Hay fever and a bad night’s sleep? Here are ten tips to make it better

19 June 2023

Anyone who suffers from hay fever knows how annoying the run-up to summer can be. Especially when it affects your sleep. In this blog post, we share ten practical tips to make your sleeping environment as allergy free as possible.

1. Keep an eye on the weather

The weather forecast and pollen count can help you to be prepared for possible hay fever symptoms. In sunny, dry weather, there is a lot of pollen in the air, but when it rains, it doesn’t travel around as much. Are you about to hit the road, but do you see a rain shower approaching? Then it’s worth waiting for the rain to pass and then hop on your bike.

2. Which trees and plants make you suffer the most?

Get to know your triggers. Check which trees and plants cause hay fever symptoms. This will give you more control over hay fever. For example, if you experience problems near birch trees, try avoiding places where there are many of these trees.

3. Keep your bedroom pollen-free

  • Take a shower shortly before getting into bed and be sure to wash your hair
  • Do not take clothes that you have been wearing near pollen into the bedroom and wash them immediately
  • Regularly vacuum your bedroom and change bedding more often than usual to keep your bed clean
  • Ventilate your room, especially early in the morning, when the air is more humid, and less pollen are in the air

4. Use Vaseline

Put some Vaseline on the inside of your nose and around your eyelids. Pollen will stick to the Vaseline and cause less trouble.

“By applying some Vaseline around your eyes, hay fever symptoms will be reduced.”

5. Put on a good pair of sunglasses

Sunglasses not only protect you from the sun, but also from pollen swirling around. Wear sunglasses that protect your eyes properly all around.

6. Avoid rubbing your eyes

Pollen can also get into your eyes through your hands. So wash your hands regularly and don't rub your eyes. This will only make the pollen spread further and, therefore, inconvenience you. In the latter case, put a wet washcloth on your eyes to provide relief.

7. Avoid stinging substances

Hay fever gets worse when you are exposed to stinging substances. So avoid cigarette smoke, paint, hair spray, chlorine, ammonia, exhaust fumes and perfume. Even strongly scented flowers or plants can make hay fever worse, so try to avoid these too.

8. Keep your pets clean

Do you have pets that love to run around outside? Then keep them clean. Pollen gets stuck in their fur when they walk past plants. A thorough brushing of the coat after a walk can help a lot.

9. Go to the seaside

By the sea, there is less pollen in the air, and you are likely to suffer less from your hay fever.

10. Watch your diet: less histamine on your plate

People with hay fever release too much histamine, a substance also found in food. If you have hay fever and eat histamine-rich food, your body will release even more histamine. The following foods are rich in histamine and, therefore, should be (temporarily) avoided: non-fresh fish, shrimps and shellfish, spinach, sauerkraut, mature (aged) cheeses, alcohol (especially red wine and beer), chocolate, tomatoes and citrus fruits.

Image by freepik.