Do open windows make seasonal allergies worse?

Do open windows make seasonal allergies worse?

After months of living with the windows shut tight and the heat blasting, it makes perfect sense that our first instinct as soon as it starts to get warmer is to embrace open windows and fresh air from dusk till dawn. After all, who doesn’t enjoy falling asleep to the fresh scent of blooming flowers?

But if you suffer from seasonal allergies, those fresh blooms and crisp spring air may actually be causing a night time stuffy nose (as well as other allergy symptoms). Here are a few things to consider before throwing open those windows at night.

How open windows can affect your seasonal allergies

One big reason that cracking your windows open on a spring night isn’t the best idea is that pollen levels are often the highest in the evening. Opening your bedroom windows at dusk is essentially exposing your house to floating pollen and allowing it to cover everything from your carpet to your bedspread.

Even if you decide to wait until early summer to let a fresh breeze blow through your home, you could still be causing yourself allergy grief. Grass and tree pollens “thrive” during warm days and cool nights, and if you add a little bit of wind to a brisk evening, you could have a surge of pollen spores suddenly spreading through your house like wildfire.

Enjoying that fresh air — even with seasonal allergies

While it may seem like a drag to keep your windows closed, it’s a precaution that will help your allergy symptoms! And just because you have to deal with seasonal allergies, that doesn’t mean you have to cut yourself off from outside entirely. You can still enjoy the outdoors on a beautiful day; it just takes a little bit of planning. This planning includes checking the pollen count before going outside and taking a shower and washing your clothes as soon as you come in from outdoor activities.

Another way to ease the discomfort caused by seasonal allergy symptoms? Keep a box of Breathe Right^® Nasal Strips on your bedside table for when allergy-induced nasal congestion is affecting your sleep. Effective, drug-free, and easy to apply, Breathe Right^® Nasal Strips open your nose to relieve snoring and night time nasal congestion due to allergies.