Waking up with a puffy face? This is a common problem and contrary to popular beliefs, you do not have to settle for it. There are several treatments and lifestyle tweaks you can implement to reduce morning puffiness. This article explains what causes morning puffiness, its solutions, and ways to prevent it from recurring.
WHAT IS MORNING PUFFINESS?
You guessed it – not even a doctor has to tell you that you have morning puffiness; you will see it yourself. It is the facial swelling you notice in the mirror after waking up. There are two main culprits for morning puffiness; Water retention and sluggish lymph.
WATER RETENTION
Morning puffiness occurs due to fluid retention in facial tissues during long periods of lying down. During sleep, your heart rate and blood pressure slow down. As a result, blood circulation is reduced. And since you are lying down, gravity makes it even more challenging for body fluids to circulate to your legs or lower body. Therefore, most of this fluid is trapped within your facial tissues, causing the swollen face and eyes you see after waking up.
SLUGGISH LYMPH
Just as a sponge sieves out impurities from water, lymph nodes function as filters within your body, cleansing lymphatic fluid from harmful substances and waste products. During filtering, these nodes can become clogged, leading to a sluggish flow of lymphatic fluid. This fluid obstruction manifests as morning puffiness in various body areas, including the arms & legs (known as lymphedema), face, and abdomen.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF MORNING PUFFINESS?
Although morning puffiness could be because of an underlying health condition, the root cause could be anything from the toothpaste you are using to just a natural process.
Here is why you are waking up with a swollen face and eyes:
1. Alcohol
Have you ever wondered why your face looks puffy in the morning after a late night at the bar? Well, too much alcohol makes you dehydrated by reducing ADH (antidiuretic hormone), the hormone responsible for fluid retention. Alcohol causes lower levels of ADH, which causes frequent urination, leading to dehydration. When this happens, your body compensates by holding onto the body fluid, contributing to the swelling of the face the following morning.
2. Inflammatory disorders
Any condition that causes inflammation could cause morning puffiness in the morning. For example, rosacea, sinusitis, hypothyroidism, mumps, cellulitis, allergic reactions, eczema, hay fever, and injuries. When it is inflammation in play, you will notice other symptoms besides facial puffiness such as pain, tenderness, and redness, indicating a more serious problem. You should consult your health practitioner when you experience these signs.
3. Poor sleeping habits
Too much or too little sleep could cause facial bloating in the morning. During sleep, the body undergoes a process of fluid redistribution. Inadequate sleep might lead to poor fluid balance, causing fluid to accumulate in facial tissues and result in morning puffiness. Conversely, oversleeping may disrupt the normal fluid distribution, leading to a similar effect.
4. Hormonal Imbalance/ Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Fluctuations of hormones, especially before your menstrual period, increase water retention, causing bloating, particularly in the face and belly. At this time, elevated progesterone levels will cause the body to retain more fluid. Hence the swelling of the face and eyes.
5. Genetics
According to studies, if your parents, grandparents, or other blood-bound relatives experienced facial puffiness, there's a higher chance you will also have that. For some individuals, there is no other reason for morning puffiness other than hereditary.
6. Poor diet
Eating salty foods or sodium-rich diets, especially at night, could swell up your face in the morning. Though salt and sodium are essential to our health, consuming too much retains more fluid than you need, leaving you with a swollen face and eyes every morning.
7. Crying the night before
Based on personal experience, you might have already noticed that staying up late at night and crying, whether over TikTok videos, a breakup, or any other issue, can lead to waking up with puffy eyes and face. The salt content of your tears pulls more fluid to your eyes and face.
HOW DO I RESOLVE MORNING PUFFINESS?
Irrespective of the cause, there are effective and safe ways to quickly move past morning puffiness, and get your day started.
1. Herbs
Mineral rich herbs like nettle, oatstraw, and dandelion leaf help us to maintain fluid balance by staying hydrated while getting rid of excess. Dandelion Leaf, while being a diuretic by nature, has high amount of potassium. So while it helps to reduce excess fluid, it is as the same time replacing any potassium that you would be losing. Our lymph love is a great blend that promotes lymphatic drainage and movement, and gently supports the kidneys.
2. Exercise
Think of exercise as a water pump. It potentiates body fluid circulation throughout the body. Actively moving your body through exercises like jogging, running, skipping, or rebounding is a sure way to wake your body up and reduce morning puffiness.
3. Gua cha
Gua cha is a traditional Chinese medicine technique where a tool is used to stroke the skin to help with various conditions, including morning puffiness. This method has been proven by experts to be effective for circulation and elasticity. A study to determine the microcirculatory effects of Gua Cha on the skin revealed that it increases microcirculation by fourfold when done for 7.5 to 25 minutes, especially in women.Moreover, Gua Cha manually encourages lymphatic fluid drainage since the lymph vessels are directly under the skin. Other techniques like lymphatic drainage massage, dry brushing, and honey tapping are also highly effective in reducing morning puffiness due to sluggish lymph.
WAYS TO PREVENT MORNING PUFFINESS
1. Nutrition
Reduce your salt and sodium intake, and you’ll eventually notice a reduction in morning puffiness and bloating. That means that you have to cut down on processed foods because of their high sodium content. Also, instead of table salt, you can opt for pink Himalayan salt or Celtic sea salt because these contain less sodium.
2. Reduce Alcohol Intake and stay hydrated.
As mentioned earlier, alcohol causes dehydration and swelling of body tissues. Limit your alcohol consumption and drink more water to prevent morning puffiness. You can also incorporate juicy fruits and vegetables like watermelon, coconut, cucumber, and celery into your diet to keep you hydrated.
3. Sleep well
Having 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is another way to prevent morning puffiness. High-quality sleep is like a switch button for a malfunctioning and worn-out body. It revives every body system, including the vascular system and the lymphatic system, making you function more efficiently.
Additionally, consider sleeping with your head elevated in at least a 30º angle supported by pillows. This position helps blood to descend effortlessly to your lower body while asleep.
4. Avoid allergens
Identify triggers or allergens such as dust, dander, and pollen that could be contributing to your morning puffiness, and get rid of them.
Bottom Line
Although morning puffiness is uncomfortable, the good news is that it is not permanent and can easily be rectified even in the comfort of your home.
Remember that if your morning puffiness does not resolve or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as pain, tenderness, redness, or hotness, you should consult your doctor to see if additional treatment is required.
