This pattern happens when there is more blood flow to the structures inside the nose, such as the turbinates, which are the round masses that you may see if you look into the nostrils. Increased blood flow causes congestion in one nostril for about 3 to 6 hours before switching to the other side.
Q: Why do I sometimes get congested in one nostril? A: Many people don't realize that every four to six hours, one side of the nose becomes more congested, and the other side decongests. They switch back and forth in a normal cycle.
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.
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.
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.
Prop your head up with extra pillows.
The best sleeping position when you have a stuffy nose is on your back with your head propped up on pillows. "This will reduce blood flow to the head and improve gravity-dependent sinus drainage," Kim says.
“Blowing your nose is useful, but if nothing is coming out, it generally means there's not a lot of mucus.” The three common culprits behind inflammation in your nose are infections, allergies, and nonallergic rhinitis, says Dr. Alexander.
The best position to sleep with a stuffy nose is typically on your back with your head slightly elevated13. A blocked nose at night often feels worse as your body position causes more blood to flow to your nose, increasing the swelling14.
Blowing the nose regularly prevents mucus building up and running down from the nostrils towards the upper lip, the all-too-familiar runny nose. Later in colds and with sinusitis, nasal mucus can become thick, sticky and harder to clear.
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.
Most people with nasal valve collapse need plastic surgery to fix it. While this can help your nose's appearance, it's mainly done to reopen your nasal passages so you can breathe again. It's also called nasal valve rhinoplasty or nasal valve repair. You'll have this surgery in the hospital.
Sinusitis (also called rhinosinusitis) starts when this drainage system becomes blocked, usually from swelling due to inflammation caused by infection or allergy. Soon, your head hurts, you feel facial pressure or pain, and thick mucus clogs your nose.
The best sleeping position for sinus drainage problems and other sinus issues is to sleep with your head propped up. Sleeping with your head propped up will help gravity naturally drain your sinuses and reduce the chance of excessive blood flow that can develop sinus congestion.
Avoid dairy if you have had previous episodes of sinus infections. Also, try to avoid refined sugar as it is pro-inflammatory and increases the production of mucus. Other foods to avoid include tomatoes (contain histamines), chocolate, cheese, gluten, and fruits like bananas, which can cause congestion.
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.
Treatments that can help unblock the nose at night include using a nasal spray and drinking lots of water. If your nose gets stuffy when you lie down, sleeping on your side rather than on your back can help ease the problem further.
A stuffy nose will usually go away in about a week. But if it doesn't, or you get congested at certain times of year or when you're around pets or smokers, your doctor can help you find out if you have allergies and get you the right treatment to make any allergies less of an annoyance.