Managing Seasonal Allergies

As the weather warms and spring approaches, you may experience seasonal allergies. Such allergies can be mild for some but debilitating for others. In fact, one of the top reasons that adults miss work is due to symptoms of seasonal allergies. With this in mind, it’s important to take steps to manage seasonal allergies.

Seasonal allergy symptoms are different for everyone, but some of the most common are:

Itchy or watery eyes

Runny nose or congestion

Sneezing

Fatigue

Coughing

Hives or rash

Since many of these symptoms could be mistaken for the common cold or another illness, it is important to first identify whether you have allergies. Speaking to your physician or getting an allergy test are two effective ways to find out if you have seasonal allergies and determine how severe they are.

Once you have a better understanding of your seasonal allergies, the next step is to make an effort to mitigate your symptoms. Here are some steps you can take at work:

Use medication that treats individual symptoms. All-encompassing medications can make you drowsy and less productive at work. Instead, try medications that target specific symptoms. For instance, you may want to use nasal spray to treat congestion issues or eye drops to alleviate itchy eyes.

Keep your workspace and belongings clean. Dust your desk and other items in your workspace frequently. Consider hanging your coat away from your desk to distance yourself from any allergens that the coat may pick up, and keep windows closed in the early morning and late afternoon. These are peak times for pollen, and keeping windows open allows pollen to enter your workspace, which could worsen your allergy symptoms.

Ensure proper air quality. Consider equipping your workstation with a portable fan or desktop air purifier to offer an added layer of protection against potential allergens.

Consult your supervisor for more information on managing seasonal allergies in the workplace.

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