Nasal congestion can worsen when you lie down. Lying down increases the blood flow to your head. The excess blood flow can cause the blood vessels in your nasal passage to swell. When the blood vessels in your nose become inflamed, your nose feels stuffy.
A stuffy nose at night can be caused by many different things, including a respiratory infection, allergies, asthma, sleep apnea, nasal polyps, dry air, and even your sleep posture. In some cases, the cause may be unknown.
According to Dr. Leann Poston of Invigor Medical, “Elevating your head before bed can increase drainage and decrease congestion.” That's why the best position to sleep with a stuffy nose is on your back with different types of pillows elevating your head and neck.
In many people, the nasal septum is off-center — or deviated — making one nasal passage smaller. When a deviated septum is severe, it can block one side of the nose and reduce airflow, causing difficulty breathing.
Tilt your head back
Take air through your mouth and tilt your head back as if you want to look at the ceiling. Keep your head back as you hold your breath. Dr. Mandell explains that this action causes the blocked nose to contact the brain which sends a reflex action to the sinus area and from there to the nose to open.
Steam. Whether it's from a hot shower or piping hot cup of tea, steam can thin mucus and help it drain from your nose. For faster relief, pour boiling water into a large bowl. Cover your head with a towel, lean over the bowl, and breathe in the steam.
If you feel that you are blocked up but are not really producing mucus, then this is more indicative of a physical abnormality, such as nasal polyps or a deviated septum. It is quite common for people to complain of having a blocked nose on one side.
In adults and children age 2 and older, use it only on the neck and chest.
Nasal congestion typically clears after a few days, but congestion that lasts for a week or more may be a sign of an infection. Left untreated, nasal congestion may cause sinusitis, nasal polyps or middle ear infections.
When we have a cold, the blood vessels in the nose dilate as part of the body's immune response, and the nose also produces more mucus. Both of these changes cause congestion, but you'll feel more blocked in the nostril that's currently 'off duty'. The nostril with the full airflow might feel fine.
Blowing the nose can worsen the feeling of congestion due to pressure build-up within the nostrils, which may shoot up the mucus into the sinuses instead of ejection through the nose.
Acupresssure Point LI 20: Located at the base of your nose, this pressure point can help relieve sinus pressure. Acupresssure Point SI18: Located where your cheekbones meet your nose, this pressure point can relieve sinus congestion.
Some natural ways to get your sinuses draining and relieve sinus pressure include drinking plenty of fluids; using a humidifier; avoiding cold, dry air; taking plenty of steamy showers; and drinking a cup of hot tea or soup.
You can also try gentler solutions, like a Neti pot, saline irrigation, saline nasal drops, using a vaporizer or humidifier when you sleep, and drinking plenty of fluids such as hot tea or chicken soup. A stuffy nose will usually go away in about a week.