Are dry, itchy eyes hiding behind those dope sunglasses? The warmer months can be brutal for anyone with seasonal allergies, and summer fun-in-the-sun may bring even more allergy symptoms.
If you’ve noticed that your allergies go into high gear this time of year, here are a few things you might be doing to make allergies worse (and what you can do about it!).
1. Wearing your outside clothes inside.
Grandma had it right when she told you to take off your shoes and your “play clothes” when you entered the house. The soles of your shoes have grooves, perfect for trapping allergens.
Walking around your house in the same shoes and clothes that have been exposed to the outside elements you just sneezed in is perpetuating the spread of pollen in your house.
Leave your shoes at the door, take off your clothes and throw them into the laundry basket to decrease the risk of spreading pollen in your house. All those friendly (and not-so-friendly) reminders from your mother about not sitting on her bed with your outside clothes make a lot of sense now, right?
READ: 5 Ways To Conquer Summer Allergies
2. Opening windows too soon.
Don’t be so thirsty to open those windows as soon as it gets hot. Although you may have a screen protector on your window blocking you from certain outside elements, you’re still at a high risk of inviting airborne elements from the trees, such as molds and pollens, which can trigger allergies with the blow of wind.
Leave windows closed during peak pollen hours and try using an air conditioner with an allergy filter to remedy your need to feel the breeze.
3. Showering only once a day.
Pollen counts kick up in the summer, so be sure to switch up your bathing habits. Spending a lot of time outside means that you’re more susceptible to coming in contact with pollen. Pollen is extremely flighty and finds ways to attach itself to any surface. Although you might not see pollen on your clothes or feel it on your skin, trust and believe, it’s there. Shower immediately upon entering the house, or at the least, before going to bed.
4. Drinking alcohol.
Who doesn’t like partaking in a little something something when the weather gets hot? But did you know that drinking alcohol increases nasal allergy symptoms? When you sip that mimosa, glass of Hennessy with no ice, or even a simple wine cooler’ it increases the