YES, YOUR HAY FEVER IS WORSE THIS YEAR. HERE'S WHY
While many of us spend the year counting down until summer, the warmer months can be a challenge for the 1 in 4 adults in the United States who suffer from seasonal allergies.
The bad news is that your hay fever is probably going to start getting worse as global temperatures continue to rise. In fact, you might have already started to feel its effects.
"Scientists have known for a long time from studies of plants in controlled conditions like greenhouses that warmer temperatures in the springtime drive earlier flowering and start of the pollen season and, often, more pollen in the air," William Anderegg, an associate professor in biology at the University of Utah, told Newsweek.
"Rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere also drive plants to produce more pollen. Thus, both increasing temperature and carbon dioxide levels are likely influencing pollen levels around the U.S.," said Anderegg, who is also the director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy.
In a study, published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2021, Anderegg and his team found that pollen concentrations across North America increased by 21 percent between 1990 and 2018, in line with observed increases in annual temperatures.
The study also found that the pollen season is beginning 20 days earlier than in 1990 and lasting roughly eight days longer. As a result, people across the U.S. were being exposed to more pollen over a longer period.
"These trends in pollen seasons show us that climate change isn't something in the future. It's here and now and affecting our health in every breath we take in the spring," Anderegg said. "Thus, tackling climate change quickly will bring enormous benefits for our health."
The data was collected from 60 pollen count stations across the U.S., with the most significant increases being seen in Texas and the Midwest.
"Most plant species studied seem to show similar responses to temperature in terms of pollen production," Anderegg said. "That said, we found in our 2021 study that tree pollen had the strongest trends for earlier starts and higher pollen levels in long-term data from around the U.S."
Not only are pollen concentrations increasing. There also seems to be a higher incidence of pollen allergy among the general population, with some experts estimating there are more than twice as many hay fever sufferers now than there were 30 years ago.
It's not only pollen allergies that can cause problems. "We tend to think of pollen mostly in terms of its impact on hay fever and allergies, but actually there are many studies showing how it can impact how well kids do in school, worker productivity, vulnerability to viruses and all sorts of economic impacts," Anderegg said.
Unfortunately, as global temperatures continue to rise, pollen concentrations are likely to follow suit. "In all likelihood, these trends towards earlier and longer pollen seasons and higher levels of pollen in the air are expected to continue in the coming years," Anderegg said.
"In the near term, we need to prepare for this. In the medium term, our actions around stopping climate change and land management could help reduce or reverse the trends," he said.
To protect yourself from pollen, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a few helpful pointers:
- Check pollen forecasts and spend less time outside when pollen levels are high.
- Don't touch your eyes while outside and wash your hands as soon as you go in.
- Shower and change your clothes after being outside to remove pollen from your skin and hair.
- Keep windows closed during pollen season.
- Take allergy medications if necessary.
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2023-06-08T19:46:58Z dg43tfdfdgfd