1. Line your nostrils with coconut oil
Dab a little coconut oil around the edges of the nostrils to trap pollen before you breathe it in. Make sure to reapply when you blow your nose!
This is a great hack if you know you’re going to be out and about near green spaces, but you can also apply your barrier balm before you go to sleep to help reduce night-time and early morning symptoms.
If you don’t have coconut oil handy you can use a different type of barrier balm – Vaseline or lip balm works well too!
2. Wash your hair before bed
During the day pollen can get caught in your hair, so if you go straight to bed without washing it you’ll cover your pillow in pollen which you’ll then breathe in all night!
Once the pollen is in your room and on your bedsheets, you’ll likely find that your symptoms will keep triggering overnight and early in the morning, even on low pollen count days.
3. Avoid dairy
Dairy is infamous for increasing mucus production – bad news for both a blocked and runny nose! Try to avoid dairy as much as possible, by simply cutting down or switching to dairy-free alternatives such as soya or almond milk.
4. Get changed in the bathroom
Like your hair, pollen can become trapped on clothes. Getting changed in the bathroom as soon as you come in means that you aren't spreading pollen around your home, and aren't leaving pollen-laden clothes in your bedroom while you sleep. Bathrooms also handily often have extractor fans which can help to draw pollen out of the room.
Wash these clothes as soon as you can, or leave them in a laundry bag in the bathroom or utility room.
5. Reduce sugar intake
Sugar is a natural inflammatory that will trigger a spike in sugar levels, followed by a crash. This crash can cause a sudden release of adrenaline and histamine which can cause symptoms to get suddenly worse.
Opt for low-sugar snacks and avoid sugary, fizzy drinks! Try some of our snack recipes to get you started, or check out the snack sections in your local health store.
6. Dry clothes indoors
Leaving your clothes outside on the washing line means pollen will get stuck to them. When you put them on you'll start breathing all that pollen in!
When you take the clothes inside, you'll then also bring pollen into your home.
If you’re drying clothes indoors just keep an eye out for damp or mould developing, as this isn’t good for the respiratory system either!
7. Boost vitamin C intake
Eat lots of vitamin C rich foods like oranges, blueberries and strawberries. Vitamin C acts like a natural antihistamine to calm allergic reactions.
Smoothies are a great way to get extra vitamin C into your diet – try our hayfever-blasting smoothie!
For an extra boost, try out Nature-C vitamin C tablets
8. Cool itchy eyes with a cold compress
According to a recent poll we ran, itchy and irritated eyes are your most-hated symptom!
Soak a clean flannel in cold water and place over the eyes for 10 minutes to reduce puffiness and soothe irritation. Do this several times a day for best effects.
9. Opt for herbal remedies!
Herbal remedies won't have the same side effects that you often find with conventional hayfever medication - such as drowsiness.
Try our Pollinosan tablets, Luffa nasal spray and herbal eye drops.
10. Stay up to date with pollen counts
Knowing what the pollen count is going to be is a great way to make sure you’re prepared. Find your nearest pollen count forecast here – we’ve got over 350 locations across the UK so we’re sure you’ll find one close to you!
We hope you liked my hayfever hacks! Do you have any tricks that you use to get the better of pollen? Let me know in the comments below!
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