6 Tips To Beat Winter Allergies
When you think of winter allergies, you assume most of their resulting symptoms will be frozen into remission. However, the reality is that cold weather doesn’t deflect all allergies. Actually, the frigid air makes some symptoms much worse.
Although pollen allergens can subside as the climate settles into the colder months, anyone who experiences indoor allergies will indeed feel an upswing in certain reactive symptoms.
This happens when the cold weather sets in, because people turn on their heating & cooling systems during the winter months. After activation, continual airflow throughout the home stirs previously dormant mold spores, dust and pet dander and sends those pesky winter allergens right into our lungs.
Considering the potential health concerns that result from winter allergies, we compiled six things people can do to combat the symptoms before they’re inundated with cold remedies and empty Kleenex boxes.
1) Detailed Dusting
If you want to keep your home free of dust during the winter, dusting must be doubled up. With twice as many dust particles being omitted by your HVAC system, dusting more frequently is key, as is dusting in the hidden areas of your home.
You’ll be surprised how many particles can collect behind the curtains and in the corners of your ceiling, even in just one week.
2) Clean Everything More Frequently
During the winter, everything in your home becomes susceptible to allergens. Beyond just the dust, those of us with bad allergies must ensure they’re increasing the regularity of cleaning linens, carpets, couch cushions and curtains.
Although these aren’t things we clean as often as clothes, these fabrics tend to absorb more harmful particles than ever during the winter, thanks to more wet pets and people interacting with them.
3) Proactive Diet
This one may seem odd, but being proactive about a healthy diet is always going to keep your body and immune system well kept.
So, if our body is already fighting up an uphill battle against airborne winter allergies, weighing our immune systems down with unhealthy food is only going to make us more susceptible to allergy symptoms and potential asthma attacks.
4) Keep Your Bedroom Spotless
Does your dog sleep in your bed? It might be a good idea to take a few months off in the winter. When the weather is cold, animals become wet and track allergens back into the home.
Instead of allowing them on the bed and triggering your symptoms, keep them out altogether and take extra precautions in general. Washing your bed linens and pajamas in hot water (above 130 degrees) will help kill dust mites, while allergy-free pillows can also keep your bed free of allergens.
Consider removing carpets or rugs as well, which can be hot beds for dust mites.
5) Watch Indoor Humidity Levels
Since mold spores are one of the more common winter allergies, keeping them to a minimum is key.
One way to nip them in the bud before they fully develop is to get your indoor humidity levels between 30 percent and 40 percent. You can do this by implementing humidifiers and dehumidifiers in various rooms throughout the house and making sure to keep their filters up to date.
6) Purchase An Air Purifier
On top of all the specifics mentioned above, implementing an air purifier in your home can prove to be your strongest ally when trying to combat any form of winter allergies.
However, to find the right model for your specific symptoms or home situation, compare and contrast our various air purifiers for allergies. While each of our models combat most winter allergies, certain models have specific specialties and cater to different coverage areas.
