How to exercise outdoors with allergies

The first step in exercising outdoors with allergies is identifying your specific triggers. Are your symptoms worse with certain outdoor activities, locations, or seasons? It’s helpful to make a note of this information and recognize any patterns. This will help you develop a targeted approach to manage your allergies effectively.

Monitoring pollen counts and air quality can guide your outdoor exercise plans. Several online websites and mobile apps provide real-time information on pollen levels and air quality index (AQI) in your area. On days with high pollen counts or poor air quality, consider modifying your exercise routine or opting for indoor activities. If you have asthma, it’s particularly important to avoid exercising outdoors when air quality is rated yellow or higher.¹

The time of day you exercise makes a difference. Pollen counts are typically highest in the early morning and early evening, so plan your exercise routine for midday or early afternoon when pollen levels are naturally lower. It’s also a good idea to avoid outdoor exercise on dry, warm, windy days, which typically see the highest pollen levels.²

Selecting the right outdoor setting can help you reduce exposure to allergens. Avoid exercising in allergy hotspots, such as near fields of blooming flowers, freshly cut grass, or heavily wooded areas. Instead, opt for open spaces like urban parks or by water, where pollen counts are generally lower.

Wearing appropriate clothing during outdoor exercise can act as a barrier between you and allergens. Consider the following tips:

• Cover your head with a hat to prevent pollen from settling in your hair.
• Wear wraparound sunglasses to shield your eyes from pollen and other airborne allergens.
• Use a face mask designed for outdoor activities to filter out allergens and pollutants.

If you have allergies, it’s essential to follow your doctor's advice and take any medications prescribed. Allergy medications, such as antihistamines or nasal sprays, before exercising can help control symptoms.

Complete your warm-up and cool-down exercises indoors to minimize exposure to outdoor allergens. By doing these parts of your workout routine indoors, you reduce the duration of allergen exposure and decrease the likelihood of triggering allergy symptoms.

Showering washes away pollen and other allergens from your body and hair that may cause a post-exercise allergy flare-up. Allergens can also collect on your clothing, so it’s important to remove and wash your workout gear as soon as you’re finished with your cool down.

If you find that your allergies are particularly bad during certain seasons, consider alternative low-allergen outdoor activities. These may include swimming, indoor rock climbing, cycling on paved trails, or practicing yoga in a park away from high-pollen areas.

¹Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (2023). High Heat, Air Pollution, Air Quality Create Problems for People with Asthma. Available at: https://community.aafa.org/blog/high-heat-air-pollution-air-quality-create-problems-for-people-with-asthma

²WebMD (2023) 6 Way to Keep Exercising Outdoors With Allergies. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/allergies/allergies-and-exercising-outside