For many of us (49%, to be precise), spring allergies are a real nuisance. Stuffy noses, itchy throats, eczema, postnasal drip, sleep disturbances, and dark circles under the eyes all add to a persistent feeling of inflamed irritability that's hard to shake off.
Every year, it's the same story. Many of us have likely developed a routine to tackle these symptoms, which might include over-the-counter medicines, nasal sprays, saline washes, and face coverings—anything to fend off the pollen, pet dander, and mould.
However, there's another option: an advanced air purification system. It’s a simple philosophy that goes something like this—clear your air of pollen, pollutants, and irritants, and clear your nose, throat, and mind all at the same time.
While it’s true that breathing cleaner air can alleviate symptoms of spring allergies, it's equally important to adopt a comprehensive routine that reduces allergy symptoms and helps you return to feeling clear-headed and comfortable.
Causes of Spring Allergies
Before you start adjusting your daily routine, it’s crucial to pinpoint the triggers of spring allergies, allowing you to effectively combat the symptoms right away.
Pollen
It’s a pervasive presence each spring. Drifting from the majestic silver birch trees lining your street, swirling in the breeze from backyard weeds, and wafting into your nasal passages from the tall grass on nearby hillsides.
When pollen enters the body, our immune system responds, releasing antibodies to fight the allergens, which leads to a surge of histamines in our bloodstream. These histamines trigger the well-known symptoms of spring allergies, such as a runny nose, itchy eyes, mucus buildup, and widespread inflammation.
However, before you consider felling your alder, birch, hawthorn, and willow trees, remember this: pollen can travel for miles. The best approach is to find solutions that don't involve removing these oxygen-producing plants or relocating them.
Mould
April showers not only bring May flowers but also May mould. An increase in moisture and temperature fosters mould growth, both outdoors and indoors. Given that 1 in 4 people in the UK suffer from environmental allergies, including mould, many are plagued by mild to severe respiratory issues each spring. Reducing mould presence can significantly alleviate the distress of spring allergies.
Dust Mites
Spring is everyone’s favourite time for cleaning. While spring cleaning is a ritual eagerly anticipated by some, tackling that closet, garage, loft, bookshelf, or the daunting area behind the fridge can stir up a host of dust mites, known culprits for stuffy noses, asthma, and sneezing. But there’s good news. By using an air purifier, you can clean your home and trap dust mites simultaneously, ensuring not only a tidy space but also purified air.
How to Manage Spring Allergies?
Unfortunately, there’s no cure for spring allergies—only ways to manage it.
By adopting a few straightforward strategies, investing in air purification, and taking necessary precautions, you can reduce the impact spring allergies have on your daily life. Here are some practical tips on how to manage spring allergies:
1. Invest in an Air Purifier
An air purifier is a highly effective way to combat allergy symptoms associated with pollen, mould, and pet dander. For example, a high-quality air purifier like the Coway Airmega 300 can remove over 99.999% of all airborne contaminants as small as 0.01 microns, helping to reduce the number of airborne irritants, allergens, and pollutants in your home or office, making it easier to breathe both day and night.
2. Monitor Your Pollen Count
Stay informed about the pollen levels in your area. Check your local weather forecasts for daily pollen counts and try to stay indoors as much as possible on high pollen days. Remember that windy days can dramatically increase pollen levels, so it’s best to be prepared before heading outside.
3. Vacuum and Dust Regularly
Environments laden with dust and pet dander can exacerbate spring allergy symptoms, particularly when combined with high pollen counts and increased airborne mould spores. Use a vacuum with a GreenHEPA™ filter to capture pet hair and dander effectively. Additionally, run your air purifier while dusting and vacuuming to trap and filter all the allergens, pollen, pollutants, and dust mites stirred up into the air.
4. Shower Frequently
If you’ve been outdoors on a day when pollen levels are high, it’s wise to change out of your clothes and shower as soon as you return home. Washing pollen, dust, and mould spores off your body and hair can significantly help in reducing your symptoms.
5. Dry Your Clothes Indoors
While the scent of sun-dried clothing might be appealing, drying clothes outdoors during pollen season turns them into pollen magnets. To avoid bringing pollen into your home on your clothes, it’s better to dry them indoors. Keep your air purifier running to ensure any pollen that does make it inside is quickly dealt with.
Managing Your Spring Allergies
Spring is undeniably one of the most delightful seasons, marked by budding flowers, fresh showers, longer days, stunning sunsets, and rising temperatures—all of which, unfortunately, contribute to spring allergies. By taking the right precautions and steps to control your allergy symptoms, you'll be able to wake up every morning and actually smell the roses.
Sources
- Allergy UK - Statistics and Figures
- ENTUK - Hayfever
- Asthma + Lung UK - Dust Mites and Asthma
- NHS - Hayfever
- Asthma + Lung UK - Spring Allergies Treatments
