If you suffer from hay fever, a seasonal allergy that comes about in spring and summer, you’ll certainly know about it. From sneezing and runny noses to itchy eyes and even hives, it’s can range from mild to severe, and for some, it can really get in the way of living a normal life – they may even have to be hospitalized.
This is why it’s important to understand how to reduce the symptoms of hay fever as much as possible. At the very least, it will mean a more comfortable summer, and at most, it could mean saving you from a trip to the hospital and many days or weeks away from work and your family life. Read on to find out more.
Shower Every Day
Hay fever comes about through an allergy to pollen. For some, it’s the pollen in the grass, others are allergic to tree pollen, still, more have a problem with flower pollen, and some are allergic to every pollen there is. No matter what kind of pollen causes you problems, the best course of action is to take at least one shower every day, and ideally two.
Showering in the morning means that anything that has attached itself to your skin overnight will be washed away. Showering before bed means that you can wash off any pollen that had landed on you when you were going about your daily business.
By keeping your skin and hair as clean and clear of your allergens as possible, the symptoms will hopefully be less severe.
Wear Eye Protection
A lot of the time, pollen will cause problems with your eyes. They will become red and itchy, they will water, and they will be seriously uncomfortable. Wearing eye protection will help to prevent much of the pollen from entering your eyes in the first place, thus ensuring that the symptoms you experience are milder.
Sunglasses are a good idea because not only will they help prevent pollen issues, they will also keep your vision protected from the UV rays from the sun. If you are inside, standard glasses will work well, so you might want to invest in some with clear lenses if you don’t need a prescription. Contact lenses are also a great way to deal with this, as they protect the eye itself. If you go down this route, use one day lenses so that you don’t run the risk of a build-up of pollen on the outside of the lens which then transfers to your eyes after a few days.
Vacuum Regularly
Pollen can get into your home in many different ways. It might be on your clothing or shoes or even your hair and skin if you’ve been outside, or it can easily blow through a window or vent, for example. This is why it’s so important to vacuum your home regularly.
If you vacuum every day, you’ll suck up much of the pollen in your home, and so it won’t be so much of an issue. If you also make it your mission to change your bedding at least once a week and ideally every two to three days, this will also help greatly.
