Did you know that seasonal discomfort can disrupt your quality of sleep, even if you manage to doze off successfully? One of the more obvious issues that seasonal discomfort cause to your sleep cycle can be irritation or blockages in your sinus cavities, both of which can make it more difficult to get off to a good night's rest, but seasonal discomfort can continue to disrupt your sleep cycles even after you've nodded off.

Most of us are familiar with dealing with seasonal discomfort during the day, particularly during certain peak hours when there's more pollen and other irritants present in the air. What you may not realize is that your seasonal discomfort can cause you to experience a more fragmented sleep cycle than you normally would, instead of the deep and relaxing sleep that your body needs after a full day of work.

Drowsy During the Day? Time to Consider Why.

Symptoms of a lack of sleep can include:

• Fatigue during the day, which includes drowsiness or nodding off.

• Difficulty focusing on tasks.

• Irritability.

• A decreased metabolism and hindered immune system.

• Reduced sex drive.

All of which can effect how you feel, whether you're at work or at home. This can be incredibly puzzling to people who believe that they're getting their full night's rest, but you might be able to link these issues to seasonal discomfort effecting you while you're in bed. Medications for seasonal discomfort may also cause grogginess, but they will typically come with warnings that say as much on the box.

A Few Easy Solutions

Take a shower before you go to bed. Washing yourself clean of any pollen or other irritants can reduce your chances of being effected by them while you sleep. It's also a good way to provide relief to a partner who may be dealing with seasonal discomfort as well.

Change your bedding regularly. Over time, bedding can accumulate irritants that you bring in from the outside world. Without even realizing it, you can create a “hot bed” of different germs, pollen, and other irritants that bother you when you need rest the most.

Put dirty laundry in a closed hamper. As with showering, your clothes accumulate irritants from the environment as well, but you may not have the time to wash them every single day. If you store your dirty laundry in your bedroom, make sure that they're in an enclosed space.

These easy steps can ensure that you reduce your exposure to the irritants connected with seasonal discomfort, and they might even help you to stay more tidy as well. In general, it's good to remember that while you can't always determine that it's seasonal discomfort causing you to feel tired throughout the day, it can never hurt to try it out for yourself. Also, remember that children may be even more vulnerable to sleep loss through seasonal discomfort due to a lack of self awareness about sleep cycles, restfulness, and fatigue.