What causes nosebleeds at night?

Nosebleeds can happen at night for exactly the same reasons as nosebleeds in the day.

This includes:

• dry air – the blood vessels in the nose are sensitive to dryness. While you’re breathing through your mouth when you sleep, the membranes are more likely to crack, making the blood vessels bleed

• allergies – if you suffer from allergies or hay fever, you might have spent most of the day sneezing, which irritated the nasal passages and makes them more prone to bleeding (especially when you lie down)

• medications – anyone who takes blood thinners or aspirin is at a greater risk of nosebleeds, as these are designed to prevent blood clots, making you bleed more easily and take longer to stop

• sleeping with your head to one side – this can also put pressure on the nasal cavity, much like a cold, allergies, and changes in pressure, humidity, and temperature, causing your nose to bleed