Several factors can cause a puffy face in the morning, including underlying health issues and a person’s diet.
Diet, sleep, and makeup
Below, learn how a person’s day-to-day routine can lead to facial puffiness in the morning.
Reading: How to reduce puffy face
Sleep
For many people, waking up with a puffy face stems from normal overnight fluid retention — but this may be more noticeable if a person gets too little or too much sleep.
Lying down causes fluid to rest and collect in the face, and a person’s sleeping position may also exacerbate this. Sleeping facedown, for example, may have this effect.
As the person starts their morning and spends time upright, these fluids may go away.
Makeup
Falling asleep with makeup on can cause a skin reaction called contact dermatitis, which can lead to redness, irritation, or puffiness in the face and eyes.
Most cases are no cause for concern, but anyone with severe symptoms, such as swollen eyes or trouble opening their eyes, needs medical attention.
Foods
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Eating certain foods at night or in the evening sometimes leads to extra puffiness in the morning. In general, eating foods high in sodium can cause the body to retain more water. This increase in sodium usually makes people thirsty, so they drink more, but the body does not release this extra water in urine. Instead, the water collects in different areas, including the face.
Some common high-sodium foods to avoid include:
- fast food, such as burgers, fries, and pizza
- processed meats, such as bacon and pepperoni
- sushi, especially with soy sauce
- chips, nachos, and pretzels
Alcohol
Some people wake up with puffy faces after a night of drinking.
Alcohol causes a person to urinate more, which can cause mild dehydration. In response, the body may retain water where it can, such as in the face.
Physical causes and health conditions
Menstruation and certain health issues may cause the face to retain fluid.
A period
Menstruation commonly causes fluid retention, and before a period, a person may notice puffiness in the face upon waking.A person may recognize menstruation as the cause of the puffiness if symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) are also present.
Allergies
Sometimes, facial puffiness in the morning results from allergies to dust, dander, or pollen inhaled during the night. The person may not notice any symptoms until they wake up.
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Other symptoms of the allergic reaction, such as congestion, a runny nose, sneezing, and itchy or watery eyes, may indicate that allergies are causing the puffiness.
Sinus infection
A puffy face in the morning may be a sign of a sinus infection. It can also cause:
- pain and tenderness in the face
- postnasal drip
- frontal headaches
- pain in the teeth
- a fever
- a stuffy nose
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism, which involves the thyroid gland not producing enough hormone, affects about 4.6% of the U.S. population older than 12.
Beyond facial puffiness, people with hypothyroidism may also experience:
- weight gain
- fatigue
- poor cold tolerance
- dry skin
- thinning hair
Anyone who suspects they have hypothyroidism should talk to a doctor, who can order a blood test.
Cushing’s syndrome
In some cases, Cushing’s syndrome can cause a puffy face first thing in the morning. It involves the body having cortisol levels that are too high, and it often occurs as a side effect of medications.
Cushing’s syndrome can cause facial puffiness at all times, but this may be more noticeable in the morning.
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