Hoosier State Today

• Chronic sinusitis can cause poor-quality sleep, which can lead to other negative health consequences.
• Other factors that could contribute to poor sleep are stress and anxiety, an irregular sleep schedule and consuming too much alcohol or caffeine.
• Poor sleep can cause bad moods, an inability to focus and depression.

Bad moods, a lack of focus and depression can all be linked to poor sleep, but the underlying issue could be a number of things including stress or anxiety, an irregular schedule, consuming too much alcohol or caffeine, or chronic sinus issues. 

Dr. Nicholas Hollenkamp, an otolaryngologist at Indianapolis Sinus Center, said chronic sinusitis symptoms can make it hard for patients to get a good night's sleep. 

"If you can't breathe, it's hard to sleep. If you're having sinus pressure or pressure headaches, it's hard to sleep. If you're having a lot of drainage, it's hard to sleep," Hollenkamp told Hoosier State Today. "People who have chronic sinusitis, they can have all those things and more."

According to a study published by Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy, people who suffer from chronic sinusitis are more likely to experience poor-quality sleep. The study pointed out that anywhere from 8 to 18% of the general population suffers from sleep disruption, while 60 to 75% of people with chronic sinusitis experience sleep problems. The study found that chronic sinusitis patients who experience sleep disruption are also more likely to experience depression, a decreased quality of life, difficulty concentrating, fatigue throughout the day, and decreased memory and productivity.

There are signs that your quality of sleep could be better, including taking more than a half-hour to fall asleep, waking up more than once at night routinely, skin breakouts, red or puffy eyes or dark circles under the eyes and inability to focus. The Sleep Foundation offers several tips to help improve sleep, including setting a consistent sleep schedule, avoiding electronics with blue light about 30 minutes before bedtime and implementing a relaxing nighttime routine. If those steps still don't work, it could be time to consult a doctor. 

Atlanta ENT Sinus & Allergy Associates reported that many patients who had a minimally invasive surgery to treat chronic sinus issues also noticed a drastically improved quality of sleep after surgery. Those patients also experienced improvements in not only sleep but in their quality of life, according to a study of more than 500 patients who underwent the procedure.

To learn more about the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.