Best Hypoallergenic Mattresses for Allergy Sufferers for 2023

How Allergies Affect Sleep

Insomnia

Being congested, sneezing, and having itchy, watery eyes or a constantly running nose are all bound to keep you up at night. Congested people find it nearly impossible to find a comfortable sleeping position as their sinuses drain from one side to the other.

Feeling itchy, whether it’s the eyes or the roof of the mouth, can also cause enough discomfort to prevent restful sleep. For some, these allergy symptoms are seasonal and temporary, but for those sleeping on a mattress that’s triggering the allergies, the problem can last year-round and lead to chronic sleep deprivation.

If you are having trouble with insomnia, check out our best mattresses for insomnia.

Daytime Drowsiness

Being up at night with allergies naturally leads to fatigue during the day. To make matters worse, many people take allergy medication. Unless you get a non-drowsy formula, these over-the-counter solutions could cause even further sleepiness.

Sleep Apnea

Allergies, also referred to as allergic rhinitis, are linked to sleep apnea². Specifically, the type that patients tend to experience is OSA or Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This condition occurs when the muscles in your throat relax to the point where it closes off or obstructs your breathing airway.

The result is being jerked awake to trigger or remind your body to resume breathing. Some patients report being conscious of waking up, while others don’t realize they’ve been roused out of sleep. People with sleep apnea can be woken up anywhere from half a dozen times per night to hundreds.

Allergy sufferers are prone to sleep apnea because the congestion narrows the airways, making it more likely to wake up due to the inability to breathe.

Browse our best mattresses for sleep apnea here.

How to Sleep Better with Allergies

Consider Your Sleeping Position

In general, sleeping on your back is considered one of the healthiest sleep positions. Unless you have allergies, that is. Sleeping on your back can narrow or block your airways⁵, making it that much more difficult to breathe with allergies. Sleep apnea can occur in supine and lateral positions⁶ because they’re mostly influenced by your body mass index.

If you’re concerned you may have sleep apnea, it’s best to visit a healthcare professional to have a sleep study done. This can help determine how your preferred sleeping position affects your breathing.

Get More Info: How to Sleep on Your Side

Another thing you can try is sleeping in a slightly upright position. This might allow for better sinus drainage, which should help alleviate your symptoms. If you try this position, consider using a supportive neck pillow to prevent your neck from flexing unnaturally to one side as you move into the deeper stages of sleep.

Pick the Right Bed Sheets and Pillows

There are a few options that work best. Look for sheets that can be washed in hot water. Many labels caution against that and suggest warm water. However, hot water is best for sterilization and eliminating critters.

Also, look for tightly woven fabrics like microfiber. Again, this prevents any unwanted pests from burrowing.

View Our Full Guide: Top-Rated Sheets

The most important factor to consider with your pillows is moisture avoidance. Also, seek out natural fabrics like wool, cotton, and latex. Not only are they naturally hypoallergenic, but they also wick away moisture. Some people may be allergic to either wool or latex.

If so, choose the pillow type you’re not allergic to, or play it safe with organic cotton.

Read More: Best Pillows of 2023

Get a Hypoallergenic Mattress Cover

If you're allergy-prone, a hypoallergenic mattress cover is a great idea. They can stop dust mites, and therefore allergies, in their tracks by creating a barrier between you and any mites in your mattress. Without access to their food source, the mites will die.

Another benefit of a hypoallergenic mattress cover is that if you’re allergic to any part of your mattress (latex, for example), the cover shields you from the material that could cause a reaction.

Get a HEPA Filter

This is a huge tip to sleep better with allergies. HEPA⁷ stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air. In layman’s terms, these filters trap all the gunk floating around in your bedroom. Things like pollen, pet dander, smoke, and even dust mites get trapped in the filter and stop circulating around the room and into your respiratory system.

In addition to being effective at battling indoor allergies, they’re also reasonably priced. There are fancy options ranging from 500 to 1,000 dollars, but you can also find highly ranked brands at less than 100 dollars.

Monitor Humidity

There’s a delicate balance between the air that’s too dry and a moisture-rich environment that promotes the growth of mold and mildew. If you live in a dry climate, consider a humidifier, but make sure to clean it regularly. On the other hand, if you’ve got a room with too much moisture, a dehumidifier may be what you need to combat mold and make the air easier to breathe.

Get More Info: Best Humidifier for Asthma

No Pets in the Bedroom

You may not be allergic to your pet, but their fur can trap all kinds of triggers from the outside world. For example, if they walk outside, they’re tracking in dirt and a significant amount of pollen, especially if you have a long haired pup. You’ll want to wipe their paws before they enter the house.

Also, make sure you brush your pets regularly. Not only is this necessary for their health, but it helps rid their fur of the allergens that keep you up at night. Because they carry all that on their fur, it’s often best to remove pets from the bedroom entirely, especially during peak allergy season.

Some enthusiastic pet lovers have mixed feelings about this tactic. If that sounds like you, you can try the other options first and then relegate them to another part of the house only if needed.

Looking for more info? Check out our complete guide to sleeping with pets.

Clean your Bed Often

You’ve heard of overly meticulous people ironing their jeans, but have you ever considered vacuuming your mattress? It may seem over the top, but this method works wonders in reducing allergies. It helps remove dust mite feces, and dead skin cells.

We also strongly suggest changing your sheets once per week. If you’ve got a particularly intense case of allergies, you may even want to change your pillowcase daily. Not only could this reduce your allergy symptoms, but it will also feel like you’re climbing into a new bed each night.

As a reminder, wash your sheets on hot and dry them on the highest setting possible. Check the label before you do so. If your current sheets can’t handle those temperatures, get sheets that can. It turns out that warm water kills less than 10 percent of dust mites, but hot water⁸ should kill a much higher percentage.

Need more details? Read how often should you wash your sheets in our complete guide.

Aromatherapy

Have you ever noticed that spicy foods clear out your sinuses? The same effect can be observed with some essential oils, like peppermint and eucalyptus. These oils contain anti-inflammatory properties⁵, which help reduce nasal congestion.

As an added benefit, peppermint essential oil rubbed at the temples may help reduce headaches¹⁰.

Interested in exploring further? Follow our guide to the best essential oils for sleep.