Itching at night: the causes and tips to prevent it
Heat, poor fabric pajamas, or stress can cause itching or discomfort during sleep, resulting in poor rest and a build-up of fatigue. Everyone knows, however, how a peaceful and restorative sleep is essential to live well and stay in good health.
Sleeping well, along with other tricks you see in the following video, is also essential to wake up in a good mood and face the days with energy and serenity.
It is not uncommon that during the night, a more or less intense itch is felt, for the causes that we will see shortly, which can cause insomnia and various discomforts, not least irritation due to scratching.
This leads, as already mentioned, to a disturbed sleep, general annoyances and also has repercussions on the mood, making us more irritable, tired and short-tempered.
The problem is that the cause of the itch can be very varied. One of these is chronic spontaneous urticaria, a skin condition that causes hives or cutaneous angioedema that has no known cause to date. This is the main reason why there is no one-size-fits-all solution for nocturnal itching, but there are some small precautions and good habits that can help us reduce it or fight it.
See also
1. A relaxing environment
If you suffer from itch at night, you must try to do everything possible to create an environment around you that makes your sleep more sweet and pleasant. For example, keep the room clean and free of dust and mites and furnish it so that a relaxing and enveloping atmosphere welcomes you. In these cases, the colors of the room are very important, first of all, those of the walls: green , for example, it has a relaxing power, making it ideal for bedrooms; in general, however, it would be good to avoid very strong and bright colors, which would not reconcile with rest and the desire for meditation.
Also, try listening to relaxing music, isolating yourself from the noise with earplugs or covering your eyes with a night mask to avoid the light. The goal is to try to get the maximum depth of sleep possible so that itching doesn't bother you and doesn't keep you awake.
2. Scratching solves nothing
Again, we emphasize that the scratch is not part of the solution, but part of the problem.
In fact, scratching causes wounds, irritation and a worsening of the rash.
It is important to protect yourself from nocturnal scratches by keeping your fingernails short or wearing soft gloves to sleep if necessary and doing a restraining exercise while conscious, because the less you scratch, the less itchy.
To keep this feeling at bay, you can also rely on yoga or mindfulness meditation exercises that can help us relax and get more into ourselves, fundamental aspects for living better and in a conscious way. It can be done especially before going to bed, to enter a more peaceful and relaxed state of mind and to facilitate a deeper and more lasting rest.
3. Watch out for the pajamas you choose
You can choose to wear pajamas in bed, or not: sleeping naked can in fact give many benefits to the body, including a pleasant feeling of freedom.
If you choose to wear pajamas, however, it is good to follow some guidelines to avoid an annoying itch at night: choose cotton pajamas, discarding those made of wool, flannel or synthetic, and also avoid that they are too tight, especially at the waist, or rough.
The same goes for the sheets and the rest of the bedding: you need to sleep in a soft cloud to help you experience a full, comfortable-feeling sleep.
Also, when washing clothes and bedding, opt for hypoallergenic, fragrance-free detergents.
Also pay attention to underwear: even in this case, it must be of quality so as not to irritate the skin and cause irritation and itching, whether at night or during the day.
4. Beware of dinner
In order to sleep better, it is also essential to eat well, especially at dinner.
This, in the case of chronic urticaria, will probably not relieve the itching (there is no known cause for this condition, as already mentioned) but will allow you to sleep better and more soundly.
The ideal is to eat something light, low in fat and at least two and a half hours before going to bed, to avoid heavy digestion during sleep.
This will help your skin stay hydrated at all times, and the less dry it is, the less itchy you feel. For this purpose, in addition to a "healthy and balanced diet that includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, it is essential to drink at least two liters of water a day.
Another fundamental rule: no caffeine before going to bed; but not only: consume less alcohol, as it not only worsens the quality of sleep, but contributes to significantly dehydrating the skin. A nice calming herbal tea based on chamomile can be a "great solution!
5. The right temperature
Temperature is another key consideration when dealing with a fatal itch at night. Excess heat in fact causes sweating and contributes to increasing itching of the skin. The cold, on the other hand, makes the skin drier which, as we have seen, is one of the possible contributing causes of the onset of itching.
It is estimated that the optimal bedroom temperature is between 15º and 20º. If you feel hot, use a fan, placing it not too close and taking care not to keep it fixed; in these cases it is better to avoid air conditioning, because it dries out more and dries the skin. If on the contrary you feel cold, cover yourself, preferably with a cotton sheet so that it comes into contact with the skin, and on top of some blanket or duvet. , if possible hypoallergenic.
6. Visit to the dermatologist
If you have hives or any other skin disease, the first thing to do is visit your dermatologist. He will study your case and find the best solution to eliminate or alleviate your problem. In some cases, he may prescribe a cream to fight eczema and in others, he may prescribe an antihistamine to resolve the itching at night. In any case, do not follow any treatment without a doctor's supervision, as you may make the situation worse rather than better.
Learn to pamper your skin, be patient, follow these tips and those of your dermatologist and you will surely notice a great improvement. Sweet Dreams!
