About 50 million Americans suffer from nasal allergies, but perhaps their coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, wheezing, runny nose and other side effects are being inadvertently exacerbated ― by them! In the video above, The Doctors share three surprising ways you could be making your allergies worse.
1. You’re not wearing your glasses or sunglasses. Soft contact lenses are permeable and prone to absorb airborne irritants like pollen or smoke, explains Dr. Travis Stork, who suggests wearing glasses or sunglasses to block allergens from getting into your eyes.
2. You hang clothes or sheets to dry outside. Hanging clothes to dry outdoors may save money and be better for the environment, but it’s not a good idea for allergy sufferers. Dr. Jennifer Ashton explains that pollen settles on the clothes while they dry, which is especially problematic if you’re drying sheets or pillows that you’re in close contact with for many hours.
3. You take your allergy medicine in the morning. Dr. Andrew Ordon reveals that you’re better off taking allergy medication at night before going to bed, so that antihistamine levels are up before you wake up in the morning.
Before You Go
