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Do Seasonal Allergies Make You Tired

Things You Should Know Aboutallergy

Do Allergies Make You Tired? Here Is How To Cure Some Of Them Naturally
  • 09 Jul, 2020

Allergies can cause all kinds ofunpleasant, distracting symptoms, from digestive upsets and headachesto respiratory trouble and runny eyes. However, you may also haveexperienced another few hallmark symptoms of allergy problems:fatigue, drowsiness, and mental sluggishness.

If you have had noticeable troublegathering your thoughts, maintaining your alertness, or even stayingawake during the day, you need to understand how your allergies maycreate or aggravate your tiredness. Take heed of the following fourkey points about allergy-related fatigue.

1. Allergens Cause BiochemicallyBased Fatigue

An allergic reaction occurs when yourimmune system goes into battle by mistake, attacking a harmlesssubstance as if it were a virus or other germ. It does this byinstructing mast cells to produce antibodies for release into thebloodstream. These antibodies belong to a category known asimmunoglobulin E.

In addition to immunoglobulin E, theimmune system releases a substance called histamine. When both ofthese substances produce an inflammatory reaction in the body, youmay experience a sense of tiredness alongside other, more obviousallergic symptoms.

2. Allergic Sinusitis Can CauseBrain Fog

Individuals who feel dazed and unableto think well often describe their problem as brain fog. While brainfog may occur in association with many health problems, most notablyfibromyalgia, it can also occur as a side effect of a conditioncalled allergic sinusitis.

Keeping A Record Of Your Symptoms

Keep a diary that describes your symptoms and when and where they occur. Your diary could include information about whether your symptoms occur:

  • inside your home, outside or both
  • for a short time or longer
  • at night, during the day or when you wake up
  • at a particular time of the year
  • near animals
  • after you have been stung or bitten by an insect
  • after you have had a particular food or drink
  • after you have taken a particular medication, either prescription or over the counter from a pharmacy or supermarket
  • after you have taken a herbal medicine.

Are There Ways To Reduce Your Allergy Exposure

Here are several ways to minimize your exposure to seasonal allergies:

  • Pay attention to daily pollen and mold spore levels, so you can avoid outdoor activities as much as possible when counts are high. To check out the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunologys allergen tracker, .
  • Begin taking medications before the start of the allergy seasonwhen pollen, grass, ragweed, or mold counts soar.
  • Shut the windows and doors in your home, office, and car to seal out pollen.
  • Wear a hat when outdoors or wash your hair before bed to keep pollen off your pillow and away from your face.
  • Change your clothes after spending time outdoors to minimize your exposure to pollen. Studies show that half of the pollen that accumulates on clothing remains even if you try to shake or brush it off before you go indoors.
  • Avoid mowing the grass or raking moldy leaves if those are your triggers, or wear a mask when doing so.

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Treating Fatigue Caused By Allergies

1. Limit your exposure to allergens

The best way to fully reduce your allergy symptoms is to decrease your exposure to your known allergy triggers. Once you know which allergens are the cause of your symptoms, you can reduce your exposure to them. For example, if youâre allergic to pollen, you can try to stay indoors on days when pollen counts are high., or if you are very allergic to cats you can try to limit your exposure to them.

You can also check online to find your local pollen report. If you have air-conditioning, you should try to keep your windows closed. The same goes for when you are traveling in a car, keep the air conditioning on. If you do spend a lot of time outside, it is a good idea to change your clothing as soon as you come inside.

There are many examples online on how to reduce your allergen exposure once you have identified your specific trigger.

2. Medication

There are many kinds of allergy medications. Some are targeted at specific allergies while others are more generalized and treat many kinds of allergies. The most common medications are antihistamines, which are generally now found OTC or you can experiment with natural antihistamines.

Your best bet if you want to avoid feeling tired and also reduce other annoying allergy symptoms is to take an antihistamine. â

As mentioned earlier, be aware that many antihistamines themselves can cause fatigue and drowsiness.

3. Allergy Immunotherapy

Why & How Allergies Can Make You Tired

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The ragweed is in bloom or you visited a friend with a cat, and now your allergies are leaving you so exhausted youâre dragging around all day. Is it the allergies themselves that turn you into a lethargic ghost of your former self? Could it be your medication? Why and how can allergies make you tired?

When you have an allergic reaction, your body releases proteins called proinflammatory cytokines, which are designed to neutralize invading particles, including allergens like pollen, pet dander, and mold. Researchers believe that cytokines act on the central nervous system and prompt leukocytes and other cells to secrete IL-1 beta , a hormone-like substance that can make you feel lethargic and depress your mood. Perhaps fatigue from the inflammatory process is your bodyâs way of telling you to rest so it can fight whatever is plaguing your system.

Some research links daytime drowsiness and lethargy to poor nighttime sleep, a complaint from many who suffer from allergies. A stuffy nose, post-nasal drip, and coughing can surely ruin a nightâs sleep. Add that to several weeks of bad sleep that you might get during a typical allergy season and youâre in a state of chronic fatigue. This can lead to other health problems that worsen fatigue.

Medication

Can allergies make you tired? Yes. Can you do anything about it? Yes. Limit exposure to allergens, evaluate your medications, and talk to your doctor about treatment options.

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Seasonal Allergies And Sleep

Exposure to allergens, such as dust, pollen, and dander, also causes irritation when they enter your nasal passages. This triggers uncomfortable symptoms like congestion, sneezing, and watery eyes. These symptoms affect your ability to breathe easily and tend to worsen at night two reasons why allergies commonly lead to poor quality sleep and leave you feeling tired in the morning.

Your allergies dont just impact your ability to fall asleep, they also interfere with your ability to stay asleep. People with allergies may wake up due to nasal congestion, or sneezing or coughing fits during the night. This kind of allergy-induced sleep deprivation adds up, creating a vicious cycle that leads some to rely on sedatives or alcohol to help them fall or stay asleep.

Even short-term sleep deprivation can have devastating health consequences, which we discuss in our article Five Shocking Ways Sleep Deprivation Affects Your Body.

There are steps you can take to help relieve nighttime allergies that disturb your sleep or keep you awake at night. If your allergies are making you tired and youre looking for relief, check out our article 8 Tips for Nighttime Allergy Relief.

Does Yale Medicine Offer Specialized Allergy Care

Yale Medicines Allergy & Clinical Immunology physicians have expertise in diagnosing and treating allergies and immunologic diseases. The department schedules weekly conferences to guide care of complex allergy cases, so patients benefit from multiple expert opinions.

In addition, we conduct research to determine the molecular basis of allergic disorders in order to develop new ways to treat people with allergies. Our goal is to help you better enjoy the seasons as they turn by keeping the achoos in check.

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Allergies Follow A Pattern And Symptoms Tend To Stick Around Longer

If you have allergies, your symptoms will flare up at certain times throughout the year when the allergens youre sensitive to are present. For example, if you have a tree pollen allergy, your symptoms will first appear in the early spring.

This also means that your symptoms can last for several weeks until that particular allergy season has ended. To put that into perspective, colds usually only last about a week.

Cold viruses are present all year, so you can catch one at any time. However, the winter cold season is when getting sick is more likely.

Treatment For Pollen Allergies

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A direct way to manage pollen allergies is to reduce your exposure to pollens. Pollen counts are published in the media and can help you to plan to avoid exposure.Tips to reduce your exposure to pollen include:

  • stay indoors in the morning, if possible grass pollens mainly circulate in the morning
  • avoid mowing the grass or wear a mask if you do stay indoors when grass is being mowed
  • keep windows closed in your home and car
  • avoid picnics in parks or in the country during the pollen season
  • wear sunglasses to protect your eyes
  • plant a low-allergy garden around your home, especially near the windows of your home.

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Fewer Allergens Means Less Fatigue And Better Sleep

After taking these steps, individuals can expect their constant fatigue to lessen. Symptoms could improve in leaps and bounds for some sufferers. Fewer allergens in the home and bedroom will lead to higher quality sleep. From there, a person can expect to feel more rejuvenated in the morning and have more energy during the day. Those that suffer from severe allergies can still reduce their fatigue and other symptoms in noticeable ways!

How To Avoid Allergy Fatigue

  • Find out whats causing your symptoms

Try to keep track of your symptoms and what you believe may have caused them. Keep an allergy kit at home which will allow you to narrow down the possible allergens causing the symptoms.

You can also keep a journal to track which symptoms are caused when you are exposed to a particular thing. Like if you always feel nauseous after having milk, you are probably allergic

  • Limit the exposure

If you have figured out what allergens are causing allergy fatigue and other allergy symptoms, you can try and limit your exposure to them. If you are allergic to something thats in the air like dust or pollen, try wearing a mask outside.

  • Opt for Allergy Medication

Some medications and prescriptions work well in dealing with allergy symptoms. Allergy Shots can curb the symptoms in about 85% of people suffering from allergic reactions. Although before opting for this route always consult your healthcare provider.

Some allergy medications contain antihistamines, people are often concerned about whether antihistamines make you tired? There are some side effects attached to it. It may cause drowsiness and sleepiness in some people so it is advised not to operate any heavy machinery or drive after having antihistamines.

  • Visit your healthcare provider

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What Causes Allergic Reactions

About 50 million people in the United States have allergies. That’s about one in every seven people, according to the American College of Asthma, Allergies, and Immunology. People are generally born with sensitivity to substances, handed down by their parents. However, some people develop allergies over time. Common allergens include pollen, mold, pet dander, or foods, which trigger an allergic reaction.

When people with allergies inhale or ingest these allergens, the body’s defense system kicks into overdrive. The immune system unleashes a flood of antibodiesimmunoglobulin E to fight off the perceived enemy. “The is the allergen is not an infection that requires fighting, but an irritant that should be ignored,” explains James R. Haden, MD, president of the Asthma and Allergy Clinic of Fort Worth, Texas.

For someone with allergies, the immune system views a harmless speck of pollen the same as a deadly spore of botulism. The rush of antibodies unlocks histamines in the cells, which spring into action to rid the body of the allergens. Think of histamines as the chemical “security guards” in your bloodstream, quickly ushering out the threats. It’s this chemical storm of histamines that leads to coughing, sneezing, hives, rashes, itchy eyes, a runny nose, and a scratchy throatall signs of an allergic reaction.

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If your allergy-related fatigue is unresolved, the potential for negative outcomes rise, Dr. Kansagra warns. “Being tired affects all parts of your well-being, including your attention, mood, safety while driving, and many others,” he adds. Over a long period of time, brain function begins to diminish, along with immune function, cardiovascular health, and glucose tolerance.

“If you are sniffling, sneezing, coughing, itching, and draining all day from allergies, that in itself is fatiguing,” Dr. Haden says.

The fatigue carries into the daylight hours when you often need to be focused and productive. This is called “brain fog” which is the inability to concentrate experienced by many allergy sufferers. Routine tasks take more energy to complete because of the mental effort required to overcome fatigue.

“If allergies have gotten severe enough to have a prominent impact on your quality of life, it is time to speak with your doctor,” advises Dr. Kansagra.

Also Check: Can Pollen Make You Nauseous

Could Allergy Make You Feel Tired Yes Especially If It Disrupts Your Sleep At Night Seems Inevitable Here We Give 5 Tested And Effective Remedies For It

Allergic reaction to various substances in the environment can make you feel sick. Dust mites, pollen, weeds, and many other particles can trigger an allergic reaction any time, but most especially during some seasons when attacks seem to be more frequent. Common symptoms of allergies include runny nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes. Yet, can allergies make you tired? How can you get through? Read on to learn more about the relation between allergies and tiredness.

Pollen Allergies Are Seasonal

The season for pollen allergies can last for several months and occurs when the plants are flowering. This will vary depending on location and the type of plant. For instance:

  • Non-native trees tend to pollinate in late winter and spring.
  • In Victoria, winds from the north tend to bring pollen from non-native grasses growing inland between October and December.
  • White Cypress pine is the only Australian tree that produces highly allergenic pollen and it flowers between late July and the end of August.
  • Species of casuarina or Australian oak trees produce pollen throughout the year and can cause hay fever symptoms at any time.

The medical specialists who diagnose allergies have online calendars showing when common species of pollen cause allergies in the states and territories of Australia.

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What Should You Do During Anaphylactic Shock

If you or someone else is showing symptoms of anaphylactic shock, follow these life-saving measures:

  • Eliminate the allergen or transfer from the site.
  • Ask for help nearby or call emergency hotlines like 911.
  • Lie in the supine position and elevate your legs to ease breathing until help arrives.
  • Rush to the nearest medical center to get an intramuscular dose of epinephrine to reduce the symptoms of anaphylaxis.
  • Provide oxygen supplementation and IV fluids.

How Are Seasonal Allergies Treated

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Seasonal allergies are treated in a variety of ways. Most often, over-the-counter or prescription antihistamines help suppress the bodys immune response, providing relief from symptoms. Decongestants can be used to relieve congestion. Over-the-counter cough medications are commonly recommended as well.

For people who need additional relief, antihistamine or steroidal nose sprays can be prescribed by your doctor. These help calm the bodys immune response to seasonal airborne allergens.

If you need more specialized care, your doctor may recommend allergen immunotherapy. This helps your immune system build up a tolerance against an allergen by exposing you to the irritant in small doses. Allergen immunotherapy can be given in two ways:

  • Subcutaneous injections: Once your doctor determines what youre allergic to, she administers a series of shots containing those specific allergens. The shots are given in the doctors office over many months or years, usually in the arm.
  • Sublingual immunotherapy: As an alternative to injections, you can try prescription tablets or drops that dissolve under the tongue . Sublingual immunotherapy is only available for grass and ragweed allergies, however.

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What You Can Do

It might leave you feeling discouraged to hear about the links between fatigue, mood, and even cognitive abilities and allergies, but there are many things that can be done that could, in turn, benefit you both from an allergy standpoint and a non-nasal symptom standpoint.

We have come a long way in methods of treating allergic rhinitis. That said, everyone is different and it often requires some trial and error to find out what works best for you.

The first step is to take a look at your environment. With the medications we have available, it’s sometimes easy to forget that there are other methods available to address your symptoms such as avoidance of the cause.

You may also want to keep an eye on outdoor pollen counts and plan outdoor activities around these. Of course, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and practicing stress management can make a difference all the way around.

Heart Disease And Fatigue

Symptoms: Fatigue from an activity that should be easy

If youre exhausted after an activity that used to be easy for example, walking up the steps it may be time to talk to your doctor about the possibility of heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women. If your fatigue is related to your , medication or treatments can usually help correct the problem, cut the fatigue, and restore your energy.

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A Wet Hacking Cough Screams Cold

While a cough is common for both allergy flares and colds, the type of cough for each is different. A cold cough is wet and hacking, and often produces mucus or phlegm that gets progressively thicker, often taking on a green or yellow tinge.

Allergy-related coughs usually feel like you have a tickle in your throat. Thats because allergens often irritate the lining of your nose, which triggers your nasal passages to create a watery mucus. This can drip out of your nose and down the back of your throat, creating that tickling sensation.

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