A better night’s sleep for people with asthma and allergies
Do you ever struggle to get a good night’s sleep because of symptoms like sneezing, nasal congestion, coughing or wheezing?
Last updated 21 July 2023
Related topics
Wet weather triggers can lead to asthma flare-ups
Breathe easy: How indoor air quality impacts your allergies

We have a ton of Sensitive Choice approved products that may be able to help you get a much better sleep. We look at three main factors:
- Material – whether it’s naturally resistant to allergens like dust mites and mould growth.
- Fabric treatment – whether the product has a non-toxic anti-bacterial/anti-microbial treatment to eliminate dust mites and prevent the growth of mould, mildew, fungus and bacteria.
- Physical barrier – whether the product creates a physical barrier that prevents allergens such as dust mites, pollen, pet dander, and mould spores from settling into areas of the bedding such as pillows, duvet inners and mattresses.
The following products are available in stores throughout New Zealand. These have all been rigorously reviewed by an independent panel of experts.
- A.H. Beard – mattresses
- Bambi – pillows, duvet inners, sheet sets, mattress protectors and pillow protectors
- Herington – duvet inners, pillows, wool underlay and mattress topper
- Jaspa Black – pillows and foam underlay
- Protect-A-Bed – mattress protectors, pillow protectors, mattress encasements, duvet inner protectors, linen protectors and baby change mat covers
- Numu – products for babies including mattress, bassinet mattress, cot sheets and bassinet sheets
- Bekaert Deslee – mattress ticking (the fabric covering your mattress and mattress base)
We even have our own Sensitive Choice pillow – manufactured on behalf of Sensitive Choice by Jaspa Herington.
If you have nasal congestion, there are also personal care products that can help.
If you are regularly waking in the night from asthma symptoms or using your reliever medication more than 2–3 times a week (excluding before exercise), this is a sign your asthma needs to be better controlled. If this sounds familiar, see your GP for an asthma review.