7 Tips to Survive the Spring Allergy Season

Spring is here and all the beauty that comes with it: flowers, fresh air, warmer temps, and those wonderful longer days. What’s not to love? Oh, right, allergies! And all the lovely side effects that go with them – itchy eyes, runny nose, scratchy throat. You may feel that you can’t enjoy the spring weather with pollen and other allergens floating in the air. Luckily, you can still make the most of your allergy season with these easy tips!

1. Shower at Night

When you’re out and about during the day, your clothing and hair get covered in grass and pollen spores. If you shower in the morning, that means you’re bringing the day’s allergens into your home and bed. By showering at night, or in the early evening, all of those pesky irritants get washed away and you will not be introducing them into your personal space (bedding, couch, etc.).

2. Close Your Windows

Bathing at night won’t help much if your house is already full of allergens. Keeping the windows closed during peak pollen hours can help reduce the amount of irritation you experience in your own home. When are peak hours? Pollen levels tend to rise until daily highs around noon with the lowest concentrations before dawn and in the evening. Other environmental factors contribute to the intensity of pollen: rainy days suppress pollen while windy days move them around and cause more severe symptoms.

Be warned: keeping the windows closed isn’t always enough! Did you know, depending on your home’s ventilation system, one third of the outside air can still get in? Having your A/C unit circulate or installing a filter with a MERV level of 11 or higher can reduce internal pollen counts even more.

3. Keep Your Pets Clean

All the efforts you go through to keep your house clean can mean nothing if your pet tracks in all sorts of irritating allergens.

Keep your hypoallergenic dog irritant free by bathing him or her twice a month. Don’t forget to wipe them with a damp towel before they go in the house and keep them out of your bedroom, if you can. That way everyone is happy and still breathing freely.

4. Drink Tea!

Some people like it for the flavor, some because it helps them sleep, you might be happy to hear it helps relieve allergies. Tea can help your sneezing, congestion, or itchiness and it pairs well with your night-time bath. Tea is a wonderful beverage and there’s an option for everyone, so give it a try!

5. Spice Up Your Life

One of the biggest pains of allergy symptoms is congestion. A stuffy nose makes it hard to enjoy your favorite activities. Clear out your nasal passage by adding more spicy foods to your diet. Cayenne pepper, horse radish, or hot sauce are easy to add to any meal and add a world of flavor.

For you adventurous eaters, you can try something spicy and fermented like kimchi. The spice opens your nasal passages and taste buds.

6. Wear Sunglasses

Allergens like pollen get picked up and moved by the wind. If you’ve noticed your eyes itch on windy days, this may be why. Reduce the likelihood of having to rub your eyes by blocking pollen entry by wearing your favorite sunglasses. Avoiding allergies never looked so good!

7. Know What’s Coming

If you haven’t noticed, the biggest tip to preventing allergies this spring season is to be prepared. The best way is to know what’s coming. By watching the weather and checking the pollen count, you’ll know how much preparation is needed per day.

Websites like pollen.com  provide you with forecasts and even offer apps for your phone for quick use.

Now, hopefully you’re armed with a bit more information and are ready to beat this allergy season! You’ve got this! Being prepared is more than half of the battle, but when you need a little extra help, you can always reach for your preferred allergy remedy.