As spring rolls around and it starts to warm up after the brutally cold winter, flowers are blooming, the grass is turning green again, trees are getting their leaves back… and you’re sneezing every 5 seconds from the pollen.

That’s right, the part of spring we all know and love: allergies.

It can be hard to enjoy the beautiful weather when you are constantly blowing your nose, sneezing and popping allergy pills.

I am not a healthcare professional, I just know what I know based on a lifetime of dealing with allergies. So for more information on seasonal allergies, visit WebMD or consult a physician. As someone who struggles mightily with seasonal allergies, there are a few things that could help you to enjoy spring without completely avoiding the outdoors.

1.)    Try taking a daily allergy medicine. As it builds up in your system it will help to control the effects of your allergies without having to worry about taking medicine every couple hours throughout the day. Some common allergy medicines used for seasonal allergies are Allegra, Claritin and Zyrtec.

2.)    Pollen is most abundant in the air in the morning and at night, so if you’re planning on going outside, try to do it at the right times to avoid all of the pollen in the air causing an allergy attack.

3.)    Most people don’t enjoy wind in the first place, but if it’s windy outside, the pollen in the air will be on the move and more likely to get to you and irritate your allergies, so try to stay inside if its overly windy. This may be a bit tricky considering we live in Wyoming and wind is basically a season of its own, but at least you can try.

4.)    Get the shot. There are certain shots that you can get at the beginning of allergy season that can control or even take away most of your allergy symptoms throughout allergy season. This would require seeing a physician or an allergist to see what is best for you and your allergy symptoms.

5.)    Close your windows and doors. Many of you enjoy having an open window when it’s nice and sunny outside, but opening your windows and doors lets the pollen and allergens into your house, and then you’re not safe anywhere.

6.)    If you’re going outside, wear sunglasses, even if it’s cloudy. The glasses will protect your eyes from getting pollen in them, which could cause an allergic reaction.

7.)    After you go outside, take a shower and change your clothes; pollen sticks to fabric and hair so it will follow you around until you wash it off.

8.)    Try a nasal spray. If your allergies are giving you a stuffed up nose and causing you to sneeze a lot, try using a nasal spray or a nasal rinse to clear things out. Some frequently used nasal sprays include Flonase, Nasacort or Zicam.

9.)    Have an allergy emergency kit with you whenever you are outside for prolonged periods of time. This should include tissues, an antihistamine or another form of allergy medicine, eye drops, an inhaler (if prescribed to you by a doctor), cough drops, etc.

10.) If your symptoms get increasingly worse even after following all of my handy-dandy tips, try seeing an allergist to see what works best for you. Nothing is worse than not being able to enjoy the warmest times of the year (which is only about two  months in Wyoming) because of allergies.

Hopefully these tips will be beneficial in helping control your seasonal allergies so you can enjoy the beautiful 5 minutes of warm Wyoming weather.