Pspring is a beautiful time of year, but many people actually dread the return of warmer weather.
After all, it's not easy to enjoy the sunshine when it also comes with a side of runny noses and itchy eyes due to seasonal allergies.
However, a new study claims that rising pollen counts may not deserve all the blame: Our stress levels may worsen allergy symptoms.
The news comes from Osaka City University in Japan. Lead study author Mika Yamanaka-Takaichi explains, “In daily practice, I meet many allergy patients who say that their symptoms worsened due to psychological stress. That's what made me do this research."
The presence of the stress hormone can cause more of those allergy-prone cells to appear in our nasal cavity, making us more susceptible to allergy triggers.
Of course, we're living in a stressful time — and knowing we're dealing with seasonal allergies can be a lot of stress in itself — so it can quickly feel like a vicious cycle. Fortunately, the team also found promising potential with stress-relieving therapies, like prescription drugs that specifically target that stress hormone. /Telegraph/
