The short answer is usually no for adults. A blocked nose at night is worth understanding: what causes it, how long it tends to last and what eases the discomfort. You also need to know which signs call for a GP, rather than another night of putting up with it.
Sleeping with a blocked nose in brief
For most adults, sleeping with a blocked nose is miserable rather than dangerous. Try a salt-water rinse or steam from a hot shower to ease congestion. A decongestant spray can also help, but use it for no more than five days. Speak to a GP if you have loud snoring with breathing that stops and starts, or sinusitis that won't clear.
A cold, sinusitis or allergies can cause a blocked nose
A blocked nose is a common symptom of a cold. Allergies can also leave you congested, so a blocked nose doesn't always mean you've caught an infection.
Sinusitis is swelling of the sinuses, usually caused by an infection, and it's common after a cold.2 That helps explain why your nose can still feel blocked when you expected to be over the worst.
Sleeping with a blocked nose usually isn't dangerous
For most adults, a blocked nose means an uncomfortable night: you breathe through your mouth, sleep worse and may snore. That's unpleasant when you're trying to get some rest, but it isn't usually dangerous.
See a GP if you feel sleepy during the day, your breathing stops and starts while you sleep, or you make gasping or choking noises. The NHS guidance on snoring identifies these as possible signs of sleep apnoea.4 Don't put them down to a stuffy nose.
Simple self-care can help with sinusitis
For sinusitis, the NHS advises getting plenty of rest, drinking plenty of fluids and taking painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Keep things simple when you're feeling rough. You don't need an elaborate bedtime routine.
Avoid things that trigger your allergies and don't smoke, as the NHS also advises for sinusitis. If you've got a cold, there's another reason not to smoke: the NHS says it can make cold symptoms worse.
Propping your head up a little can feel more comfortable
Try propping your head up a bit if you're struggling to settle. I find that a sensible way to make a stuffy night feel easier. Lie however lets you rest. There's no need to force yourself into a position you find uncomfortable.
A cold usually improves in 1 to 2 weeks; sinusitis can take 4 weeks
A blocked nose with a cold doesn't have to clear overnight to be getting better. The NHS says a cold usually starts to feel better in about 1 to 2 weeks, so give yourself time to recover.1
Sinusitis usually clears on its own within 4 weeks, according to the NHS. That's a frustrating wait when you're trying to sleep, but it helps to have a realistic idea of how long it can last.
A salt-water rinse or short-term decongestant can ease congestion
Try a salt-water rinse to ease a blocked nose. The NHS method is straightforward enough to do at home.
- Boil 1 pint of water. Leave it to cool before you use it.
- Mix in the salt and bicarb. 1 teaspoon each of salt and bicarbonate of soda.
- Wash your hands. Then do the rinse over a sink.
- Sniff it from a cupped hand. Pour a little in and sniff it into one nostril at a time, breathing through your mouth. Try not to let the water go down the back of your throat.
- Repeat up to 3 times a day. Make up a fresh solution each time.
Boil and cool the water, mix in the salt and bicarbonate of soda, then sniff a little from your cupped hand, one nostril at a time.
Decongestants offer short-term relief, but keep sprays and drops to no more than 5 days: longer use can make stuffiness worse.3 The NHS advice on decongestants says to check with a pharmacist first if you take other medicines or have a condition such as high blood pressure, heart or circulation problems, diabetes, glaucoma, an overactive thyroid, an enlarged prostate, or liver or kidney problems. That quick check is sensible even for something you can buy without a prescription. Decongestants are not for children under 6.
Steam from a hot shower can ease a blocked nose
The NHS suggests breathing in steam from a hot shower to help ease a blocked nose when you have a cold. Never let children breathe steam from a bowl of hot water because of the risk of scalding.
Nasal strips can help with snoring caused by a blocked or narrow nose
Try nasal strips or dilators if a blocked or narrow nose is behind your snoring. The NHS lists these among the things that can help because they hold your nose open while you sleep.
When a blocked nose needs a GP
See a GP if you, or a child, have sinusitis symptoms and:
- you do not get better after 7 days of treatment from a pharmacy or GP
- you do not get better after 3 weeks of treating symptoms yourself
- you keep getting sinusitis
- your child is aged 11 years or younger
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you, or a child, have sinusitis symptoms and:
- you are very unwell
- painkillers do not help or symptoms get worse
- you have a weakened immune system, for example, because you're having chemotherapy
Call 111 if you need advice for a child under 5 years old.
Questions people ask about sleeping with a blocked nose
For most healthy adults, no: a blocked nose makes the night miserable rather than dangerous. You breathe through your mouth when your nose is blocked, even though that can feel uncomfortable. Loud snoring with breathing that stops and starts, or gasping during sleep, needs a GP's attention. Don't assume congestion explains those symptoms.
Use a decongestant nasal spray for no more than 5 days at a time, as the NHS advises. Using it for longer can make stuffiness worse, so don't keep going just because your nose still feels blocked. It's an understandable temptation when you want to sleep, but this is a limit to take seriously.
Yes, breathing in steam from a hot shower is an NHS suggestion for easing a blocked nose. Try this if congestion from a cold is making it hard to settle for the night. There's no need to use a bowl of hot water. Never let children breathe steam from one because of the risk of scalding.
