Sleep Health, Sleep Tips May 15, 2024, Updated on July 25, 2024

Why You Wake Up With a Puffy Face

Written by Taneia Surles Reviewed by Risa Kerslake, RN, BSN

Waking up with a puffy face is common and can be caused by fluid retention, allergies, certain foods, alcohol, menstruation, or medical conditions like Cushing’s syndrome. Remedies include cold water, facial massage, skincare products, good sleep, and avoiding alcohol.

Do you ever wake up after a good night’s rest and realize your face is a bit puffy? Well, you’re not alone—it’s a common experience for many. But you might be wondering: Why the heck does your face swell in the morning?

Here’s a look at why you have a puffy face in the morning and ways to reduce the swelling.

Why is my face puffy in the morning?

You could wake up with a puffy face in the morning for several reasons. Some of the most common reasons include:

Overnight fluid retention

Facial swelling in the morning may occur just from sleeping due to normal overnight fluid retention. [1]

“Fluids naturally shift in the body as part of normal regulatory processes,” says Edward Robinson, a non-surgical aesthetics doctor in the UK and the founder and company director at Dr. Ed Robinson Aesthetics.

Allergies and skin irritation

“Allergies and skin irritation are a particularly common cause of facial swelling,” Robinson says. Allergens, such as dust, dander, or pollen you may unknowingly inhale at night, can lead to morning puffiness.

The symptoms of allergies, like sneezing, watery eyes, or congestion, can also cause your face to swell, a condition known as angioedema or swelling under the skin. [2]

Certain foods

What you eat may cause puffiness in the morning. For example, salty foods, like chips or french fries, may cause facial swelling.

Too much salt causes fluid or water retention in your body as sodium attracts water. Fluid retention can lead to swollen, puffy skin around your eyes. [3]

Alcohol

Like salty foods, alcoholic beverages can cause water retention. Alcohol causes inflammation, leading to bloating and puffiness in your face as well as other areas of your body you might notice in the morning. [4]

Menstruation

The menstrual cycle can also cause facial swelling due to fluid retention. Facial puffiness is a common symptom of premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, which can occur a day or two before a period starts. [5]

Cushing’s syndrome

Certain medical conditions can cause puffy faces when you wake up. Cushing’s syndrome, also known as hypercortisolism, is a chronic condition that occurs when your body produces too much cortisol. [6] One symptom of this condition is puffiness in the face. [7]

How to reduce a puffy face in the morning

Here are some ways to minimize morning puffiness in your face:

Use cold water

If you’re seeking a quick fix, try splashing cold water on your face or using a cold towel or compress to reduce facial swelling in the morning. [8]

Massage your face

“Massaging the face and having a morning skincare regime also helps shift the fluid,” Robinson explains. “A popular trend at the moment is a gua sha—a tool for aiding in lymphatic massage—which some people find helpful.” [9]

Jade rollers are another tool you can use to massage your face. They can help increase blood circulation and promote lymphatic drainage to reduce puffiness in your face. [10]

Try skincare products

“Certain skincare products—usually aimed at the under eyes—contain caffeine and can tighten the skin and help to depuff,” Robinson says. [11]

Some examples of other skincare ingredients that may help reduce swelling include:

  • Niacinamide [12]
  • Aloe vera [13]
  • Witch hazel [14]
  • Sea buckthorn oil [15]
  • Chamomile [16]
  • Tiger grass [17]
  • Cannabidiol (CBD) [18]
  • Calendula [19]
  • Licorice extract [20]

Aim for a good night’s rest

“Getting a good night’s sleep is the best but not the easiest way to reduce facial puffiness,” Robinson says. You may also want to avoid drinking alcohol near bedtime to reduce facial swelling. [4]

“Alcohol not only makes sleep quality worse due to its effects on your nervous system, but it also makes swelling worse,” he adds.

If an underlying medical condition is causing facial swelling, then speak with a healthcare professional to discuss treatment options.

FAQs

Does dehydration cause a puffy face?

If you’re wondering why you wake up with a puffy face, it might be due to dehydration. “Dehydration can cause a puffy face in the morning—particularly if this dehydration is due to alcohol,” Robinson explains. “Simply put, when the body is dehydrated, it tries to hold onto fluid where it can, and this is particularly obvious in the face.” [21]

How do you de-puff your face in the morning?

If you want to get rid of facial swelling in the morning, there are a few different things you can try. These include:

  • Using cold water
  • Massaging your face
  • Trying skincare products
  • Encouraging sound sleep

Wondering what’s to blame for your dark circles? Next, learn whether lack of sleep can cause dark circles.

References

  1. Kasai T. (2016). Fluid Retention and Rostral Fluid Shift in Sleep-Disordered Breathing. Current hypertension reviews, 12(1), 32–42. https://doi.org/10.2174/1573402112666160114093550
  2. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Angioedema (Swelling Under the Skin). https://aafa.org/allergies/allergy-symptoms/skin-allergies/angioedema/#
  3. Cleveland Clinic. Why Too Much Salt Can Be Bad for You. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-salt-bad-for-you
  4. Health Service Executive. How alcohol affects your looks. https://www2.hse.ie/living-well/alcohol/health/effects-on-your-body/your-looks/
  5. Mayo Clinic. Water retention: Relieve this premenstrual symptom. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/womens-health/in-depth/water-retention/art-20044983
  6. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Cushing’s Syndrome. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/cushings-syndrome#
  7. Mayo Clinic. Cushing syndrome. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cushing-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351310
  8. Mount Sinai. Facial swelling. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/symptoms/facial-swelling
  9. Cleveland Clinic. Why Gua Sha Might Be Good For You. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-gua-sha-might-be-good-for-you
  10. Cleveland Clinic. Face Rolling: How To Do It and Its Many Benefits. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/face-roller-benefits
  11. Elias, M. L., Israeli, A. F., & Madan, R. (2023). Caffeine in Skincare: Its Role in Skin Cancer, Sun Protection, and Cosmetics. Indian journal of dermatology, 68(5), 546–550. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijd.ijd_166_22
  12. Gehring W. (2004). Nicotinic acid/niacinamide and the skin. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 3(2), 88–93. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1473-2130.2004.00115.x
  13. Penn Medicine. Aloe Vera: Not Just for Sunburns. https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2019/august/aloe
  14. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Witch Hazel, Not Just for Grandma Anymore! https://aglab.ars.usda.gov/explore-learn/witch-hazel-not-just-grandma-anymore
  15. Solà Marsiñach, M., & Cuenca, A. P. (2019). The impact of sea buckthorn oil fatty acids on human health. Lipids in health and disease, 18(1), 145. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12944-019-1065-9
  16. Srivastava, J. K., Shankar, E., & Gupta, S. (2010). Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Molecular medicine reports, 3(6), 895–901. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2010.377
  17. Cleveland Clinic. Centella Asiatica: The Most Popular Skin Care Ingredient You’ve Never Heard Of. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/centella-asiatica-for-skin
  18. Harvard Health. Cannabidiol (CBD): What we know and what we don’t. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cannabidiol-cbd-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont-2018082414476
  19. Nand, P., Drabu, S., & Gupta, R. (2012). Phytochemical and antimicrobial screening of medicinal plants for the treatment of acne. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Phytochemical-and-antimicrobial-screening-of-plants-Nand-Drabu/c58d47f7afd33da429c49fe0db96ce3753b26fd9?p2df
  20. Hoffmann, J., Gendrisch, F., Schempp, C. M., & Wölfle, U. (2020). New Herbal Biomedicines for the Topical Treatment of Dermatological Disorders. Biomedicines, 8(2), 27. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines8020027
  21. Goodman, G. D., Kaufman, J., Day, D., Weiss, R., Kawata, A. K., Garcia, J. K., Santangelo, S., & Gallagher, C. J. (2019). Impact of Smoking and Alcohol Use on Facial Aging in Women: Results of a Large Multinational, Multiracial, Cross-sectional Survey. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 12(8), 28–39. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6715121/

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