It may be annoying to find facial puffiness in the morning, especially if it lasts all day.
Puffiness in the face generally results from fluid retention, which can stem from a number of factors. Treatments and home care techniques can ease and prevent this issue by addressing the underlying cause.
Causes
Several factors can cause a puffy face in the morning, including underlying health issues and a person’s diet.
Sleep
For many people, waking up with a puffy face stems from normal overnight fluid retention — but this may be more noticeable if a person gets too little or too much sleep.
Lying down causes fluid to rest and collect in the face, and a person’s sleeping position may also exacerbate this. Sleeping facedown, for example, may have this effect.
Most cases are no cause for concern, but anyone with severe symptoms, such as swollen eyes or trouble opening their eyes, needs medical attention.
Foods
Eating certain foods at night or in the evening sometimes leads to extra puffiness in the morning.
In general, eating foods high in sodium can cause the body to retain more water. This increase in sodium usually makes people thirsty, so they drink more, but the body does not release this extra water in urine. Instead, the water collects in different areas, including the face.
Some common high-sodium foods to avoid include:
fast food, such as burgers, fries, and pizza
processed meats, such as bacon and pepperoni
sushi, especially with soy sauce
chips, nachos, and pretzels
Alcohol
A period
Menstruation commonly causes fluid retention, and before a period, a person may notice puffiness in the face upon waking.
A person may recognize menstruation as the cause of the puffiness if symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) are also present.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism, which involves the thyroid gland not producing enough hormone, affects about 4.6%Trusted Source of the U.S. population older than 12.
Beyond facial puffiness, people with hypothyroidism may also experience:
weight gain
fatigue
poor cold tolerance
dry skin
thinning hair
Anyone who suspects they have hypothyroidism should talk to a doctor, who can order a blood test.