When is grass pollen season in the UK and when does it end?
TEMPERATURES are on the up in the UK and with scorching heat comes increased pollen levels.
One in five people in the country experience some sort of pollen allergies as the sunny summer days set in.
Here's everything you need to know about grass pollen season, when it started and how long until it ends.
What is a grass pollen allergy?
Pollen from grass can trigger hay fever, which is a type of allergy, sometimes called seasonal allergic rhinitis.
Hay fever occurs when your body makes the mistake of treating the tree pollen, or pollen from shrubs, as a harmful organism, and the immune system goes into action by making antibodies to try to prevent it spreading.
Symptoms of hay fever include sneezing, itchy, even watery, eyes and a stuffy nose, and about one in every four people in the UK who have hay fever are allergic to tree pollen.
Alcohol, including beer, wine and other spirits, worsens hay fever as they contain histamine - the chemical that sets off allergy symptoms in the body.
When is grass pollen season in the UK and when does it end?
The pollen season across the UK is separated into three main sections.
From late March to mid-May is tree pollen season, while mid-May to July is grass pollen season and weed pollen season runs from the end of June until September.
Grass pollen season is also currently in full swing and peaks during the first two weeks in June.
The UK has had high temperatures over the past two weeks and this can increase the amount of pollen in circulation.
What time of the day has the highest pollen count?
A pollen count is generated by measuring the number of pollen grains in a given volume of air, using a pollen trap.
A count of 50 pollen grains or less is considered low, and a count of 1,000 pollen grains or more is considered high.
Pollen counts tend to be higher in early morning and late evening, although they can sometimes be high all day long.
If the grass is damp, the pollen peak will be later in the morning because the water evaporates before the pollen is released.
Pollen rises in the air during the day and then descends at night, as the air cools.
In rural areas, the evening peak tends to occur between 6pm and 9pm but in the city, where the air stays warmer for longer, the pollen descends later and levels tend to peak between 9pm and midnight or even later, which is why you may wake up sneezing in the night.
Sunny days favour higher pollen counts and rain tends to wash the pollen away, whereas on a cloudy day, pollen builds up only to be released on the next sunny day.
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What can hay fever sufferers do?
To try and combat the effects of hay fever, you can try a number of things:
- put Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen
- wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting into your eyes
- shower and change your clothes after you've been outside to wash the pollen off
- stay indoors whenever possible
- keep windows and doors shut as much as possible
- vacuum regularly and dust with a damp cloth
- buy a pollen filter for the air vents in your car and a vacuum cleaner with a special HEPA filter
In times of high pollen, do not cut grass or walk in grassy areas, keep fresh flowers in your home, smoke or dry clothes outside as they can catch pollen.