by Luke Tarnowsky
To many, spring is a season of rebirth: a time where the world heals from the cruelty of barren winter and learns to once again accept the loving embrace of vibrant colors, warm temperatures, and flourishing wildlife. However, to those afflicted by allergies, spring can feel like a Sisyphean task of fighting with your own body for the right to breathe. With the tree and grass pollen season being in full swing and the workload from courses making it near impossible to take a sick day, many students with sensitive sinuses are all seeking after the same thing: simple and easy habits to help combat seasonal allergies.
- Keep Yourself Clean
An obvious but effective strategy, regularly washing your hands and face can prevent allergens from building up on your skin. Stopping your hands from touching your face or rubbing your nose can also keep pollen away from the entrances to your sinus system, giving it less of a chance of affecting you. Additionally, this applies to clothes as well; clothing can likely carry a thin film of pollen. Making an effort to wear clean clothes and being responsible with laundry can go a long way with preventing allergy-related illnesses.
- Mind Your Living Quarters
Even if you think your home is relatively pollen-free because you do not own a houseplant, you carry a large amount of invisible pollen in with you that spreads to other surfaces. This can make your living quarters no more comfortable than the outside, especially if pollen has gotten onto your blankets and bedding, forcing you to breathe in allergens every time you try to sleep. By cleaning regularly and changing your sheets out, this gives you a comfortable, low-allergen area that you can use to help your nasal passages recover. Plus, doors and windows left open can give pollen easy access into your home. Keeping these entrances closed will reduce the need to clean in the future.
- Time Hot Showers Well
The healing magic that hot showers hold is no secret; it is one of the most common reactions people have to a painfully stuffy nose. Though they are good on their own, it is significant to time these showers well so that their positive effects can be felt for longer. Ideally, evening showers are far better when it comes to clearing allergies. By showering later in the day, it removes all the allergens that have built up on your skin since you left home that morning. This can prevent your sinuses from flaring up, leading to easier breathing at night and a much more restful sleep.
- Be Conscious About the Weather and Time
Many weather apps, websites, and television programs will display the daily pollen level along with the rest of the weather reports. Additionally, the weather itself can also make the pollen worse – conditions such as high winds, hot temperatures, and low humidity can cause more pollen molecules to be released and to remain airborne for longer. In contrast, some weather conditions can actually be beneficial for allergies. Going outside after a burst of rain has the adverse effect of going outside on a dry day; a lot of the pollen in the air has been swept away by the storm, and the humidity that is left in its place can help with breathing. The time of day also plays an important role in the number of allergens in the air. Try not to stay outside long in the morning, as that is when pollen intensity is the highest. Instead, go out during the evening. Pollen levels are at their lowest during this time and the temperature is much cooler.
- Stop and Smell the Roses…Literally
With all the new sights that spring can hold, it is almost impossible to stay cooped up inside. People want to go outside to see the flowers bloom. Luckily for them, flowering plants, especially those with bright colors, typically do not bother people with pollen allergies. Instead, it is the trees, grasses, and weeds that affect people the most, as they rely on the wind to spread their pollen. So, be conscious about the plant life near you, do not remain in places with lots of tall grasses and overgrown trees for long, and know that if you are next to a strikingly colored rose bush, it is completely safe to enjoy the gifts of the season and sample its smell.