Tips for Surviving Allergy Season

There’s nothing nicer than spring weather. Trees and flowers start to bloom, bees begin to pollinate, and the sun seems to shine a little brighter. However, if you’re too busy fighting allergy season, the beauty of spring may feel lost on you or even ruined. With the lovely weather comes pollen, and with pollen comes allergies. The buildup of both dust and pollen can irritate your eyes and sinuses, giving you symptoms resembling a common cold that never seems to end. Well, everyone deserves to enjoy spring, so here a few suggestions for surviving allergy season.

Lose Those Dark Circles

Allergies lead to nasal congestion, leaving the blood vessels around your eyes restricted. This is why people may have dark circles around their eyes when they're not sleep deprived. Using antibacterial wipes or even a cold compress can stimulate blood flow and get rid of the dark circles. You can use a cold towel, a bag of frozen peas, or slices of cucumber, just as long as it’s cool to the touch. You can also benefit from sleeping with your head elevated more -- just add another pillow to minimize fluid retention.

Protect From Itchy Eyes

A common symptom of allergy season is watery, itchy eyes. Once you feel your eyes beginning to burn or tear up, use preservative-free eye drops. Rubbing your eyes further dries them out and turns them red. For extra comfort, try to find an eye drop solution specifically for itchy eyes. This will help them retain moisture while getting rid of those puffy, itchy eyes by creating a barrier against pollen.

Soothe Your Coughs

Just taking a breath of fresh, spring air can be traumatic for someone with allergies. Occasionally, a person may experience a sore throat or constant coughing. Adding a spoonful of Manuka honey to your tea, smoothie, or yogurt may give you the boost you need. Manuka honey, said to have four times as many vitamins, minerals, and amino acids as normal honey, can potentially kick up your immune system and soothe your itchy, sore throat. It’s also a sweet reward while you’re under the weather.

Get Rid of That Stuffy Nose

One of the common first signs your allergies are flaring up is a stuffy nose. If you experience this every year, you may want to invest in a humidifier. Air quality can have a huge impact on your sinuses. Just place a few drops of peppermint oil into your humidifier (refer to its instructions), and your congestion should soon clear up. You can also boil a pot of hot water and add in peppermint oil before you inhale the vapor. This helps you avoid the lethargic, sluggish feeling everyone experiences with sinusitis.

End The Sneezing

Sneezing will begin to pick up during spring -- it’s your body’s way of forcing out bacteria and is good for the immune system. As pollen fills the air, your sinuses will become irritated and cause you to sneeze, something coffee actually makes worse. Try switching to tea, specifically chamomile -- it’s a natural antihistamine and a mild sedative that can help you sleep better. Also, tea is more hydrating than coffee and can have just as much caffeine -- not to mention it goes great with a little Manuka honey.

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