· By Undercover Living

How to get to sleep with hayfever

Longer days, blue skies and all the sun is a welcome change as we transition into Spring and Summer. As we spend more time outdoors, with all the flowers in bloom it also signals the time of allergy season. Many people suffer with hayfever during the warmer months and with a stuffy nose or itchy eyes, it’s literally something you can lose sleep over! Here we’ve rounded up our top tips to help you ease those irritating symptoms. 


Cleanse away the day
Pollen can stick to your hair, clothes and skin and can be there for hours after you’ve been outside. A hot shower will ensure it gets completely washed away whilst the steam helps your breathing and opens up your sinuses. Why not help it along with a eucalyptus shower or oil? 


Wash your linens
We all like to throw open the windows when it’s warm, but this also means pollen and dust is flying in and out of your room possibly getting stuck to your sheets. Washing your sheets at least once a week will help keep the culprit at bay whilst minimising any symptoms you might experience.


Dry off indoors
Talking of washing, where you dry it all off is important too! Hanging your laundry outside especially on a day of high pollen might be a silly mistake to make. Dry as much of it inside and whilst it may take a bit longer, it should lessen the amount of pollen on your sheets.


Skip that extra drink
Whilst some may believe a nightcap helps you get to sleep, but not so much for those with Hayfever unfortunately. Alcohol is rich in histamine which exacerbates symptoms but you’ll also be more dehydrated, adding to the misery of it all! 


Wipe it over
Ok, no one likes household chores but this is a must if it’ll help you sleep right? The simple act of keeping surfaces clean and floors vacuumed can do wonders as there will be no real build up for pollen to settle. Keep the culprit moving! 


Decongest

Staying hydrated has to be the best thing you can do to keep your sinuses at ease. A close second is inhalation of eucalyptus or menthol. In hot water, sitting with your head over the steam is a great way to open up your airways and release the congestion. Do it as regularly as you need to before bed to get the most out of it.