As if stress and allergies weren’t bad enough on their own, new study shows that allergy sufferers have more flare-ups after a particularly stressful week. It is known that stress can be a trigger for eczema, which, like allergies, is an autoimmune disorder, so the researchers think there’s a similar mechanism at work. In the study, one day of stress didn’t immediately increase the sneezing and itchy eyes, but symptoms were worse the week following a bout of persistent tension and anxiety. So, if you have seasonal allergies, some deep breathing and yoga might be as helpful as antihistamines and eye drops.
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