Everyone loves springtime in Indiana and across the country. The temperatures begin to warm up and relieve us from the frigid winter conditions, and beautiful flowers start to spring up across our communities. Unfortunately, there is one major issue with spring. It’s the beginning of a time known as allergy season, which can lead to congestion, sneezing, and runny noses. Luckily, there are some ways to get ready before you wake up miserable. Here are 4 ways to properly prepare for allergy season:
1. Start Medications Early
If you are someone who has to take allergy medications to get relief when pollen counts are high, then you will want to start that treatment in advance so your body can get accustomed to the medicine. If you have lived in an area for a long time, you probably know the time of year when your allergies act up the most, so think ahead before you are stuck dealing with a stuffy nose, watery eyes, and nasal congestion.
2. Spring Cleaning Before Spring
Although spring cleaning your house is always a good idea, you may want to consider getting started on it a little earlier than usual. A deep spring cleaning usually consists of things such as dusting light fixtures, wiping out windowsills, and vacuuming furniture. While a clean house is always a great feeling, it can also stir up all sorts of dirt and dander that could make breathing a bit of a challenge. You do not want to deal with indoor allergies on top of everything that is blooming outside, which is why you might want to move spring cleaning to a different time of the year.
3. Begin Tracking Pollen Levels
Tree and grass pollen are the main allergy culprits in the spring. Instead of having to risk it every day when leaving the house, you can check your local weather forecast to see how high the pollen counts are going to be in your area. As a general rule of thumb, pollen counts are normally at their highest on dry and windy days, and they are much lower after heavy rainfall. Also, pollen counts tend to be higher in the morning versus in the evening, so always schedule your mowing and yard work for later in the afternoon and evening hours.
4. Protect the Air Inside Your Home
Many people tend to want to stay inside when pollen counts are high, but this technique becomes less effective if you don’t protect the air inside your home. The first way to do this is by making sure you change your air filter regularly. Experts recommend changing out your air filter every three months to keep your inside air clean. In addition, as tempting as it may be to open your windows on those nice spring days, you might want to avoid it if you suffer from problems during allergy season. The pollen from outside can easily blow inside your home, and chances are you won’t even notice until it’s too late.
Would you like to learn more tips to survive this allergy season? Visit one of our four Indiana pharmacy locations today to stock up on everything you need! We look forward to seeing you soon!
