Morning puffiness is fluid that settled in the soft tissue of your face while you slept. Lying flat for hours lets it pool, most visibly under and around the eyes, where the skin is thinnest. As you stand up and move, it slowly drains. Some mornings it's barely there; other mornings it takes half the day to go.
The usual suspects
Salt
A salty dinner makes your body hold on to water to keep its sodium balance, and some of that water shows up in your face the next morning.
Short or poor sleep
Puffy eyes are one of the first things people notice after a bad night. Sleeping flat, and sleeping on your face, can make it worse.
Alcohol
Alcohol dilates blood vessels and disrupts your body's fluid balance, a combination that often shows up as a puffy, flushed face the morning after.
Flights and travel
Long hours sitting still, dry cabin air and salty plane food add up to the classic red-eye face.
Your cycle
Many people retain more water in the days before a period, including in the face.
Allergies
Hay fever and other allergies can cause swelling around the eyes. If puffiness comes with itching, redness or watering, it's worth talking to a doctor or pharmacist.
What actually helps
- Cold. Cold narrows blood vessels and is how clinicians manage swelling around the eyes after surgery. It's also the fastest thing you can do at home.
- Gravity and movement. An extra pillow and getting up and moving help fluid drain.
- Gentle, upward massage. Light strokes from the center of the face out toward the ears follow the way fluid drains.
- Less salt and alcohol the night before. Not glamorous, but it works.
The Korean way: 붓기 관리 (butgi gwalli)
In Korea, swelling care, 붓기 관리 (butgi gwalli), is an everyday habit, not a special treatment. Corn silk tea, pumpkin juice and adzuki bean tea are classic depuffing drinks, and a cold spoon under the eyes is a common morning trick. Pufferfish brings that habit into a three-minute routine.
When to see a doctor
Everyday morning puffiness is normal. Swelling that is sudden, painful, on one side only, comes with a rash or shortness of breath, or doesn't go away during the day should be checked by a doctor.