Waking Up With Stuffy Nose: Causes, Treatment, And Prevention

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Medical News TodaySubscribeWhat can cause a person to wake up with a stuffy nose?

Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M.D., MPH — Written by Jessica Caporuscio, PharmD — Updated on December 9, 2024

Rhinitis
Sinusitis
Irritants
Nasal polyps
Pregnancy
Medications
With a sore throat and headache
With a dry mouth
Treatments
Prevention
Contacting a doctor
Summary

People can wake up with a stuffy nose for various reasons, such as the common cold, allergies, and pregnancy. Using certain medications can also cause a stuffy nose.

Depending on the cause, healthcare professionals may recommend different treatments. They may sometimes refer to a stuffy nose as nasal congestion.

Nasal congestion, or a stuffy nose, can occur when the nasal passages are inflamed or blocked. This can happen for a variety of reasons.

Keep reading to learn more about the possible causes of waking up with a stuffy nose and what treatments can help. This article also discusses how people can prevent nasal congestion.

Rhinitis

Person sitting on floor blowing stuffy nose. — Image credit: Getty Images

Rhinitis is the medical term for inflammation in the nasal passages. Nasal congestion is a symptom of allergic and nonallergic rhinitis.

Other symptoms can include:

sneezing
runny nose
itchy eyes and nose
postnatal drip

A person may find that they wake up with a stuffy nose if they have rhinitis, particularly if they are exposed to allergens while they sleep.

Some allergens that can cause a stuffy nose include:

dust
pollen
animal dander
work-related allergens, such as wood dust, latex, or flour

Sinusitis

Nasal congestion can occur due to sinusitis. This is the term for when the sinuses swell, typically due to an infection.

Alongside a stuffy nose, a person may experience:

pain, tenderness, and swelling around the cheeks, eyes, and forehead
a reduced ability to smell
headache
toothache
bad breath
green or yellow mucus from the nose

Learn about chronic sinusitis.

Irritants

Some irritants can cause nasal congestion, including tobacco smoke and the presence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Tobacco

Waking up with nasal congestion can occur due to irritants such as tobacco smoke.

A 2017 study involving 1,315 children found that exposure to tobacco smoke can increase the chance of developing rhinitis.

GERD

GERD is a condition that causes the contents of the stomach to flow back up through the throat and nasal passages.

A 2021 study found that those with GERD had a higher chance of developing nonallergic rhinitis.

Nasal polyps

Nasal polyps occur when a person develops tissue growths inside the nasal cavity. Nasal polyps disrupt the ability of the little hairs in the nose, called cilia, to clear mucus and antigens.

Some symptoms of nasal polyps include:

nasal congestion
runny nose
postnatal drip
snoring`
reduced ability to smell or taste

Pregnancy

Pregnant people may experience a stuffy nose. Doctors call this type of nasal congestion pregnancy rhinitis.

Around 20% of pregnant people experience pregnancy rhinitis in the second or third trimester. However, healthcare professionals are still unsure of the cause in relation to pregnancy

Learn about sinus infections during pregnancy.

Medications

The use of certain medications can cause nasal congestion.

Examples of medications that can cause drug-induced rhinitis include:

aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem and nifedipine
psychotropic drugs such as benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressant, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
anti-thyroid medications such as methimazole and propylthiouracil
the vasodilator hydralazine

Prolonged use of topical nasal decongestants, such as oxymetazoline and xylometazoline, may result in rhinitis medicamentosa, or rebound congestion. This effect can develop after around 3 days of regular use.

Alongside sore throat and headache

Viral infections, such as the common cold, can cause a stuffy nose, sore throat, and headache.

Alongside a stuffy nose and a sore throat, a person may experience:

a runny nose
a cough
malaise
fever
sneezing
a loss of taste and smell
pressure in the ears and face

Other viral infections, such as flu and COVID-19, can also cause similar symptoms.

Alongside a dry mouth

A blocked nose may cause a dry mouth if it causes a person to sleep with their mouth open at night.

Some treatments for nasal congestion can also cause a dry mouth. For example, if a person takes antihistamines to treat allergic rhinitis, they may experience a dry mouth as a side effect.

Treatment for nasal congestion

Depending on the cause of the stuffy nose, doctors may recommend over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription drugs. It may also be necessary to address the underlying cause.

Some different medicinal treatments for a stuffy nose include:

oral decongestant drugs
topical decongestant drugs
nasal sprays

A person can talk with a doctor or pharmacist for advice on treatments that may be best for them.

Discover more tips for getting rid of a stuffy nose.

Preventing nasal congestion

Someone who experiences nasal congestion due to allergens or irritants should try to avoid the triggers, which may include dust or tobacco smoke.

People taking medications that cause nasal congestion should speak with a doctor before stopping any medication.

Depending on the cause, people may also find it beneficial to:

use hypoallergenic bedding
keep the home well ventilated
avoid hanging pajamas out to dry when the pollen count is high

When to contact a doctor

A person should consider contacting a doctor if they continually wake up with a stuffy nose.

A doctor can help identify the cause and prescribe an appropriate treatment to help a person breathe more easily.

Summary

Several factors may lead to a person waking up with a stuffy nose, including infections, allergens, and irritants. Other conditions can also cause nasal congestion, such as pregnancy and the use of certain medications.

A healthcare professional can help identify the cause of nasal congestion and recommend an appropriate treatment. Avoiding allergens, taking decongestants, and using hypoallergenic bedding may help.

Allergy
Ear, Nose, and Throat
Flu / Cold / SARS
Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Alromaih S, et al. (2022). Drug-induced rhinitis: Narrative review.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/01455613221141214
Caparroz FA, et al. (2016). Rhinitis and pregnancy: Literature review.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1808869415001597?via%3Dihub
Decongestants. (2022).https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/decongestants/
Dry mouth. (2023).https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dry-mouth/
Finocchio E, et al. (2021). Gastritis and gastroesophageal reflux disease are strongly associated with non-allergic nasal disorders.https://bmcpulmmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12890-020-01364-8
Nasal polyps. (2023).https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nasal-polyps/
Pregnancy and allergies. (n.d.). Pregnancy and Allergies
Sinus infection. (n.d.).https://acaai.org/allergies/allergic-conditions/sinus-infection/
Viral infections. (2023).https://medlineplus.gov/viralinfections.html
Wahid NWB, et al. (2023). Rhinitis medicamentosa.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538318/
Yao T-C, et al. (2017). Exposure to tobacco smoke and childhood rhinitis: A population-based study.https://www.nature.com/articles/srep42836

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Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M.D., MPH — Written by Jessica Caporuscio, PharmD — Updated on December 9, 2024

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