There's a lot to love about spring—the farmers markets are back, the sun is shining and you can swap out your heavy winter gear for something light and airy. But one of the not-so-pleasant side effects of the season? Allergies. And if you're one of the roughly 7 percent of U.S. adults who suffer from seasonal allergies, then you're gearing up for weeks of runny noses, watery eyes and plenty of sneezing. Yep, time to hit up the pharmacy to stock up on Benadryl. But there's also another easy way to ease symptoms—hop in the shower before bed.
While it's true that the best way to stifle the sniffles is to take an antihistamine (and for those with serious symptoms that means taking them every day while allergy season lasts and not just on Saturday when you're at the park), that's not all you should be doing. Because when it comes to those annoying symptoms that just won't go away, you need a plan of attack. Specifically, you want to minimize your contact with pollen as much as possible.
Here's why showering before bed can help: All that pollen that's floating in the air during allergy season collects on your skin and hair throughout the day. Which means that when you go to sleep at night, you might as well be sleeping in a grassy meadow (OK, not really but you get the idea). A quick shower before hitting the sheets will get rid of any lingering allergens. Oh, and this stuff loves to stick to your clothes, too, so you might want to throw your outfit in the wash while you're at it. (Just don't hang them outside to dry since that'll collect—you guessed it—more pollen.)
One final tip? Make sure you take off your shoes when you come home (psst…it’s totally OK to ask your guests to do the same) and keep those windows shut (use a fan or A/C instead). Ah, sweet relief.
