The last couple of weeks have brought with them some lovely sunshine, which is certainly helping to brighten up the otherwise stressful atmosphere of exam term. But for one in five of us, that sunshine comes with a cost, as this time of year also spells the beginning of hay fever season. As grass pollen levels increase from May through to July before being replaced by weed pollen until September, many of us are bracing ourselves for another long summer of sneezing, congestion, itchy eyes and headaches. My flatmate told me that she can easily tell who is moving around in the flat in the morning - our friend will go for the kettle, while I’m sneezing my way straight to the bathroom to blow my nose.

“Many find it to have huge effects on their quality of life, with two-thirds of sufferers reporting that it restricts their daily activity”

Hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, is a nasal inflammation in response to airborne allergens. But, more than that, many find it to have huge effects on their quality of life, with two-thirds of sufferers reporting that it restricts their daily activity. Excessive histamine reactions also cause exhaustion, especially when coupled with a loss of sleep, and hay fever has been shown to have measurably negative effects on cognitive function and thus exam performance.

Walking around Boots yesterday, I was struck by displays of antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops on every corner. More people suffer from hay fever now than ever before as climate change alters our seasons and warms the planet, increasing the duration and potency of pollen season. One study reported that the percentage of children diagnosed with allergic rhinitis has increased threefold since the 80s.

“More people suffer from hay fever now than ever before as climate change alters our seasons and warms the planet, increasing the duration and potency of pollen season”

This summer is predicted to break temperature records yet again. A warmer summer this year means that next year’s tree (specifically betula) pollen will likely be worse again, as pollen is set this year in flower buds. Pollen counts tend to be higher in dry, humid and sunny weather between 18-28 degrees, conditions which are becoming increasingly prevalent, and for longer stretches of the year. Further to this, climate change has effects on the distribution of species, with studies suggesting that common ragweed is increasingly colonising, bringing with it a huge volume of highly potent pollen. This said, one model predicted that climate change will be responsible for up to a 60% increase in hay fever severity in coming years.

So, what can we do about it? Unfortunately for many of us, hay fever can develop at any age and, at the moment, there is no easy cure. Advice to stay indoors during the sunny days and venture out in the evening is not actually particularly helpful, depending on the type of pollens that cause your allergies. On hot days, convection currents carry upwards pollen-bearing air, which descends throughout the evening and night as the ambient temperature drops. This means that many people find themselves to experience worse symptoms at night, and particularly when they wake up.

Antihistamines are the most common measure for mitigating hay fever symptoms, which work by inhibiting histamine receptors so as to decrease the body’s allergic response. There are many different types of antihistamine, some drowsy, some not, and often some experimenting is needed to find out which ones will be effective for you. Eye drops and nasal sprays also help to mitigate symptoms, as well as putting Vaseline around your nose to physically trap pollen.

Cambridge grass pollen is particularly brutal - I hope and pray that I can find an antihistamine that works for me this year so I can get myself to Grantchester Meadows the second exams finish. But, more seriously, researching this has further highlighted to me the far-reaching and specific effects that climate change will have, and is already having on so many aspects of our lives. A worsening pollen season is merely one tiny effect of an increasingly warm planet.