nostril.
- Repeat on the other side. Wash the bulb syringe and place it in a clean location. Do this several times a day — especially in the morning and evening — to relieve sinus troubles.
4
Stay away from cigarette smoke. If you smoke, quit smoking in order to reduce the irritation and inflammation of your sinuses. If your friends or family smoke, insist that they do not smoke around you or avoid spending time with them (especially in your house), as secondhand smoke can be just as detrimental to your sinus health as smoking a cigarette yourself can be.
- To quit smoking, choose a quit date between two and four weeks into the future.
- Gradually reduce the amount you smoke between now and the quit date.
- For instance, if you choose to quit in 15 days, immediately reduce your cigarette consumption by 25%. After five days, reduce it by half. After another five days, cut your cigarette consumption down to 25% of what it was before you decided to quit. Then on your final day, stop smoking altogether.
- Use nicotine patches and gum to help you stay away from cigarettes if necessary.
- Talk to your doctor about other strategies to help you quit smoking.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Changing the Bedroom Environment

1
Sleep with your head propped up. If you place an extra pillow or two under your head while sleeping, it could help you drain mucus from your sinuses. If you toss and turn at night, you might consider investing in a remote-controlled elevated bed.^{[6]
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- Initially, you might angle your head at a 20-degree angle. If that doesn’t work, continue to increase the angle in 10-degree increments to see if you can benefit from sleeping with your head propped up in a different way.
2
Turn the humidifier on. Dry environments can worsen your sinusitis. Turn on a cool mist humidifier in your bedroom to keep ambient humidity high.^{[7]
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Harvard Medical School
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- Adjust the humidity to a level that works for you. If you set your humidifier to a mid-range setting and aren’t experiencing and improvement in your ability to sleep well with sinus troubles, set it to a higher setting.
3
Avoid your triggers. If your sinus troubles are caused by allergies, find ways to limit or avoid your allergic triggers altogether. For instance, if ragweed causes you to develop sinus troubles, keep your windows closed and put an air purifier or filtration system in your bedroom. If you’re allergic to dust, regularly vacuum and dust your home, and wash your clothes and bedding. Installing an air filter or air purification unit may also help.^{[8]
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American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
National professional organization of allergists, asthma specialists and immunologists that focuses on supporting and publishing research
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- If you’re allergic to your household pet, keep it out of your bedroom to allow you to sleep well with allergy-related sinus troubles.
- In the case of plant or pollen-based allergies, you should also stay inside (especially on high pollen count days), ask friends or family to take care of your yardwork, and wear long sleeves when heading out during allergy season.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Identifying Medical Interventions

1
See a doctor. Typically, you won’t need to see a doctor, and your body will be able to fend off a sinus infection on its own within 7-10 days. But if you have lingering sinus trouble (more than 10 days of sinus congestion or pain), or if your symptoms are exceedingly severe, you should contact your doctor.^{[9]
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- Your doctor might be able to offer an antibiotic or prescription-strength pain reliever.
- If you have lingering sinus trouble more than three times per year, you might have chronic sinusitis. Ask your doctor for a referral to a nose, ear, and throat specialist.^{[10]
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  Cleveland Clinic
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2
Treat your pain with medicine. Your sinus trouble might cause painful headaches or pain behind your cheeks.^{[11]
X
Trustworthy Source
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
National professional organization of allergists, asthma specialists and immunologists that focuses on supporting and publishing research
Go to source} In this case, it might be hard to get to sleep. Purchase one of several pain-relieving medications over the counter to relieve your sinus headaches.^{[12]
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Research source}
- Aspirin or ibuprofen (for instance, Advil or Motrin IB) or acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) are effective for mild pain.
- More intense pain is best treated with drugs that combine acetaminophen, aspirin, and/or caffeine (such as Excedrin Migraine)
- Watch for side effects — including nausea, vomiting, light-headedness, sweating, or general fatigue — and negative drug interactions. Always read the directions provided with your medicine to avoid potential negative interactions with other prescription and over-the-counter medications.
3
Use a compress to relieve pain. Another way to relieve pain is to use a warm compress on your face. Simply heat the compress and place it on your face where the sinus pressure is greatest. You could also apply a hand towel rinsed with hot water, then wrung out until damp.
- Some sinus troubles are relieved by the application of cold compresses — that is, hand towels drenched in cold water, wrung out slightly, and applied to the area causing sinus pain.
4
Take nasal decongestants. Nasal decongestants may help you treat congestion and sinus headaches. You can get nasal decongestants in a variety of forms, including as tablets, liquids, or chewable capsules. Consult the instructions that accompany your particular decongestant for more information regarding use.^{[13]
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Trustworthy Source
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
National professional organization of allergists, asthma specialists and immunologists that focuses on supporting and publishing research
Go to source}
- Popular decongestants include Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold and Sinus ^{[14]
  X
  Research source} and Mapap Sinus Congestion and Pain.^{[15]
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- Avoid using nasal decongestants for more than a day or two. You risk a rebound effect, which causes increased swelling and congestion as the medication wears off.^{[16]
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  Harvard Medical School
  Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
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- If you have high blood pressure, check with a doctor before using oral decongestants. They can increase blood pressure by narrowing blood vessels in other areas of the body.
5
Try a steroid nasal spray. Steroid nasal sprays can reduce inflammation caused by sinusitis, thereby reducing the size and number of nasal polyps that cause sleep apnea. They are also commonly prescribed for people suffering from allergies that affect the sinuses. Talk to your doctor about getting steroid sprays.^{[17]
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- To use the steroid spray, remove the cap and shake the bottle vigorously several times.
- Squeeze the steroid spray bottle a few times to prime it.
- Insert the uncapped end into one nostril using the hand on the corresponding side. For instance, if you spray the steroid into your right nostril first, use your right hand to do it.
- Use your other hand — the one not holding the spray bottle — to close the nostril on the other side.
- Squeeze the spray bottle by placing your thumb beneath it and pulling the “fins” on either side of the uncapped tube using your index and middle fingers. Breathe in while you squeeze.
- Repeat on the other side. You may need to spray once, twice, or three times. Consult your prescription directions for more information.
6
Avoid antihistamines unless your doctor recommends them. Antihistamines are a class of drug that blocks the production of histamine, a chemical that causes inflammation when you’re exposed to allergens. By blocking histamine production, you will prevent sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, a runny nose, and sinus troubles.^{[18]
X
Trustworthy Source
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
National professional organization of allergists, asthma specialists and immunologists that focuses on supporting and publishing research
Go to source} Unfortunately, they work by making your mucus thicker and more difficult to drain.
- Antihistamines are appropriate for people whose sinus troubles are triggered by allergies.^{[19]
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  Harvard Medical School
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- Common over-the-counter antihistamines include Claritin (loratadine) and Zyrtec (cetirizine). ^{[20]
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  Trustworthy Source
  FamilyDoctor.org
  Family-focused medical advice site run by the American Academy of Family Doctors
  Go to source}
- Common prescription antihistamines include Clarinex (desloratadine), Allegra (fexofenadine), and Xyzal (levocetirizine).^{[21]
  X
  Research source} Talk to your doctor about obtaining these drugs.
7
Take steroid pills. If you have chronic sinusitis, you probably have nasal polyps — a series of extremely inflamed sacs on the nasal tissue. Steroid pills can shrink the sinus polyps that cause sleep apnea. This will improve the depth and quality of your sleep. To take steroid pills, consult your doctor. Only your doctor is qualified to provide a prescription for steroid pills.^{[22]
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- Steroid pills tend to be temporary in effect, and your polyps will likely return even if you do not stop taking the steroid. Your doctor will probably recommend a supplementary treatment to eliminate the polyps completely.

Expert Q&A

Question

What can I do if my sinus problems cause me to snore at night?

Marc Kayem, MD
Sleep Specialist
Dr. Marc Kayem is a board certified Otolaryngologist and Facial Plastic Surgeon based in Beverly Hills, California. He practices and specializes in cosmetic services and sleep-related disorders. He received his Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Ottawa, is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada.

Marc Kayem, MD

Sleep Specialist

Expert Answer

Snoring is often caused by a blockage in your throat. Often, gravity pulls down on your tonsils, tongue, and uvula to trigger this blockage. However, it could be caused by your clogged sinus as well. This blockage is what causes the snoring. Try sleeping on your side if you're keeping other people up at night with your snoring.