A neuroscientist and sleep researcher has issued a warning to people who experience hay fever in the summer. The warning comes as the Met Office forecasts a ‘very high’ pollen count in parts of the UK.
How Outdoor Laundry Can Exacerbate Allergies
Laura Bojarskaite from the University of Oslo explains that during periods of high pollen counts, bedsheets, pillowcases, and blankets left to dry outdoors can collect pollen grains. Bringing those sheets into bed means introducing allergens directly into the environment where you spend seven to nine hours every night, potentially prolonging exposure and worsening symptoms while you sleep.
Hay fever can significantly disrupt sleep, and poor sleep can in turn make allergy symptoms feel even more difficult to cope with. This creates a vicious cycle during allergy season. The symptoms of seasonal allergies, like nasal congestion, sneezing, and itching eyes, can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Bojarskaite recommends several steps to reduce symptoms at night, including keeping bedroom windows closed when pollen counts are high, showering and washing your hair before bed, changing out of clothes worn outside before entering the bedroom, and avoiding drying bedding outdoors during peak pollen season.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
