Comments on: Boogey Nights

Question: Boogey Nights

scruss — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:11:24 -0800

Nocturnal nose-picking: how to stop something I'm not even aware of doing? [slightly gross details follow]

From the number of, um, magic nose goblins around the bed in the morning, it is evident that I pick my nose in my sleep. The quantity of nostril shrapnel evinced nightly is alarming, and ms scruss finds it unattractive.

I've tried to cut down on dairy products before bed, to little effect. Sprays help a little, but have strict limits on how often you can use them. Any other suggestions, short of hypnotism or a Dremel tool?

By: pluckysparrow

pluckysparrow — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:14:43 -0800

Wear socks on your hands when you sleep.

By: cincinnatus c

cincinnatus c — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:27:16 -0800

This may or may not be useful, but maybe you should pick your nose during the day. Everyone pretends they don't do it and everyone does it. OK, maybe not everyone - but I do it and so do many other people I know. I get the impression you're squeamish about this, but don't be, it's normal. Get rid of that stuff before you go to bed and your problem is half-solved.

By: Weaslegirl

Weaslegirl — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:28:15 -0800

add an inspection and good mining expedition to the pre-bedtime routine .. might at least reduce the volume...

And .. I do love that tag line...

By: scruss

scruss — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:38:23 -0800

cincinnatus c, Weaslegirl: I do actually pre-mine (or, to over-extend the disco imagery, ... till I just can't boogey no more) but it has little effect. My supply seems (unfortunately) limitless.

By: sergeant sandwich

sergeant sandwich — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:43:25 -0800

just to be contrary, what if you tried not picking your nose during the day and blow instead? maybe if you break the daytime digging habit you won't reflexively do it in your sleep.

By: nicwolff

nicwolff — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:00:26 -0800

Neti pot before bed.

By: scruss

scruss — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:10:20 -0800

what I meant to say was: I do do a pre-bed nose clean. I'm not given to daytime nasal safaris, as sergeant sandwich insinuated.

Major nasal irrigation makes me gag, and/or sneeze uncontrollably.

By: routergirl

routergirl — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:18:09 -0800

My son used to do this when he slept and wake up with nose bleeds, completely baffled as to their cause. Once we figured it out, he started wearing mittens to bed. It seemed silly, but it totally worked to break the habit.

By: springbound

springbound — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:34:34 -0800

? ;)

Could it be the environment you're in causing you to overproduce? Seemingly this isn't happening in the daytime, so... is your air at home dry? Particularly polluted? Could you be allergic to something there? I'm not actually sure what causes excess nasal mucus production but maybe someone more qualified could weigh in on that?

By: Ookseer

Ookseer — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:48:25 -0800

2nding mittens or socks. Though if you pull them off while you sleep to do the deed I don't really know what to say. Nose plugs or a nose clip would prevent access but breathing through your mouth all night isn't so great either. Maybe a piece of surgical tape or a band-aid loosely across the front of your nose, enough so that a finger will be dissuaded but not enough to get in the way of breathing.

As a last resort a spousal elbow in the ribs will quickly correct all sorts of problems.

By: clarahamster

clarahamster — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:06:13 -0800

If you're cleaning out your nose every night before going to sleep, are you 100% sure that you're the one with the nighttime nose-picking habit and not ms. scruss?

By: notsnot

notsnot — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:18:29 -0800

Yeah, if you're overproducing at night, that might be why you're pickin' in the first place.

The wife and I spent the weekend away. The "cabin" had central air, whereas we have steam radiators at home. I woke Sunday morning with a frankly prodigious amount of boogerage. I mean, it was a test of skill! So there may be an environmental aspect to consider - try humidifying.

By: 2oh1

2oh1 — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:06:53 -0800

I just had to comment to say how superb your title for this question is. Boogie Nights indeed.

Wear mittens to bed. Routergirl is right. You'll feel ridiculous, but you'll also break the bad habit.

By: blisterpack

blisterpack — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:42:07 -0800

Yeah, funny title. You could put something really smelly on your fingers before bedtime, so that when you start a-pickin', the smell will wake you up. Maybe stinky nail polish or onion juice. After a couple of weeks, your sleep-brain will probably give up on nose-picking and take up another habit, like knitting or playing the banjo.

By: Fleebnork

Fleebnork — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:30:22 -0800

It could be that you have a mild dust allergy, perhaps not enough to cause sneezing, but enough to cause your sinuses to overproduce mucus at night.

I have all sorts of allergies and find that my symptoms are reduced if I am strict about washing the sheets and duvet cover in hot water regularly. I also have a HEPA filter in my bedroom, but you may not need to go that far.

You might also try getting a dust proof pillow cover.

Speaking of pillows, do you use a feather pillow? You might also be mildly allergic to feathers.

By: christinetheslp

christinetheslp — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:05:18 -0800

If you wind up pulling off the socks or mittens you could surgical tape your fingers together in pairs (like the Spock gesture) to make them awkward to fit in your nose.

By: santojulieta

santojulieta — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:02:10 -0800

The husband seems to have the same problem, but he snorts and clears his nose a lot and his snot ends up wherever it seems to be blown. He does this in his sleep. So it might not mining, per se.

By: scruss

scruss — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 06:42:20 -0800

Humidifying made a huge difference. Major reduction in sinus geodes.