Itchy eyes, stuffy nose, and sneezing season is in full swing. After a sequence marked by red surveillance in almost all of France, “pollens from grasses and oaks are replacing those from birch trees and are increasingly present in the air”, warns the National Network of Aerobiological Surveillance in its Friday bulletin April 19th.
Numerous pollens make life difficult for millions of people every spring. Here are some tips you can adopt to limit your symptoms.
• Wash your hair at night
For people allergic to pollen, the goal is to introduce as few outside substances into their homes as possible. Therefore, when returning home, it is advisable to leave your shoes outside the door and then quickly go to shower and then change clothes, so as not to bring contaminated clothing from outside.
You can also wash your nose and eyes directly, with saline for example.
To have a calmer night, wash or at least rinse your hair at night because pollen is deposited in large quantities. If possible, “do not sleep with the window open if the bed is near the window,” adds the Pasteur Institute of Lille.
• Open windows at the right time
While it may be tempting to lock yourself inside to avoid pollen, it’s still important to air out your home every day. In fact, this helps evacuate pollutants from the house and renew the ambient air.
However, some habits can be adopted to prevent pollen from entering the interior. Therefore, it is recommended to open the windows before sunrise and after sunset, since temperatures are lower and there is less pollen suspended in the air.
However, when traveling by car, keep the windows closed. The government website also encourages citizens to be “even more attentive to these recommendations in case of spikes in air pollution,” which can worsen allergic symptoms.
• Avoid irritating or allergenic substances.
In addition, at home, health authorities recommend avoiding exposure to other irritating or allergenic substances that could also aggravate symptoms related to pollen allergy.
Therefore, avoid using indoor perfumes or strong cleaning products and refrain from lighting candles or incense. Similarly, cigarettes act as irritants.
• Protect yourself outside
Before going outside, you can first inform yourself about pollen alerts from the RNSA (National Aerobiological Surveillance Network). During periods of high allergy risk, the government recommends “avoiding outdoor activities that cause overexposure to pollen,” such as mowing the lawn, maintaining the garden, or participating in sports activities.
To do this, you should prioritize the end of the day if possible. Additionally, it is possible to use sunglasses, even goggles, or even a surgical mask to block some of the pollen.
It is also recommended not to dry your clothes inside, as the pollen will settle on them and you risk getting them inside and onto your clothes.
Source: BFM TV
