Grand Canyon Times

• 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.

Chronic sinusitis can make it more difficult to breathe through the nose, which in turn can negatively affect the quality of a patient's sleep, Dr. Brian Lee of Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center told Grand Canyon Times.

"Usually patients with chronic sinusitis have issues breathing through the nose," Lee said. "Most patients come in saying that they're chronic mouth-breathers. They don't sleep very well, they wake up with a really dry mouth, they start snoring more or louder. A lot of that just comes down to their nose being plugged and not functioning properly. And that can definitely impact the quality of their sleep."

A study published by Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy found that people who suffer from chronic sinusitis are more likely to experience poor-quality sleep. While 8 to 18% of the general population suffers from sleep disruption, the study found that 60 to 75% of people with chronic sinusitis experience sleep disruption. 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.

Signs that your sleep quality could be better include taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep at night, regularly waking up more than once during the night, experiencing breakouts, having red or puffy eyes or dark circles under the eyes, finding it difficult to concentrate during the day or feeling tired throughout the day, according to the Sleep Foundation.

In addition to chronic health conditions, factors that can contribute to poor sleep quality include stress and anxiety, the absence of a regular sleep schedule, or drinking too much caffeine or alcohol. To improve sleep quality, the Sleep Foundation recommends implementing a consistent sleep schedule, not watching television or looking at a phone or computer within 30 minutes of going to bed, not drinking alcohol or caffeine before bed, and starting a relaxing bedtime routine. If sleep quality does not improve after implementing those changes, it could be time to talk a doctor.

Many patients who undergo a minimally invasive surgery to treat their chronic sinusitis also find that after the surgery, their quality of sleep drastically improves, according to Atlanta ENT Sinus & Allergy Associates. A study of more than 500 patients who underwent sinus surgery found significant improvement in the patients' sleep quality and overall quality of life.

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