Hay fever. Allergic Rhinitis. Seasonal allergies. Whatever you call them, allergic reactions are not fun and can feel like they are taking over your life. When people learn they’re allergic to certain foods, pets, or medicines, they know to avoid them, and can generally go through life without the hassle of dealing with an allergic reaction. Yet, for people with seasonal allergies, it sometimes feels like there’s no escape from the allergens in the air and environment. With 50 million Americans struggling with allergies, you’re not alone in your pain and longing for a solution.

Fortunately, if you deal with seasonal allergies, you can find relief through five simple methods. Whatever season gives you the most strife, you don’t have to spend it holed up inside or dealing with discomfort for months on end. With these five ways to alleviate your symptoms, you can start to enjoy all the different parts of the year.

What Are the Most Common Seasonal Allergies?

Across the many Americans with seasonal allergies, there are some common irritants. These include:

Plant pollens

Dust mites

Pet dander

Mold

Grasses

Fungi spores

The way you are affected and the places that are most trying on your body depend on whether your allergens lurk in the indoor or outdoor air. Natural allergens like pollen are much worse on allergies outside, while indoor allergens like pet dander and particles trapped in carpets can lurk in your home.

What Are the Most Common Allergy Symptoms?

Allergy symptoms can occur any time of the year, depending on what allergens trigger you, and generally look like the following:

Runny or congested nose

Sore throat

Sneezing

Itchy throat or mouth

Postnasal drip

Headache

You may experience some or all of these symptoms during the season when your allergies flare, and maybe some worse than others. Since none of them are enjoyable in the least, let’s dive in to how to tackle your seasonal allergy symptoms.

1. Use an Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

With an ultrasonic cool mist humidifier you can find relief from your most frustrating respiratory system symptoms. When it comes to your dry throat, congested nasal passages, and cough, there’s nothing worse than dry air to exacerbate (and at the very least, not help) these discomforts. Ultrasonic cool mist humidifiers add moisture into the air, and in turn, into your body, which can coat and soothe your body. If your allergies are of the indoor variety, you’ll majorly benefit from an ultrasonic cool mist humidifier, but you also will if you have outdoor allergies, since they can be tracked inside on clothing or in the air. Try turning on your ultrasonic cool mist humidifier overnight and while you’re at home for fast relief.

2. Close Your Doors

If your allergies stem from the great outdoors, a simple way to help reduce your symptoms is to keep the doors and windows tightly sealed to prevent natural allergens from getting inside. While at home this can be easy to remember, but also be sure to keep your windows sealed when you’re driving. Additionally, set your air filters to recirculation mode, not fresh air mode, so you aren’t bringing the outdoor air into your car.

3. Wash Off

As mentioned, you can bring outdoor allergens into the house. So that you aren’t letting them affect you in your home as well as in the rest of the world, be sure to wash off when you get home. Your clothes, skin, and hair, as well as your bags and shoes, can bring traces of allergens inside, so run them through the wash (and yourself through the shower) after you’ve spent time outdoors.

4. Avoid Peak Allergen Times

If your seasonal allergies are based outdoors, you can make a difference in how badly you experience your symptoms by timing your day. Different pollen peaks at different times of the year, and they also generally peak between the hours of 5 and 10 in the morning, though midday may also be problematic for you. If you have control over when you spend your time outside, structure your days to avoid the worst times for allergens.

5. Infuse Peppermint Essential Oil

It’s believed that peppermint essential oil can provide relief against allergy symptoms of the respiratory tract since it has anti-inflammatory and soothing capabilities. This solution can help both indoor and outdoor allergens. Simply add a few drops into a diffuser (or into your humidifier if it doubles as a diffuser) and breathe in the calmative effect of peppermint.

For the 50 million Americans who suffer from allergies, there is nothing worse than the seemingly-endless uncomfortable symptoms that plague them during allergy seasons. Depending on what your body is sensitive to, you might be most affected at any time of the year. Thankfully, you don’t need to accept allergy symptoms as fact if you follow these five methods for relief. You can win the battle against allergy symptoms by making these simple, conscious choices.