Are allergies keeping you from running outside? If you love an outdoor workout, don’t let you’re allergies stop you! Just make sure you’re running at the right time.
The worst times to exercise outside are in the morning or early afternoon, according to Health.com. Grasses and trees start releasing pollen at sunrise, with levels peaking in the late morning and early afternoon. If you can, wait until later in the evening – but before dark – to head out. “I always suggest people run after work in the late afternoon or evening,” says Myngoc Nguyen, MD, chief of allergy at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Northern California.
Exercising when pollen counts are lower “can make an enormous difference.” Who can run with a stuffy nose or itchy eyes? Sure, you can try and tough it out, but it won’t be pleasant. And if pollen counts are going to be high on a given day, opt for a less strenuous workout. Instead of aiming to run your personal best or head out for a 6 mile hike, keep it short.
And don’t ignore pollen counts! Check out pollen.com to find out exactly when allergy season begins in your area – you can use the site to look up four-day allergy forecasts for your zipcode, and even sign up to get allergy alerts by mail! The more info you have, the better you can manage your symptoms and head back out to your favorite trails!
