Runny nose, sneezing and red and irritated eyes – it’s just a matter of getting used to it.
The pollen season is expected to be both longer and worse due to climate change.
– There will be a noticeable reduction in the quality of life, says Åslög Dahl, researcher at the University of Gothenburg.
As many as between a third and a quarter of all Swedes are allergic to pollen. Common symptoms of allergy are red and itchy eyes, nasal congestion, repeated sneezing and runny nose.
Problems that may become more common due to a longer pollen season.
Twice as long a season than in the 70s
In the 1970s, the Swedish pollen season lasted from mid-March to the end of August. But with a warmer climate comes a longer spring – which means an earlier start and later end.
The pollen season may be closer to four months longer than it was 50 years ago, says Åslög Dahl, researcher at the Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg.
– The strong development is due to climate change caused by humans, so these years are a fairly short time.
“Appreciable reduction in the quality of life”
With a longer pollen season, the consequences can be challenging for allergy sufferers.
– There will be a significant reduction in the quality of life. It is a period of the year when you may have difficulty sleeping, you may become depressed and, in turn, you may perform worse at work, says Åslög Dahl.
Further consequences are that more people are at risk of becoming allergic, according to Åslög Dahl. But there is also reduced biodiversity can be a cause. Something that in turn contributes to the immune system not being exposed to different types of pollen and bacteria, which challenge the immune system in the right way, at a young age.
This year’s pollen season
Even nature can have negative consequences from a longer pollen season. Insects, which are an important part of pollination, are also affected by the warmer temperatures.
– There can be a “mismatch” between them and the plants. Then there will be no pollination, which leads to poor reproduction, says Åslög Dahl.
Due to the cold spring, this year’s pollen season has been unusually slow. The figures from the year can be compared with data from the 1970s precisely because of the cold.