With spring allergies, getting through the day can be challenging and can impact quality of life. Coping with symptoms ranging from sneezing and watery eyes to sinus pain and congestion, can put additional stress on work and social life.
Not only can allergies cause stress, but stress can also make allergies worse.
Common spring allergy offenders like pollen, dust, pet dander can trigger your immune system to fight – and feeling stressed can put your immune system into overdrive, making your allergy symptoms worse.
According to Harvard Health, feeling stressed also amplifies your emotional reaction to any symptoms you’re having. For people under stress, they can feel as if nothing is going well, including their health.
What can do to reduce stress and improve mental wellness in your life?
- Learn stress management techniques such as meditation, yoga, or relaxation exercises. Check out this free 10-minute meditation provided by Headspace.
- Adopt good sleeping habits by exercising regularly, get out in the sunlight, avoid looking at electronics 30-60 minutes before bed, and sleep in a cool dark room.
- Stay hydrated and well-rested, eat healthy, and follow an anti-inflammatory diet to boost your immune system.
- Exercise has been shown to reduce stress and elevate mood. Try to do some form of physical activity every day. This can be integrated into your daily life, such as biking instead of driving to work, cleaning your house, or parking as far as you can from the entrance to a store.
- Stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues on a daily basis to alleviate loneliness and strengthen your sense of community support.
Work with your doctor to develop an allergy action plan, to help you identify your most common allergy triggers and emotional stressors, and which treatments will help you the most.
Other Resources:
Expert Tips for Reducing Your Stress (Tivic Health)
Effective Stress Relievers for Your Life (VeryWellMind)
10 Ways to Ease Stress (Cleveland Clinic)
