Can You Die From Anaphylaxis In Your Sleep?
Can you die in your sleep from anaphylaxis?
This question is not to scare you but to create awareness about how anaphylaxis can strike many hours after exposure and how rapidly it can turn fatal. While it's true that dying from anaphylaxis during sleep is technically possible, there is good news. According to the Allergy & Asthma Network, even if you experience anaphylaxis during sleep, the symptoms should wake you up. This is because the symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction are too severe for you to sleep through them.
How can you avoid fatal anaphylaxis during sleep?
Having an emergency plan in place for managing anaphylaxis can save your life. It’s important to know about the warning signs of anaphylaxis so you can quickly identify them and act immediately. Your plan should include having your pair of epinephrine auto-injectors close to you at all times and knowing your allergy triggers so you can avoid them. You can also train your family members on identifying the symptoms of anaphylaxis and how to use an EpiPen in case you cannot administer it yourself.
Anaphylaxis can become fatal in less than 15 minutes.
Epinephrine can save your life if administered immediately. It reverses the drop in blood pressure and relaxes your airway so you can breathe. Keep an epinephrine auto-injector on a bedside table for easy access.
